Metalocalypse endorsements

Endorsements for the Metalocalypse universe range from both real world products and virtual products such as merchandise, comic books, toys, instruments and media visuals featuring the Dethklok characters.

Instruments and Music gear
Originally Dethklok and Brendon Small was endorsed by Krank Amplification, such guitar and bass amplifiers could be seen in the first two season of the show. As a tribute to late Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell, every animated amp on the show featured a small silhouette picture of the guitarist on the bottom corner of the speaker, since Krank was the last amplifier endorsed by the guitarist before his death. In 2009 Brendon Small dropped Krank and became endorsed by Marshal Amplification, which is now the amplifiers featured in the show (Season 3 onward).

At the end of every episode of Metalocalypse on the credits is a list of the musical brands sponsored and endorsed by Dethklok, such endorsements includes Gibson guitars and basses, EMG pickups, David Eden Amplification, Universal Audio, M-Audio, Dunlop Manufacturing/MXR, and Line 6 gear.

Skiwsgaar originally used a standard black and white Gibson explorer (an all white version when Dethklok was first starting out) on the show before replacing it with his signature model. Toki originally used a standard black and white Gibson Flying V before replacing it with his signature model. And William Murderface consistently uses a standard black and white Gibson Thunderbird bass (5 string).

According to the official Dethklok MySpace, the Gibson Guitar Corporation was also planning on making a Dethklok signature guitar. During the 2008 NAMM Convention, a special edition Epiphone Explorer was unveiled to a select few. Pictures of show creator Brendon Small holding the guitar can be seen on the internet. Small later confirmed that Gibson, not Epiphone, would be releasing a Dethklok Explorer.

A Dethklok "Thunderhorse" Explorer has been released by Gibson; it would later become Skwisgaar's main guitar on the show. At NAMM 2013 Brendon Small revealed that an Epiphone version of the Dethklok "Thunderhorse" Explorer was in production. It was released in April 2013 as the Brendon Small "Thunderhorse" Explorer. In May 2012, Brendon Small revealed a prototype for the new Brendon Small "Snow Falcon" Flying V, it now serves as Toki Wartooth's primary guitar on the show. The guitar was released December 2013.

Toys/Figurines
In 2007, Shocker Toys produced a limited run of statues of William Murderface and Nathan Explosion. In 2008 and again in 2009, Shocker Toys made a boxed set of vinyl figures with limited articulation of all 5 of the band members. Kid Robot produced unarticulated figures of Murderface and Toki as part of an Adult Swim blind boxed mini figure line. At the 2009 San Diego Comic Con, Shocker Toys released an exclusive limited edition Dr. Rockzo Mallow.

Tablature
There are guitar tablature books for all three Dethklok albums, which were released through Alfred Publishing. The Dethalbum: Authentic Guitar Tab was released on January 28, 2009. The Dethalbum II: Authentic Guitar Tab was released on November 23, 2009. And the Dethalbum III: Authentic Guitar Tab was released on April 1, 2013. A bass tab anthology containing tabs from the first two albums was also released in January 2011 through Alfred Publishing, as the Dethklok: Bass Anthology. The production of these books has subsequently led to the removal of all Dethklok tabs from websites such as Ultimate Guitar.

Comic books
On July 23, 2009, Dark Horse Comics released the following statement, via Previews: "Following the release of the highly anticipated Dethklok vs. The Goon, Dark Horse Comics and Adult Swim announce a brand-new comics series based on the immensely popular animated show Metalocalypse. Dethklok will be featured in a full publishing program created by series co-creator Brendon Small and a collaborative team of Metalocalypse and Dark Horse artists and writers."


 * Dethklok vs. The Goon (one-shot) was released July 22, 2009. Written by Brendon Small and Eric Powell.
 * Dethklok is sent into the same universe as The Goon, who seeks out to kill them.
 * Dethklok #1 was released October 6, 2010. Written by Brendon Small, Jon Schnepp and Jeremy Barlow.
 * In issue #1, Dethklok decides to venture into the frozen food market with Dethklok frozen dinners, though after many set backs, the band releases lethally poisonous food on their fans.


 * Dethklok #2 was released December 15, 2010. Written by Brendon Small, Jon Schnepp and Jeremy Barlow.
 * In issue #2, Dethklok returns to Finland to apologize for their last visit when they awakened a troll, while a cult of troll worshipers plan to use the band to unleash end times through the trolls once again.


 * Dethklok #3 was released February 23, 2011. Written by Brendon Small, Jon Schnepp and Jeremy Barlow.
 * In issue #3, Dethklok builds a cross country train to help blues legend Mashed Potatoes Johnson get out of his deal with Satan over his soul, whilst a ghost of a train riding murderer is about to set things off the rails.


 * Dethklok HC – A deluxe hardcover containing all four comics was released June 15, 2011.

All four comics have variant cover arts by Eric Powell and Jon Schnepp. Brendon Small and Jon Schnepp have stated that there will be more comics in the future.

Literature
Upon the premiere for the Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem a free PDF download of The Doomstar Requiem Libretto was released for free on Brendon Small's website. The Libretto was also included with a digital purchase of the soundtrack album. The Libretto served as a read-along for the special, mapping out the sequences in detail as well as providing the script and lyrics of the entire special.

Games
The song "Thunderhorse" is featured in the game Guitar Hero II by Harmonix and Red Octane as a bonus song. In January 2010, "Laser Canon Deth Sentence" became a downloadable song for Guitar Hero 5. "Bloodlines" is on the main setlist in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.

The song "Murmaider" is featured in the 2009 game Brütal Legend.

The song "The Cyborg Slayers" was featured in the soundtrack for the game Saints Row: The Third.

In 2009 the UK Adult Swim site released two flash games titled Deth Toll and Deth Toll II. The games are played in a similar fashion to Guitar Hero or Rock Band except with Dethklok songs.

A video game based on the series, titled Metalocalypse: Dethgame, was revealed at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con. The game was to be published by Konami and be available for download on both the PlayStation 3's PlayStation Network and Xbox 360's Xbox Live Marketplace. Players would have played as one of the band's roadies, and the game was to be set in Mordhaus, where the player would fight mutant fans. The game would have included music taken from Dethklok's albums. The game has been canceled, because "the creative direction of the game would not live up to the high standards... set for the project".

Media, Promos, Video
Dethklok was given the award for "Best International Band" at the 2009 Revolver Golden God Awards, an animated acceptance video of the band was shown. Dethklok was featured in Soundgarden's video for "Black Rain", which Brendon Small directed. Dethklok's 2009 tour with Mastodon was sponsored by Brütal Legend and an animated short featuring Dethklok and Brutal Legend character Eddie Riggs was made and presented during the tour. Nathan Explosion is featured on the Zimmers Hole song "The Vowel Song".

On August 17, 2012, a two-minute animated short aired on Adult Swim featuring Dethklok and Death from Darksiders II, in promotion of the game.

On November 2, 2013, an animated short featuring Dethklok, entitled "'tallica Parking lot", premiered at Comikaze Expo.

Merchandise
In early 2010, Adult Swim released a "Dethklok Fountain" for sale on their website for $40,000.