Thursday Thirteen

Well, I wanted to put up a picture list today. Many online friends will want to roll their eyes when I admit the desired subject was going to be the late, great Japanese drummer Kami. You can relax, dear friends, because I sadly didn’t have thirteen candid shots (hence, no copyright infringement).

I recall finding ten. So close and yet so far! Heh…

Anyway, I’ve since wracked my brain for what to choose. I ultimately decided to go with reasons my significant other and I like the Adult Swim cartoon, “Metalocalypse”. Frankly, we’re addicted.

1. Toki Wartooth – the Norwegian rhythm guitarist is the youngest band member and most mild-mannered creature on the planet, usually; the character’s long, chestnut hair probably doesn’t hurt.

2. Watching Toki lose his temper – he goes positively berserk in episode “Snakes & Barrels, Part 2” upon a rude concert-goer, something I’ve wanted to do more than once when just wanting to enjoy a show in peace.

3. The band manager, Charles Foster Offdensen, is awesome; he’s practically becoming a super-human watchman over our heroes.

4. Episode “Deathhealth” – again Toki deserves mention, this time for bearing his beloved cat over the rainbow bridge after his unnamed “best friend” dies inexplicably.

5. Dimmu Burger – this fictional fast food chain is a direct homage to Dimmu Borgir; the hot, young guitar hobbyist who works in my local deli department introduced me to this Norwegian black metal band.

6. “Deathgov” – this episode hooked my partner and remains a favorite.

7. The growing number of real-life musical outfitters listed as sponsors of the show is absolutely fabulous!

8. The love/hate relationship between incredibly talented lead guitarist Skwisgaar Skwigelf and Toki Wartooth (funny stuff!).

9. Pickles the drummer – images of him as frontman for “hair band” Snakes & Barrels in the eighties is burned into my brain; his family is an absurdly funny caricature of dysfunction.

10. Lead vocalist Nathan Explosion’s tendency to act as a father figure makes me laugh every time; I especially enjoy his farewell to Skwisgaar and Toki when they’re dropped off for driving school. He says something like, "Eat all your lunch and don't talk to any strangers. There's some weird people out there."

11. The outrageous spending of these multi-millionaire celebrities is hilarious; I especially like the politically incorrect endangered species’ room and Nathan’s “scream activated” lighting system.

12. Great attention is paid to continuity, which makes the episodes endlessly re-watchable.

13. Some of the extra features on the DVD are fabulous; the fact there are so many of them and the creators included a great presentation of all the animated music videos guarantees I’ll buy the upcoming season three releases.