Metalocalypse Season 2
If you haven't heard of Dethklok, this generation's greatest metal band, then you must live under a rock . . . or so Brandon Small and Tommy Blacha, the creators of the cartoon show, "Metalocalypse," would have you believe. "Metalocalypse," which airs on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, revolves around the hilarious and bizarre exploits of the world-famous band, Dethklok, and the second season has now been released on DVD. Judging by the season as a whole, it looks like the show has a long time to go before it loses steam.
It became apparent in season one that "Metalocalypse" is a show that primarily thrives on two things: mocking the stereotypes that surround the genre of metal, and shock value. In season two, the show continues to deliver wonderfully on both these fronts, as Small and Blacha appear to have fully embraced them as the cornerstones of the show. The members of Dethklok are hilariously dimwitted and self-centered, and this season's 20 episodes find the band perpetually searching for all things "brutal," being enamored with violence and chaos, and hating themselves and everyone around them. To viewers of the show who aren't familiar with the genre of metal...and the stereotypes to which it is subjected by the rest of society...some of the humor will be lost. But to those of us who know just how ridiculous the assumptions are that people make about metal music, the show is nothing short of satirical and comical genius.
It should also be noted that "Metalocalypse" is very much an adult cartoon show. That being said, the show's overwhelming amount of violence, gore, foul language and often-distasteful subject matter may not be considered funny by sensitive audiences. For those who enjoy shows that are offensive and constantly use shock value to draw laughs, however, "Metalocalypse" is perfect. Just as pushing the envelope and showing an intentional lack of sensitivity are the foundations of shows like "Family Guy" and "South Park," "Metalocalypse" doesn't pull any punches with its grotesque sense of humor, often depicting the graphic deaths of characters, only to be described by an unfazed Dethklok as "totally metal" or "brutal" (per the stereotype that metal is all about being obsessed with violence and hatred).
One of the more surprising strengths of the show, however, is how well its dramatic elements are executed. Though there isn't always a sense of continuity between episodes, there is a general story arc that progresses over the course of the season and is occasionally addressed. Throughout the second season, Dethklok is working on its next album, but in the meantime, Edgar Jomfru...an escapee that had been imprisoned in the band's castle for blackmailing them...is forming a group of terrorists known as the Revengencers. The band's manager and only intelligent person associated with them, Charles Foster Offdensen, recognizes the danger that the band is in and spends much of the season protecting Dethklok from various assaults. Finally, in the season finale, the Revengencers launch an assault on Dethklok's castle on the night of their release party for the new album, making for a truly epic and stunning conclusion to the season. The action at times can be quite exhilarating as the band is put in increasingly dangerous situations and continues to cheat death, at which point the show moves beyond just being a comedy and becomes a pretty successful drama, as well.
The discs feature a fair amount of extras, but they're all hidden; rather than having a section on the menus dedicated to special features, they all must be found by highlighting random parts of the main menu. While some of the extras are hilarious (such as Offdensen getting drunk with the band), many are completely unentertaining or not funny at all. Some try to be funny and fail...these typically involve the type of humor that relies on getting laughs from a situation that goes on for much longer than it should, like a phone call in a movie theater. Others don't even attempt to be funny but still completely fail to entertain, like an extended clip of Jomfru, who is a paraplegic, learning to swim without the use of his legs. So in terms of quantity, there's a pretty substantial amount of extras to be found, but that doesn't count for much when most of them aren't even worth watching.
"Metalocalypse" is definitely something of an acquired taste, so this DVD doesn't call for an immediate purchase if you're not familiar with the show; I would suggest checking out a few episodes online or on Adult Swim first to see if it's your type of humor. If it is, or if you're already a fan of the show, then you can't miss the DVD of season two.