Hemlock is back is the first major boss you face in Dead as Disco. Taking him down takes some serious skill. But before you even fight him, you have to track down his story items and get him back on stage. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about Dead as Disco Hemlock.
Before continuing, read my Dead as Disco Walkthrough to learn everything you need to know about this game.
What You’ll Read:
Who is Hemlock in Dead as Disco?
Hemlock is an antagonist and the bassist for the legendary band Dead as Disco. He represents the desire for justice and hates his former bandmate, Charlie Disco.
Appearance & Personality
Hemlock has a memorable appearance. He displays a bare chest, a spiked jacket, a bandaged arm and a toxic gauntlet. Tubes connects his diamond-shaped guitar backpack directly to his jar-head, which features a floating skull in green liquid and a pink-and-black mohawk.
Hemlock is loud and outgoing. He loves to mock people. When he first sees Charlie return from the dead, he sarcastically asks if he is “late to the party”.
The Story So Far
Hemlock was originally close with his bandmates. Things fell apart after Charlie died. Hemlock left the group to build his own mob of grunts.
Ten years later, the surviving idols plan a massive reunion concert to honor Charlie. Charlie suddenly comes back to life during this event. Hemlock is shocked and sets his guards on him.
Tension peaks when Hemlock ambushes Charlie on a moving train and slices the entire train in half with his guitar. Charlie manages to escape, and Hemlock chases after him.
Dead as Disco Hemlock Boss Fight Guide
Hemlock swings a deadly bass guitar that acts like a chainsaw and does not hit softly. He has plenty of HP, too. You need to break his stagger bar to actually hurt him. Focus on perfect counters and takedowns to beat him. His main theme song is “Maniac” Hemlock. Also, learn his 3 boss fight phases below:
Phase 1: Rebel Without a Cause
Hemlock sticks to basic but heavy attacks in this first phase. Most of these cannot be countered.
- Overhead Slam: A heavy downward strike with his guitar.
- Triple Slash: Three horizontal swings. You cannot counter the first two.
- Spinning Slash: An uncounterable spinning attack.
- Charge Slam: He does this when his health gets low. He glows green, winds up, and slams the ground to spark the arena. You cannot counter this move.
Phase 2: Reignition
He gets faster and adds range to his attacks. He keeps his Phase 1 moves and adds a few more.
- Sliding Spin: He dashes forward, spins and drops to his knees to play his guitar. This cannot be countered.
- Jump Strike: If you get too far away, he leaps at you for an uncounterable slam.
- Shockwave Echo: He shoots a fast, green soundwave right at you. You cannot counter it.
- Spin Shockwave Echo: He teleports behind you and fires a green shockwave. You cannot counter it.
- Charge Slam: His low-health attack changes. He floats up, charges a green orb and punches the ground to completely change the map.
Phase 3: Heart on Fire (Finale)
This last phase is an endurance test. Hemlock uses his exact same moveset from the Reignition phase. The only difference is that he no longer uses his Charge Slam map-change attack. So keep dodging his uncounterable moves and build up the stagger bar.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Hemlock has crazy high HP and fast shockwave attacks. You cannot counter most of his moves. But he is slow and predictable. Focus on perfect counters and takedowns to drain his stagger bar.
When he is stunned, do not use your finisher right away. Punch him as much as possible with normal attacks, Fever Rush or the Windmill move. Do the finisher right before he recovers for maximum damage.
Hemlock Story Progression Item Locations
You have to track down two specific items and beat a tough challenge before Hemlock hits the stage again.
The Power Juice Ad
Hemlock wants Power Juice when he returns to the band. Charlie remembers seeing an ad for it. You can find this ad in Devo Station. Replay Hemlock’s story level to grab it. When you spawn in the first area, turn left right away. The ad is right there on the wall.
The Spray Paint
You need to grab some spray paint next. Go to Dead End Drive. This is the starting area for the Prophet’s level. Once you load in, turn around. Look at the wall the Prophet paints in the intro. You will see a glowing can next to some cardboard boxes. It sits just right of the “Disco is Dead” tag.
The Double Trouble Challenge
Head over to the level select hub with the nine TVs. Open up the Infinite Disco menu and pick the Double Trouble challenge. You only need one star to clear it and unlock Hemlock.
Pro-tip: Save this challenge for last. Farm enough points to buy max lives before you jump in.
If you want to know how to beat Arora, too, read my Dead as Disco Arora Guide to learn how to defeat her and find her collectibles.
That is everything you need to know about Dead as Disco Hemlock. Did you beat Hemlock? Tell us in the comments how.
FAQ
What is Hemlock’s theme song?
His main theme song is “Maniac”. If you play on Streamer Mode, the track changes to the Dead as Disco “Authority”.
Is Hemlock the first boss in Dead as Disco?
Yes. Hemlock is the very first idol boss fight introduced in the game.
What weapon does Hemlock use?
He wields a black, purple and green bass guitar. It features rolling chainsaw blades. He can also unleash toxic smoke from his jar head or gauntlet.
