Dethklok

With billions of fanatical metal fans who risk their lives to witness the sheer brilliance of Dethklok, the band is made up of visionary frontman Nathan Explosion, lead guitarist Skwisgaar Skwigelf, rhythm guitarist Toki Wartooth, drummer Pickles and bassist William Murderface. To offset the daily incompetence of the bands’ members, manager and lawyer Charles Foster Offdense assists the band in nearly all tasks from going shopping to maintaining social relationships.

Being a virtual band and having a membership limited to fictitious characters it would be easy to write Dethklok off as a huge joke, but they’re not. Admittedly a generous pinch of salt is advised but for the most part they do all the things a real band does.

In 2007 Dethklok announced a promotional tour with real band …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. The tour consisted of playing twelve U.S. college campuses and featured lead singer Brendon Small who voices Explosion, Skwigelf and Pickles, guitarist Mike Keneally, bassist Bryan Beller and drummer Gene Hogan. Describing the experience Brendon Small used the words “a Disney ride but with murder” and referenced the band Gorillaz who too have an animated representation of band members.

In 2008 Dethklok toured with Chimaera and Soilent Green and during a show at The Fillmore in San Francisco, CA, U.S. a fire broke out and fans in the audience were reluctant to leave thinking it was part of the dramatic, disaster-driven style of the band in their fictional universe. It was not. Dethklok had a similarly busy 2009 with another tour alongside the likes of Mastadon, High on Fire and Converge and a free show at San Diego Comic Con on July 13, 2012.

Dethklok have released a handful of albums since their inception. These include their 2007 album “The Dethalbum”, 2009’’s “Dethalbum II”, 2012’s “Dethalbum III” and 2013’s “The Doomstar Requiem”. The band has also received the award for Best International Band at the 2009 Revolver Golden God Awards and in 2013 the album “Dethalbum III won an Independent Music Award for Best Metal/Hardcore Album, which is more than most real bands can claim.