Sudden Dethklok

Metalocalypse, a show entering its second season on Adult Swim, Cartoon Network’s grown-up sister network, revolves around a death-metal band called Dethklok — and when it came time to assemble a live version of the group, which smashes into town tonight, Brendon Small, Metalocalypse’s creator, had a couple of non-negotiable...

By Michael Roberts

June 12, 2008

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Metalocalypse, a show entering its second season on Adult Swim, Cartoon Network’s grown-up sister network, revolves around a death-metal band called Dethklok — and when it came time to assemble a live version of the group, which smashes into town tonight, Brendon Small, Metalocalypse’s creator, had a couple of non-negotiable dictates. “I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t dress up like the characters, and I didn’t want to get look-alikes to do stuff,” he says. “I think the one thing that makes this band interesting is, they don’t exist.”

They do shred, however, and for Small, a guitarist and Berklee School of Music grad, the concerts provide him with a platform from which to spread the metal gospel. He and a crew of ace accompanists perform in shadow, underscoring a story he compares to “a Universal Studios ride, like the Terminator 2 ride, where you come in and it’s like, ‘There’s a breach and something terrible just happened!’ Something just stupid enough to get you in there so you can have fun.”

Dethklok, joined by Soilent Green and Chimaira, draw together at 7:30 p.m. at the Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway in Englewood; tickets are $25. Learn more at 303-830-8497 or www.gothictheatre.com — and read an extended Q&A with Brendon Small at blogs.westword.com/latestword.
Thu., June 12, 7:30 p.m., 2008

Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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