Metalocalypse Season One   Starring (voice): Brendon Small, Tommy Blacha, Mark Hamill, Victor Brandt and Malcolm McDowell Revolver Entertainment RRP: £19.99 REVD2230 Certificate: 18 Available 22 June 2009

Follow the world’s most extreme metal band Dethklok as they unleash swarms of murderous kittens, destroy hippies with the power of thrash and play death inducing gigs. Dethklok themselves are narcissistic and self-indulgent with sales from merchandise and albums of such epic proportions it puts the band as the world's 12th largest economy...

Metalocalypse is one of the sickest animated shows you'll ever see. It's also one of the funniest. With guest voices from Metallica’s James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett and Mark Hamill (Star Wars), Metalocalypse is twisted, ear-shattering and laugh-out-loud funny.

Follow the exploits of Nathan Explosion, Skwisgaar Skwigelf, Toki Wartooth, William Murderface and Pickles the drummer over these 20, 11-minute episodes.

In each show a secret organisation tries to split the band up when they discover what their latest exploits look set to destroy the world, or make the band even more famous. Over the course of this first season Dethklok perform a jingle for a coffee commercial; record their new album under water; bring a large troll to life while on tour in Finland; try their hand at stand up comedy; appear on a TV chat show that reunites them with their families; almost split up when Pickle reforms with his '80s band; adopt a fat kid in order to get a tax break; learn to play the Blues; Murderface turns to religion after a near death experience; Nathan gets a girlfriend which nearly splits up the band; and the band decide to make a movie.

Extras include Murderface Bass Solo (1 min, 45 sec extended (no pun intended) version of Murderface's infamous solo); Skwisgaar Guitar Instructional Video (5 min, 35 sec featurette where Skwisgaar shows us how to play the guitar part from the coffee commercial)); trailers for other releases; Band Interviews (14 min, 57 sec featurette that examines the band member's thoughts on various topics); Mordhaus Tour (5 min, 21 sec tour of the Band's house with Boneface); and Murder Reel (5 min, 09 sec featurette that is a death and gore montage from the show's episodes. I was actually surprised how many truly vial moments there were throughout the first season).

While this won't be to everyone's taste, I found it to be great fun - as will anyone who has a dark sense of humour.

9

Darren Rea