By Robert Scucci
| Published
If you’re not a long-time fan of Brendon Small’s Metalocalypse, then you probably don’t want to dive straight into Army of the Doomstar, the long-awaited direct-to-video feature-length conclusion to the series that saw its Adult Swim premiere in 2006. There’s simply too much lore to unpack to consider enjoying what Army of the Doomstar, the direct sequel to 2013’s Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem, has to offer. But if you’ve been hypnotized by Dethklok’s beyond brutal riffs for nearly 20 years like myself, you can rest assured that we finally have the stunning conclusion that we’ve been waiting for longer than a Snakes ‘n’ Barrels reunion.
If you’re not picking up any of the references that I’m throwing down but your interest is piqued, I strongly recommend you start Metalocalypse from the beginning and work your way through the series before watching Army of the Doomstar because you don’t know what you’re missing.
A World In Turmoil
Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar very much centers on Dethklok frontman, Nathan Explosion (Brendon Small), who’s tasked with writing the “Song of Salvation” after a secret Church of the Black Klok meeting with the band’s all-knowing CFO, Charles Foster Offdensen (also Brendon Small). At odds with the band after the events that occurred in Doomstar Requiem, Nathan is ready to walk away from his fame and fortune, and settle down with Abigail, a woman he met once, who immediately refuses his marriage proposal. Heartbroken and dejected (read: drunk and on Xanax), Nathan refuses to write the Song of Salvation, which would prevent the Doomstar from destroying planet Earth.
Reluctantly getting back to work with guitarists Skwisgaar Skwigelf (Brendon Small, again) and Toki Wartooth (Tommy Blacha), Pickles the Drummer (Brendon Small… noticing a pattern here?), and bassist William Murderface (Tommy Blacha), Nathan sets out to write the song that will save the world from certain doom in Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar.
Given how infuriatingly petty and selfish every single member of Dethklok is throughout the series’ run, you can expect more of the same in Army of the Doomstar, but cranked up to 11 because we’re basically talking about a death metal version of Spinal Tap. Pushing back against long-time producer Dick Knubbler’s (look at that, it’s Brendon Small again!) guidance, Dethklok gets to work, but there are obstacles along the way in the form of demonic possessions, internal power struggles, and the ever-approaching Doomstar.
A Beautiful Intersection Of Style And Substance
If you’re thinking that Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar sounds like nothing more than a too-little-too-late, bogus cash grab, you’re gravely mistaken because the entire story arc that began with the Tribunal’s desire to destroy Dethklok in Season 1 comes around full-circle as unlikely alliances are formed when you’d least expect them. As the band bickers over the mixing console in their efforts to write the Song of Salvation, Mr. Salacia, the Tribunal’s oldest member who’s been orchestrating Dethklok’s downfall since the very beginning of the Adult Swim series, uses his powers to turn the band’s fanbase against them, and he may just accomplish it this time.
As the world catches fire in Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar, you can’t help but be enthralled by the explosive action sequences, psychedelic undertones, bone-crushing riffs, blast beats, and guttural growls, while each member of Dethklok struggles to figure out their role in restoring peace to the world, one shrill pinch-harmonic at a time. From the sprawling gothic architecture to the fluid animation, Army of the Doomstar is a literal assault on the senses that you may never fully recover from.
But if you pull through and find yourself on life support, barely hanging on by a thread, you’re going to say “hell yeah!” as you fire up Max to watch Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar a second time.
