Dethklok: Mutilation on a Spring Night – Riverside Municipal Auditorium
Attending Dethklok: Mutilation on a Spring Night at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium on April 21, 2024, was an unforgettable experience from start to finish. As someone who has been a longtime fan of Metalocalypse and Dethklok’s unique blend of brutality and satire, this show had been on my radar for months. What made it even more special was the opportunity to participate in the meet and greet, something I never thought I’d get the chance to do. Meeting Brendon Small and the rest of the touring lineup was surreal, and securing a signed vinyl was the icing on the cake. Holding that piece of memorabilia in my hands felt like a tangible connection to the band that had created some of the most entertaining and genuinely great metal music of the past two decades. The venue itself was a great setting for a show like this—small enough to feel intimate but still packed with diehard fans ready for a night of absolute chaos.
The night kicked off with Nekrogoblikon, a band that is impossible to categorize as anything other than bizarrely amazing. Their unique blend of melodic death metal, humor, and sheer theatrical absurdity made for an opening set that was as entertaining as it was technically impressive. Of course, the highlight of their performance was John Goblikon himself, the band’s goblin mascot, who ran around the stage causing all sorts of nonsense. They ripped through songs like “Dressed as Goblins” and “No One Survives,” showcasing their incredible musicianship underneath all the comedy. While some people in the crowd weren’t entirely sure what to make of them at first, by the time they played “Powercore,” they had won over even the most skeptical audience members. Their set was pure fun, and even though it was strange, it felt like the perfect way to start the night.
Next up was DragonForce, a band I had been eager to see live for years. Known for their lightning-fast guitar work and high-energy performances, I had high expectations for them going into this show. While there’s no denying that they are incredibly talented musicians, their setlist left a lot to be desired. Instead of focusing on their early material—the songs that made them famous—they leaned heavily on newer tracks and an unexpected number of covers. Songs like “Valley of the Damned” and “Fury of the Storm” were nowhere to be found, which was a major letdown. They did play “Through the Fire and Flames,” which, of course, got the crowd hyped, but the excitement was dampened by the fact that nearly half their set consisted of covers. While their renditions of songs like Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” and Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams” were technically impressive, they felt out of place and took away from what could have been an epic power metal set.
By the time the lights dimmed for Dethklok, the energy in the venue was electric. As the intro animation played on the massive screen behind the stage, the crowd erupted, knowing they were about to witness something legendary. The band wasted no time launching into “Deththeme”, immediately sending the pit into a frenzy. From that moment on, I was headbanging nonstop, fully immersed in the sheer heaviness of their set. Brendon Small’s guitar work was flawless, and the live band absolutely nailed every song with machine-like precision. They followed up with “Thunderhorse”, one of their most iconic tracks, and the intensity in the room only grew from there. The combination of the animated visuals, the brutal music, and the tight musicianship made for an audiovisual experience unlike any other.
The setlist was packed with fan favorites, and each song hit harder than the last. “Murmaider” and “I Ejaculate Fire” had the entire crowd screaming along, while “Awaken” turned the floor into an absolute war zone. The animation sequences between songs kept the show feeling immersive, as if we were actually watching an episode of Metalocalypse unfold in real-time. One of the biggest highlights for me was “The Gears”, a song I had always wanted to hear live, and it did not disappoint. The breakdowns were absolutely crushing, and the synchronized headbanging in the crowd was a sight to behold.
As the night continued, they pulled out even more classics, including “Hatredcopter”, “Go Into the Water”, and “Bloodlines”. The sheer technicality of the performance was mind-blowing, with every riff and drum blast executed to perfection. Gene Hoglan, a legend behind the kit, delivered an absolutely punishing performance, keeping up with the relentless pace of Dethklok’s music without missing a beat. The crowd was locked in from start to finish, and every song felt like an absolute assault in the best possible way.
The encore was everything I could have hoped for. They returned to the stage for “Face Fisted”, one of the most aggressively absurd songs in their catalog, before closing the night with “Crush the Industry”. It was the perfect way to end such an intense show—pure brutality, humor, and musicianship all wrapped into one final explosion of sound. As the last note rang out and the lights came back on, I was left exhausted, sweaty, and absolutely satisfied. This was one of those rare shows where I could honestly say that every moment was worth it.
Leaving the venue, I couldn’t help but reflect on how incredible the experience had been. From meeting the band and getting a signed vinyl to headbanging through an absolutely punishing setlist, it was everything I could have asked for. While DragonForce was a bit of a letdown, the energy of Nekrogoblikon and the sheer power of Dethklok more than made up for it. It had been a long time since I’d been to a show that felt this cathartic, and I knew that this was one I’d be talking about for years to come.
