Useful information
Prime News delivers timely, accurate news and insights on global events, politics, business, and technology
By Chris Snellgrove | Published
More than a decade ago, a screwball comedy completely subverted the horror genre with the story of two dim-witted metal lovers who unleash demons with the power of their music. The film was a critical favorite, but most movie lovers (including horror fans) have never heard of it.
Fortunately, you have your own backstage pass. All you have to do is stream death gases on Prime Video to experience all the grindhouse glory for yourself.
Metal, monsters and chaos (OMG!)
the premise of death gases is that two teenage metalheads in a small town become friends and form their own band. Soon, they come into possession of the Black Hymn, a sheet music that can summon terrifying demons into the world. Once they decide to play the satanic song, they are caught between two equally terrifying forces: ghoulish monsters straight from hell and a creepy cult that will stop at nothing to obtain the Black Anthem for them.
the cast of death gases is obscure but really talented, including Milo Cawthorne (best known outside of this film for Weapons akimbo) as a rebellious teenager whose family’s strong Christian beliefs put a serious damper on his rock’n’roll lifestyle. Meanwhile, James Joshua Blake (best known outside of this film for the TV show top of the lake) plays his friend, a fellow metalhead whose desire to rock out often gets him into trouble. Kimberley Crossman (best known for the television show Creamier) plays a cheerful love interest who might help save the day…assuming, of course, she doesn’t break up the gang first!
Directorial debut of a murderer
Special credit also goes to Jason Lei Howden for making such an explosively original feature directorial debut. He would later create the deliciously crazy Weapons akimbo (the oft-mentioned film in which Daniel Radcliffe has guns permanently attached to him), but that film’s off-kilter sensibilities can’t compare to the manic, metallic chaos of death gases.
This is a movie where our heroes use a comically huge adult toy to rip off a demon’s jaw. from inside. Afterwards, practically nothing in cinema compares to this scene punctuated with sex toy slaughter.
death gases is heavy metal’s ultimate tribute to horror and struck a chord with critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 88 percent, with critics praising the film for being the stylized epitome of gory grindhouse glee. They also applauded the film’s comedic sensibility and the sheer amount of demented humor that fills every frame of this sexy fright-fest.
Deathgasm 2: Sometimes they come back
After the spectacular climax of death gasescritics and fans alike couldn’t stop demanding an encore. Director Jason Lei Holden announced the production of a sequel called Deathgasm Part 2: Goremageddonone that promised would have more blood in the first 10 minutes than Deathgasm did in its entire runtime.
The New Zealand Film Commission rejected his film in 2021, killing the production. However, Howden launched a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2023, earning enough money (he had a goal of $300,000 and raised over $325,000) to bring his gory vision to life.
That sequel doesn’t have a wide release date yet, but it has already wowed fans at Fantastic Fest and Splat! FilmFest International Fantastic Film Festival. I haven’t had a chance to see it yet, but I’ll be jumping on the rails to see this blood-soaked sequel as soon as it hits theaters or streaming. Either way, I can’t wait to see the sequel to a movie that combines some of the best things in life: sex, demons and rock’n’roll!
Will you agree that death gases Is it the most refreshingly unpleasant and unabashedly strange movie in horror-comedy history, or is this a metal-loving movie you’d rather see die in the pit? You won’t know until you put down the guitar, pick up the remote and enjoy this movie on Prime Video.
Beneath all the buckets of blood and the pile of demonic corpses dispatched by everything from chainsaws to marriage aids, you’ll find an unforgettably passionate film that’s never afraid to wear its heart (and other internal organs) on its sleeve.
