theNomad’s review published on Letterboxd:
..::Selection for Hoop-tober 2.o Horror Fest::..
"You're pretty good at wacking guys off bro" - Zakk (James Blake)
\nn/, Fuck yeah! Jason Lei Howden's DEATHGASM (all caps, lower case is for pussies) does exactly what it says on the tin. Its a satanically entertaining onslaught of teen angst, D&Ders, knob gags, traditional gore & metal that wears its kiss make-up with pride. The boring suburban residents of Greypoint NZ get turned into hellspawn when a pair of teen metalheads steal then play an unpublished song from a reclusive heavy metal legend.
Not being a metal fan myself I was pretty cautious if it'd totally work for me. Thankfully it did, largely because of its likeable young cast, its insanely amusing gory kill quota (Woo put twin pistols on the map, Howden twin chainsaws) and its brash enthusiastic confidence combined with a self awareness you rarely find in a directors first time feature. The cast rock, especially James Blake, Milo Cawthorne as the main metalheads and Kimberley Crossman as the girl who comes between 'em. It didn't reinvent the wheel but had a blast running on it for 90 minutes. I so hope they pull the band back together for a sequel, a US or Euro tour would be an hoot.
