It’s been six long years since Tenacious D has had the courtesy to melt our faces with new music. With the official release of Rize of the Fenix just a few short weeks away, the group decided last week to put the entire album up on SoundCloud. Rock Gods rejoice.

The brainchild of Jack Black and Kyle Gass, Rize of the Fenix is their third since Tenacious D debuted in 2001. Joining them again on drums is Dave Grohl, who proves yet again how hard he can rock.

In their typical fashion, the comedic band includes several gag tracks on the album. When JB isn’t either molesting KG or having an epic flute/trombone battle, they manage to crank out some seriously rocking songs. In case anybody had forgotten the talent hidden beneath the jokes, they need to look no further than “Deth Starr.” JB’s vocals are absolutely stunning. Even without his comedic prowess and acting chops, he would still have a career as a rock singer. What’s more, is the music also stands tall on its own. It features quality fretwork on the guitar riffs, and the drumming from Grohl is top-notch.

The combination of comedy and rock create an album of pure entertainment. They never take themselves very seriously, but have standards enough to make sure their music sounds good. “The Ballad of Hollywood Jack and the Rage Kage” is essentially a semi-autobiographical account of their careers. With much added for dramatic purposes, Black addresses how he received more fame and recognition than his counterpart in the past years. The vocals are epic, and there is a nice interlude with KG playing his recorders. It’s a rocking track in the vein of any ballad worth knowing.

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