What’s the most unnecessary trend of 2009? It’s November, so we were about to say “crab core” and call it a day. Then we found out about Schwarzenator. Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like, another concept/parody metal band paying homage to washed up action star and moderately popular governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Hysterical, right?

Led by Korn guitarist Shane Gibson (who?) as well as vocalist JP Von Hitchburg and Jonathan Weed, the band has been around for three years, but are just getting around to playing their first show next month, at the Key Club on December 7th.

While many would consider an Arnold Schwarzenegger concept band to be stupid, but the evil geniuses behind Schwarzenator take their stupidity and their music very seriously. So despite rigorous touring and recording schedules for their individual projects, Von Hitchburg/Gibson/Weed wrote Schwarzenator material for over two years before beginning recordings. Melding comedy, irony and a healthy dose of parody with virtuoso musicianship, Schwarzenator manages to lampoon California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s finest film offerings ranging from “Kindergarten Cop” to the “Terminator” franchise while rocking audiences to their endoskeletons.

Austrian Death Machine was a fitfully amusing, if gimmicky side project from As I Lay Dying singer Tim Lambesis. Total Brutal was good for a laugh, maybe two. Then he blew it by unleashing Double Brutal, which beat the dead horse over the course of a double album. What does Schwarzenator think they’re going to accomplish? They would have been better off switching gimmicks earlier this year to, at the very least, parody another action star. I’d rather see “Van Dammit” or “Stall-pwnd” come out than another Arnold band.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCyNpiJgQlg[/youtube]