Nekrogoblikon

Nekrogoblikon, based in Los Angeles, California, present themselves as the self-proclaimed "Kings of Goblin Metal." The melodic hard rock pranksters unleash gnarly death metal earworms built around crafty hooks, claw-pumping choruses, lightning-fast riffs, and extravagant EDM-style keyboard flourishes. Ostentatious costumes and a goblin hypeman inform their approach, drawing cues from hyperbolic horror-metal enthusiasts such as GWAR, Finntroll, and Dethklok while preserving an affable, self-referential sense of humor. Early releases such as the largely low-fidelity 2007 effort Goblin Island gave way to greater technical command by the early 2010s, when the band relied on a rotating cast of talented players.

Nicky Calonne (vocals, keyboards) and Tim Lyakhovetskiy (guitar) formed the group in 2006. The duo self-produced their debut album, the relatively lo-fi Goblin Island, inside Lyakhovetskiy's basement; the LP appeared in 2007, after which an expanded lineup was quickly assembled to support the fledgling act's audacious live shows. The more technically proficient Stench followed in 2011 and contained the single "No One Survives," whose video turned into a viral hit. The Power EP arrived the next year. In 2014 the band shared the Kerrang! Tour bill with Limp Bizkit, Crossfaith, and HECK. Heavy Meta, a concept LP, surfaced in 2015 on their own Mystery Box label, and 2018 brought the fourth studio long-player, Welcome to Bonkers.