Chelsea Schmid's blog

This is your Real Rock Trivia on Dethklok

• In the animated band, lead singer Nathan Explosion is said to be based on Cannibal Corpse vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher. Lead guitarist Skwisgaar Skwigelf is alleged to be based on Swedish guitarist and instrumentalist Yngwie Malsteem, and rhythm guitarist Toki Wartooth is allegedly based on Opeth's lead singer and guitar player Mikael Akerfeldt. Akerfeldt told ultimate-guitar.com in an interview that he received an email from Toki Wartooth speaking like he does in the cartoon that confirmed his character was based on Akerfeldt.

Dethklok made their debut as the most brutal band in the world on Metalocalypse, and most of the music is made by one of the show's creators, Brendon Small. Brendon plays pretty much every instrument with other musicians filling in as necessary and he and co-creator Tommy Blancha provide the voice behind the characters.

In the animated series, Dethklok is comprised of Nathan Explosion on vocals, Skwisgaar Skwigelf on lead guitar, Toki Wartooth on rhythm guitar, William Murderface on bass and Pickles on drums.

This week I've turned you on to Serj Tankian, and Fair To Midland, and gave you an update on the wayward members of System of a Down. So to wrap up the week, I've got former System guitar player Daron Malakian and drumer John Dolmayan's new album up for review on Floored or Bored, the self-titled debut from Scars on Broadway.

With elements of a prog-metal-punk rock fusion, Scars on Broadway's first album offers a little bit of everything.

I've got something a little special for you this week on Fair To Midland, your Main Support Artist of the Week. Below is an interview I did with guitarist Cliff Campbell about a year ago. I've left the interview intact--most of it is timeless--so it pretty much just covers background information and such. Enjoy.

FTM is comprised of Darroh Sudderth on vocals, Cliff Campbell on guitars, John Dicken on bass, Brett Stowers on drums and Matt Langely on keys.

System of a Down formed in '95, and released 5 studio albums, the track BYOB off of Toxicity winning the band a grammy.

Following a show in West Palm Beach Florida on August 13, 2006, the band went on an indefinite hiatus, which has since become a permanent. Rumors spring up from time to time about System re-forming, but the former members have all refuted these claims.

Serj Tankian is our main stage focus this week, so here's your Real Rock Trivia on System of a Down's former frontman.

• Serj Tankian graduated from the university of California with a degree in marketing and business, he was actually running his own business developing proprietary vertical industry accounting software when he started SOAD in '95.

• Serj Tankian is a known political activist, he started Axis of Justice with Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello to confront issues of peace, human rights and economic justice.

Most of you were introduced to Serj Tankian as the lead singer of System of a Down, which formed in 1995 in LA. After 5 studio releases, which sold over 16 million copies, the band went on hiatus in 2006, Serj going on to fulfill his own solo project.

Serj Tankian is of Armenian descent, he was born in Lebanon in 1967 and immigrated to the states in '75. He graduated from the university of California with a degree in business and marketing.

Often viewed as one of the most depressing bands to ride the coattails of grunge and nu metal, Alt-rock icons Staind have come a long way in their 13-year tenure. The band formed in Springfield, Mass., in 1995 and five studio releases later, have evolved musically and emotionally to spawn this year's Illusion of Progress.

While Trans-Siberian has been our focus this week, we're going to turn it over to The Sword for Floored or Bored this week, with 2008's Gods of Wrath.

The band's sophomore release hit stores on April 1 of this year to the hard-rocking masses and they were not let down. Beginning with an instrumental intro and progressing through tracks like "Lords" and "To Take the Black," the band maintains an energy throughout God's of Wrath without giving way to boredom or losing momentum.

It's time to take a step into the limelight, because rocking the main support slot this week is The Sword.

The Sword hails from Austin, Texas and formed in 2003 as JD Cronise on vox and guitar, Kyle Shutt on guitar, Brian Richie on bass and Trivett Wingo on drums. Following a set at 2005's SXSW, The Sword was signed to Kemado Records out of NY and released their first studio album Age of Winters in 2006.