Various Artists
Metal Swim
William Street Records
September 20

By Max Kyburz

Like 100% of their shows, Adult Swim’s new compilation Metal Swim is by and for stoners (which isn’t a bad thing). After investing a bajillion dollars in Dethklok and hiring Mastodon to perform the theme to ATHF, it’s obvious that Adult Swim is no stranger to the metal. It’s a good playlist to switch on in between commercials or during that episode of Superjail that annoys the crap out of you.

Aside from featuring seasoned pros like Boris and Kylesa, the album also features lesser known thrashers Witch Mountain and Red Fang just to keep an even balance. By doing so, Adult Swim presents a fair representatioRoll up, switch on the tube, and keep your iTunes at bay.

The idea of the compilation has always been as a gimmick, and yes, releasing a bunch of metal tracks with the Adult Swim monicker is meant to garner viewers. The upside to it all is that all the songs featured are either newly released or hard to find. A lot of the tracks are billed as “unreleased” even though they appear on newly released albums. But, hey, that’s marketing for you. And it’s free, so who can really complain?

Starting off with thrash legends Death Angel, the album takes itself seriously but not without simple fun. After second act Skeletonwitch, a band that takes the old school riffings of Death Angel into modern territory, Torche blazes through their brand of hazy desert rock. As the genres evolve into black, sludge, and doom metal, it becomes more evident that Metal Swim will not wimp down. Fast or slow, the emphasis is always on the heavy, from the beginning all the way to the wailing blasts of Japanese noise heroes Boris.

If you’re interested in getting into un-washed down metal, or just a die-hard eager for some rarities, Metal Swim is worth a listen. It’s available exclusively online (www.adultswim.com/metal) for streaming or download. Best of all it’s free; the only downside is the absent thrill of downloading music illegally.