Totally metal: Rock Band 2 opening cinematic features a flail on a microphone

Before Electronic Arts, MTV Games, and Harmonix would hand over a preview copy of Rock Band 2 to us, we had to sign a paper in blood stating we wouldn't talk details about or grab video from certain things. Among those things: Guns N' Roses "Shackler's Revenge" (never heard it!) and the game's new cinematic intro (never seen it before!).

The Guns N' Roses track made sense; it's to be the world-premiere of a track off of the any-day-now album, Chinese Democracy. But the intro? What's the big deal? But now we get it: along with their exclusive reveal of forthcoming album downloadable content, Entertainment Weekly also had dibs on revealing the game's opening. 

Set to the sweet sounds of Cheap Trick's "Hello There," the intro riffs off of the opening cinematic for the first  game, this time with two bands performing on top of moving cars, battling it out. It's a reference, no doubt, to one of the game's biggest and newest features, the daily Battle of the Band challenges. Also: a microphone with a flail on the end of it might be the best thing ever. 

A few things of note: the "new" bass player in the intro sure looks a lot like a character from that guitar game the kids are playing, and "Hello There" may be one of the shortest songs in Rock Band history.

Check out the full intro at EW.com. What do you think?