8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Heavy metal and animation collide in this program from the popular Adult Swim brand. The metal band Deathklok, which includes both Scandinavian and American members, has conquered the world, becoming far more influential than any band in music history. But with success comes danger and corruption, and most episodes of the show see the band fending off the attentions of a shadowy organization known as the Tribunal, who attempt to bring the band's popularity to an abrupt halt.
Starring: Tommy Blacha, Brendon Small, Mark Hamill, Victor Brandt, Malcolm McDowellDark humor | 100% |
Comedy | 80% |
Animation | 53% |
Music | 37% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Like your coffee black and your Metal blacker? Recently downloaded "Séance" by Dark Fortress? Or "Umskiptar" by Burzum? Purchased "Helvetios" by Eluveitie? Or "Eparistera Daimones" by Triptykon? Feel the blood of the innocent is best exploited by the dark gods of Gothenburg death metal? Well then creators Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha's fan-favorite Adult Swim series, Metalocalypse, is most certainly for you. Prefer your Cinnamon Dolce Crème Frappuccino sweet and your pop and indie albums sweeter? Recently picked up "Babel" by Mumford & Sons? Or "Vows" by Kimbra? Fall asleep to "LateNightTales" by Belle & Sebastian? Or indulge in a little "Red" by Taylor Swift? Feel the expanses that divide us are best bridged by whatever singer/songwriter strums the softest? Well then... oddly enough, Small and Blacha's animated series might just be up your brightly lit alley as well. And therein lies the brilliance of Metalocalypse. While it takes countless shots at the genre's every brimstone-n-entrails convention, metal zealots have swarmed its every episode, convinced the series is laughing with them rather than at them. Likewise, less death-y music fans have embraced the show for its razor-sharp humor and smartly penned jabs at metal, all while unwittingly subjecting their oh-so-sensitive ears to Dethklok's bleakest, blackest shrieks and roars.
Nathan Explosion is cursed by love! In this case he is involved in the worst relationship known to mankind: he's begun seriously dating one of his wretched, mindless fans. A pathetic attempt to avoid intimacy. These fans pretend relationships have the illusion of working, but when the celebrity wants out, the results can be quite dangerous.
Animation doesn't get much simpler than it does in Metalocalypse. Thankfully, Warner's 1080p/VC-1 encoded video presentation offers enough of an upgrade to make purchasing the Blu-ray release of Season IV: Church of the Black Klok worth the extra cash. Hellspawned hues, stark satanic reds and eerie Tribunal greens are unhindered, black levels are nearly as deep as the Abyss, serrated detail reveals the animation's every shortcoming and imperfection, and contrast is dead on. Suffice it to say, the Blu-ray release puts its DVD and broadcast counterparts to shame. Like Season III, though, a never-ending stream of occasionally devastating anomalies flood the image. Glaring aliasing, severe banding, pixelated line art, mild macroblocking and other issues pop up in every episode, sometimes in every scene. It all traces back to the animation source itself, sure, exonerating Warner's efforts on the whole. But that doesn't mean the presentation isn't without significant distraction. Still, I'm guessing Dethklok acolytes will be quick to shrug off the image's inherent problems and declare the series' second high definition outing suitably metal.
Guys, this youth center is gonna mean a lot to our minority fans so let's just get through this and we won't be racist anymore. I mean, uh, we never were... but people thought we were. But I know I'm not racist, and I suspect that you are not. Okay once they get their building then we get our non-racist reputation back.
Once again, Warner's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track is more than appreciated. But, once again, the resulting sonics aren't up to snuff. While no doubt a product of the series' less-than-spectacular sound design, the front-heavy soundfield, at-times sparse rear speaker activity, hit or miss LFE output and general dynamic malaise leaves something to be desired. Fortunately, voices are crisp, intelligible and even a bit weighty, and effects are clean and engaging. The ensuing death metal steals the show, of course, with throaty low-end support, aggressive volume and enough power and presence to give it the necessary roar. Had the songs filled the soundstage more naturally and assertively, I would have been more impressed, but Metalocalypse fans will be more than thrilled with the mix as is, particularly when it sounds so much better than it does on television. Ultimately, Season IV sounds as good -- or perhaps not-so-good -- as its Season III TrueHD blood brother. Adjust your expectations accordingly.
"Packed with over two hours of special features," touts the sticker on the front cover of the Blu-ray edition of Season IV: Church of the Blck Klok. That two hours, though, is mainly taken up by an hour-and-a-half reading of Shakespeare. The rest is assorted cuts and bonus bits. Hardly the makings of a legendary supplemental package, or the sort of extras that might pull back the curtain on the series animation and production.
Guys, do you think the red in this album cover is too pink?! This looks like f*%$ing soup! It looks like pink tomato soup! Can we send it back and ask them to make it more blood red?
Another season of Metalocalypse has come and gone, and I'm not quite sure what to make of it all. It's funny -- hilarious even -- and you needn't be enamored with death metal to enjoy everything the series has to offer. But repetition sets in long before Season IV begins to wind down, and it doesn't take long for the line between each episode to blur. Taken in small, easy to swallow chunks, Metalocalypse is a gory, irreverent, ever-referential treat. Taken in one long sitting, though, the show grows old fast. The Blu-ray edition of Church of the Black Klok is a decent one, with solid video and audio that outclasses Season IV's DVD release in every way. The extras disappoint, but fans won't mind one bit.
2013
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