MASTODON, STEVE VAI, JOE SATRIANI, SLASH To Have Speaking Roles In 'Metalocalypse'

Brendon Small, co-creator of "Metalocalypse", the smash hit animated series on Adult Swim featuring the fictitious metal band DETHKLOK, has revealed to MetalSucks that Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Slash and members of MASTODON will all have speaking/voiceover roles in the series' next season. "We just recorded MASTODON in the upcoming episode and they were… we were blown away," Small (who is also the frontman of DETHKLOK) said.

"We get a lot of people and we're always surprised that they have this kind of other talent or can do voiceover stuff. MASTODON surprised us more than anybody else — they were really funny. Just hanging out with those guys on [the DETHKLOK/MASTODON] tour has been really fun. They have a very good sense of humor.

He added, "A lot of people in rock and roll, metal and all that stuff spend all their time on the bus just watching comedy and 'Monty Python' and stuff like that.

"We have members of IN FLAMES coming this season. I have some of my guitar heroes playing parts on this season, doing voiceovers, like Satriani, Vai, and Slash. I'm a guitar nerd so I had to reach out to those guys to see if I can get them on the show. They were great too."

"Dethalbum II", the new album by DETHKLOK, sold 45,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 15 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Dethalbum II" was released on September 29 via Williams Street Records. The effort features 12 full-length tracks detailing DETHKLOK's exploits in murder, mayhem and all things brutal. Written by Small and recorded alongside legendary drummer Gene Hoglan, "Dethklok: Dethalbum II" was released as both a standard edition and a two-disc deluxe edition on CD and digital download. Additionally, a limited-edition vinyl of the album was released in to local record shops.

Created by Small and Tommy Blacha ("Da Ali G Show"),the "Metalocalypse" television series launched in 2006 and is on its third season on Adult Swim. One of the most popular series on the cable network, "Metalocalypse" portrays DETHKLOK as a Norwegian band with unheard-of popularity, even ranking them as the seventh-largest economy on earth. In 2007, this phenomenal virtual success transformed into real-life success with the CD release of "Dethalbum". Constructed of full-length songs only partially heard during the show's episodes, "Dethalbum" took audiences by storm and has seen unparalleled success. Performed by a commanding assemblage of renowned metal musicians, the album debuted at No. 21 on The Billboard 200 and sold more than 33,000 copies within its first week, making "Dethalbum" the highest-selling death metal album ever, with more than 270,000 copies sold to date.

DETHKLOK has teamed up with Atlanta's hard rock icons MASTODON for a co-headlining tour in October/November. Also appearing on the bill are CONVERGE and HIGH ON FIRE. The 34-city trek kicked off October 2 and will scorch the nation coast to coast.