Tenacious D “The Pick of Destiny” soundtrack Release date: Nov. 14 Record Label: Sony www.tenaciousd.com 2 stars ‘Destiny’ can’t save Tenacious D

Tenacious D may bill itself as the “Greatest Band on Earth,” but the folk metal duo of Jack Black and Kyle Gass wallow largely in mediocrity and complacency on the tepid and unfunny soundtrack for the band’s debut film “The Pick of Destiny.”

While the band’s debut album succeeded largely on Black and Gass’ loving homage to heavy metal posturing and a ribald sense of humor, the band seems dumbed-down and declawed on this soundtrack. When Tenacious D isn’t recording uninteresting retreads of old songs for “The Pick of Destiny,” the band is busy providing a jejune, blow-by-blow narrative for the film.

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Songs such as “Kikapoo,” “Break-In City (Storm The Gate)” and “Car Chase City” offer nothing more than largely unfunny, unimaginative commentary for the film’s visuals. The songs don’t explain or advance the plot as much as they simply explain the nugget of an individual scene, but leave listeners scratching their collective heads.

Tracks such as the ballad “Baby” and the lovelorn “Dude (I Totally Miss You)” hardly stand on their own and exist solely to serve the film. Although the format is interesting and shows shades of traditional stage-music style, most of the soundtrack is lyrically inept or simply lazy.

The band even pulls out retreads of old songs with “History” and “Papagenu (He’s My Sassafrass),” both of which are incredibly similar to Tenacious D songs that appeared on the group’s short-lived HBO show. Likewise, “Classico” is nearly identical to medleys the group has been playing in concert for years, and “The Government Totally Sucks” is a bit too thematically similar to “City Hall” from the duo’s debut.

Even brighter spots such as “Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown),” “The Metal” and cameos from Dave Grohl, Meatloaf and Ronnie James Dio can’t rescue the album.

Fans of the band would do well to simply buy the band’s “Complete Masterworks” DVD, which contains every episode of the HBO show and a live performance, and skip this sorry soundtrack completely.

Tenacious D may claim to be “fueled by Satan,” but the Dark Lord either took a vacation during the recording of this album or is playing a terrible joke on the typically funny and enjoyable twosome.