Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
When we talk about streaming culture, we’re usually enthusing about what’s new, but one of the best things about streaming is how it’s made old and obscure cult hits available to a new generation. Presenting Cult Corner: your weekly look into hidden gems and long-lost curiosities that you can find on streaming.
Metalocalypse has always been a weird, hyper-violent beast. It hinged on a relatively simple premise — a band of megalomaniac rock stars hanging out — and was characterized by an animation style that looked intentionally sloppy, much in the way most Adult Swim shows look. However, lurking under all of Dr. Rokso’s cocaine and the unnecessary s’s, Brendon Small’s comedy acted as a finely-tuned all-star ode to heavy metal. Despite all of its gross-out humor, there was a deep-seated love for the subject it mocked. That unexpected note of admiration is what makes Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem – A Klok Opera seem like an extension of the inevitable.
Released in 2013, the one-hour special is essentially a rock opera in which every line of dialogue is sang. That is and of itself is an insane premise for a late night animated show, but it’s an especially ambitious one when you remember one of the running jokes of Dethklok’s many songs is no one can understand the words. However, the ballad-heavy TV movie didn’t just throw the show’s typical song choices out the window. It completely changed the show’s established rule book.
Though Metalocalypse typically existed in a universe where the plot reset every episode, there were clues throughout the series something larger was at play. Some gags and stories, like the Dethphones and Charles’ apparent death, would be referenced in other episodes, so it’s not a stretch that the Illuminati-like superpower constantly monitoring the band would eventually act. However, when they finally made their move at the end of Season 4, kidnapping Toki and Abigail, the stakes were raised to 11. The Doomstar Requiem abandons the show’s typical pointless, insecure, and hilarious banter to completely focus on the rescue mission at hand. There are even a couple of genuinely emotional moments in the special, that of course stem from the heart of the series, Toki. It’s an emotionally-charged rock opera about brotherhood hidden in a show where fans brutally die every 20 seconds.
Personally, I don’t love The Doomstar Requiem. There are some incredibly strong musical numbers, such as “The Duel” and “Partying Around the World” that are everything I could ever want from a Dethklok musical. However, overall there are several episodes I prefer to the plot-heavy hourlong special (like “Dethhealth” and “Dethtroll”) and there are songs that I’d listen to over most of the special’s ballads. But damn, I respect this special. There are few shows that are willing to take as big of a gamble as Metalocalypse was. Structurally, tonally, and audibly, The Doomstar Requiem was worlds different than anything Metalocalypse or anything else on Adult Swim has ever tried. The fact this hilarious series was willing to take that risk when it already had a tried-and-true format for incredible episodes speaks to the show’s strength.
The Doomstar Requiem trusted that the allure of the The Tribunal, the mystery of Toki’s disappearance, and the band’s general ridiculousness would pay off to create something great. The result wasn’t as epic as a Dethklok concert, but it was ambitious as hell and a lot of fun. That’s all I ever wanted from this weird show about the most successful band in the history of the universe — something experimental, funny, and oddly sweet. Hopefully this isn’t the last we’ll see of Dethklok, but if it is, I’m glad the show left our lives singing its heart out.
