How a comedy writer turned a fictional metal band into a real Billboard force
In short: Brendon Small, the creative force behind animated hits like Home Movies and Metalocalypse, transformed his fictional death metal band, Dethklok, into a genuine musical phenomenon. By blending authentic melodic death metal with his signature humor, Small shattered genre records and built a career that bridges the gap between comedy and music.
Brendon Small’s career began in television, where he co-created the animated series Home Movies and later Metalocalypse. While his work in animation earned him acclaim, his musical project, Dethklok, quickly transcended its origins as a fictional band within Metalocalypse. Small, a Berklee College of Music graduate, writes the music and performs as the primary creative lead for the band, collaborating with musicians like Gene Hoglan to ensure an authentic sound that balances technical metal prowess with a light-hearted, comedic edge.
The success of Dethklok in the music industry was unexpected but significant. In 2007, the band’s debut album, The Dethalbum, reached No. 21 on the Billboard 200, marking it as the highest-ranked death metal album at that time. Two years later, Dethalbum II climbed to No. 15, setting a new record for the highest-charting death metal album in history. This momentum led to successful tours, including the Adult Swim-sponsored Dethtours, where Small performed live alongside a quartet of musicians to bring the virtual band’s music to real-world audiences.
Small’s commitment to his craft extends beyond songwriting and performance into the technical world of guitar design and production. He has collaborated with Gibson and Epiphone to create signature models, such as the Thunderhorse and Snow Falcon, built to his own specific requirements. Furthermore, when faced with a lack of industry demand for new Dethklok material in 2013, Small took the initiative to self-release The Doomstar Requiem on his own independent label, BS Records. This decision underscored his dedication to maintaining the project’s artistic continuity regardless of traditional financial incentives, cementing his reputation as a versatile creator who refuses to be confined by a single medium.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Brendon Small
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