Heavy Metallurgy
"Metal: A Headbanger's History," a new documentary which made its debut in May, is directed and narrated by Sam Dunn, a 30-something Canadian anthropologist and self-described metal head.
This 96-minute history lesson, which he aptly calls an "anthropological study of heavy metal" promises to take us inside the world of the music he believes is "consistently stereotyped."
I was instantly intrigued by the idea because in the late '80s, early '90s, I too dabbled in headbanging. But, unlike him, I was into mainstream bands, like Guns 'N' Roses and Poison and, sadly, I never perfected the art of the air guitar. (I'm still working on that.)
For me, there was something liberating about being into metal, and thumb-tacking posters of Axl Rose and his crew to the flowered wallpaper in my high school bedroom. Those posters were ugly, and that was cool, but even better was the mortified look on my mom's face when she saw them. She was one of those suburban moms who supported Tipper Gore's censorship campaign in the '80s, which brought Dee Snider of Twisted Sister to Capitol Hill.
Dunn tackles censorship and many other aspects of metal history in this in-depth documentary. He begins his study by trying to name the first heavy metal band. Lots of names are thrown around by various people in the industry and it's clear that there's no definitive answer. In Dunn's opinion Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne's metal troupe, invented the art.
Writers, historians, sociologists and music producers try to classify the sound that is metal, which Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi describes concisely as "demonic." Dunn then divides the massive number of metal groups into sub-genres like power metal, glam metal and Goth metal.
The research is what makes this documentary so good. One expert picks apart metal's dark tritone sound and traces its influences to classical music. I never realized my music taste was so high brow.
I also never realized how much of a heavy metal wuss I am. Or maybe I'm just incapable of understanding the latest wave of metal. While I'd heard about the alternative heavy metal band Slipknot, I never knew how freakin' scary they are. Dunn speaks with the lead singer who wears a mask that is a cross between Leatherface and a pastrami sandwich. I'm still having nightmares.
And then there's Mayhem, a controversial death metal band that's had major success in their native Norway. The lead singer blew his brains out in 1991 and it's rumored that the remaining members wear a piece of his skull around their necks. Far out, man.
But things go all weird when we're introduced to one of the group's founders named "Necrobutcher," who is hostile on camera and seems like he could go postal at any time. Afterward Dunn cautions, "Beer and interviews, not a good combination." True that.
Apparently the latest trend in metal is which band can "out evil" the next. Who can make audiences hurl more? Who can scare fans so stiff they wholeheartedly dig the music?
Drum roll please … and the winner is: Gorgoroth! A Norwegian black metal band Dunn visits in Norway. Gaahl, the lead singer, sitting in what looks like the depths of hell, holds a glass of wine and tells us that Satan is his fuel and that a string of church burnings in the 1990s by another metal singer are "things that I support … and will be done much more in the future. We have to remove every trace of what Christianity and Semitic roots have to offer this world."
That, my friends, is where this study lost me. Those guys give me the creeps. Now Slayer, on the other hand, they're more my speed. It turns out the lead singer of this trash metal band is Catholic and just riffs about Satan because it sounds cool.
But all crazy talk aside, it is interesting to learn about how hard core metal has become. And that many of the history making men in metal share blue collar roots, sex partners, and hair length.
But we learn it's really the fans who are the most important part of this genre. They're described here as independent, free thinkers who are often times musically inclined. It's cool to see them get the props they deserve.
Sam Guitor, a candid 13-year-old girl who has recently been turned on to the world of metal, headbangs front row at a Slipknot concert and explains their appeal.
"It's a strong type of music," she said. "It gives you the ability to stand up and go, "OK, screw you, you know? I like this band, if you don't like it, too bad. Don't buy the album, don't listen to it.' "
I won't, I promise.
To view the trailer for "Metal: A Headbanger's History" visit: www.metalhistory.com.
By Amy Bonawitz