Band:	Dethklok
Album:	The Doomstar Requiem - A Klok Opera
Style:	Melodic death metal
Release date:	October 2013

01. The Birth / Fata Sidus Oritur / One Of Us Must Die
02. Magnus And The Assassin
03. Partying Around The World
04. Tracking / Ishnifus And The Challenge
05. How Can I Be A Hero?
06. The Fans Are Chatting
07. Abigail's Lullaby
08. Some Time Ago...
09. The Duel
10. I Believe
11. A Traitor Amongst Them
12. Training / Do It All For My Brother
13. Before You Go
14. The Answer Is In Your Past
15. The Depths Of Humanity
16. Givin' Back To You
17. En Antris Et Stella Fatum Cruenti
18. The Crossroads
19. Morte Lumina
20. Blazing Star
21. The Doomstar Orchestra

I must preface this review with a warning: if you have not watched the "Metalocalypse" series, and are therefore unfamiliar with the story of Dethklok, then nothing in this album will make any sense whatsoever. That is one of the quirks of this release; it is not a conventional studio album, but the soundtrack to a musical continuation of a running storyline.

Musicals are not my cup of tea; I would wager that the same is true for many metal fans. The Doomstar Requiem is no ordinary piece of musical theater, however; this is a death metal-dance-pop shred-errific opera-tastic bona fide Broadway musical masterpiece played by a bunch of cartoons, featuring George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, Jack Black, and Luke Skywalker, backed by a 50-piece orchestra. The songs flow beautifully from one genre to another, with the churning, eldritch melodeath of "Magnus And The Assassin" giving way to the utterly whimsical (and incredibly catchy) dance tune "Partying Around The World." This album has it all: a piano-based showtune, an apparent tribute to Michael Jackson, and a guitar duel that will tear your face from your head and staple it to your ceiling. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll wish you had as much zazz as Skwisgaar.

Brendon Small is clearly some kind of wizard. Aside from handling the guitar, bass, and keyboards and writing the music, he provides the voices for over a dozen distinct characters and a majority of the backing vocals. Voice actor Tommy Blacha does not appear on this album, leaving Small to sing the parts of Murderface and Dr. Rockso (hence their diminished roles), and live Dethklok guitarist Mike Keneally does an admirable job of covering the role of Toki Wartooth.

The Doomstar Requiem must be considered as more than a work of music, for it does indeed tell a story that is intertwined with the songs (even more closely than traditional concept albums), and I think it is best enjoyed in conjunction with the animated special. It is an amazing accomplishment, for it is in earnest a musical that just happens to be performed by a metal band, and therein lies its strength - it is not a half-assed parody, but a legitimate and complex effort. This is not to say that the opera does not have its ludicrous elements, because it is a fair mix of the lighthearted and the dramatic. What it does mean is that the multitude of lead singers, the wealth of styles represented, and the impressive musicianship cannot be written off as a joke.

This is not as brutal as previous Dethklok releases, but that is hardly a problem. The strength of songwriting and performances are formidable. The Doomstar Requiem is without a doubt one of the most interesting and engaging albums I have heard in a long time.