Metal: A Headbanger's Journey

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Metal: A Headbanger's Journey

Starring	Sam Dunn
Distributed by	Seville Pictures Warner Home Video
Release date(s)	2005
Running time	96 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey is a 2005 documentary directed by Sam Dunn with Brian McFadden and Jessica Wise. The film follows 31-year-old Sam Dunn, a Canadian anthropologist, who has been a heavy metal fan since the age of 12. He sets out across the world to uncover the various opinions on heavy metal music, including its origins, culture, controversy, and reasons it is loved by so many people. The film made its debut at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, and was released as a two-disc special edition DVD in the US on September 19, 2006.

A follow-up to the film currently titled Global Metal is in production. ^[1]

Tagline:

The film that will take you into the heart of the beast

1 Contents
- 1.1 Inaccurate statements
2 Interviews
- 2.1 Non-musicians
3 Soundtrack
4 "Definitive metal family tree"
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Contents

The film discusses the traits and originators of some of metal's many subgenres, including the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, power metal, glam metal, thrash metal, black metal, and death metal. Dunn uses a family-tree-type flowchart to document some of the most popular metal subgenres. The film also explores various aspects of heavy metal culture. Notable segments include Dunn taking a trip to the Wacken Open Air festival, an interview with Dee Snider providing an analysis of the PMRC attack on heavy metal music, and an interview with several Norwegian black metal bands, many of which whom support Satanism and openly discuss the burning of Norwegian churches.

[edit] Inaccurate statements

Despite the film's credible citation, a misleading statement is made regarding the sentence of Varg Vikernes in 1994. Sam narrates that Varg is serving a "life sentence" for his murder and arson charges, when in reality, the so-called "life sentence" in Norway is just the term for the maximum possible punishment, equaling 21 years. His sentence was shortened then reinstated in 2003 after he attempted to escape his bounds in Tønsberg, Norway when granted a short leave.

Dunn also mentions the "Filthy 15", a list of artists with lyrics considered obscene in one of a number of ways. Sam mentions that, of the 15, 8 are metal bands- he has miscounted. Upon reviewing the list, Danish black metal band Mercyful Fate make the list but bump the count to 9 bands. They are also not highlighted like the other metal bands sharing spots on the list.

[edit] Interviews

The most insightful information given in the film comes from candid interviews with popular artists from metal's past and present. Notable interviews come from:

Artist	Band	Birthplace
Angela Gossow	Arch Enemy	Cologne, Germany
Tom Morello	Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine	New York City, New York
Ronnie James Dio	Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio	Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Tony Iommi	Black Sabbath	Aston, England
Alice Cooper	Alice Cooper	Detroit, Michigan
George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher	Cannibal Corpse	Buffalo, New York
Alex Webster	Cannibal Corpse	Buffalo, New York
Ihsahn	Emperor	Notodden, Norway
Samoth	Emperor	Tromso, Norway
Grutle Kjellson	Enslaved	Rogaland, Norway
Kim McAuliffe	Girlschool	London, England
Jackie Chambers	Girlschool	London, England
Gaahl	Gorgoroth	Espedal, Norway
Jørn Tunsberg	Hades Almighty	Norway
Bruce Dickinson	Iron Maiden	Worksop, England
Mercedes Lander	Kittie	London, Ontario
Morgan Lander	Kittie	London, Ontario
Munky	Korn	Rosedale, California
Randy Blythe	Lamb of God	Richmond, Virginia
Mark Morton	Lamb of God	Richmond, Virginia
Blasphemer	Mayhem	Norway
Necrobutcher	Mayhem	Norway
Vince Neil	Mötley Crüe	Los Angeles, California
Lemmy	Motörhead	Stoke-on-Trent, England
Geddy Lee	Rush	Willowdale, Ontario
Tom Araya	Slayer	Viña del Mar, Chile
Kerry King	Slayer	Los Angeles, California
Joey Jordison	Slipknot, Murderdolls	Des Moines, Iowa
Corey Taylor	Slipknot, Stone Sour	Des Moines, Iowa
John Kay	Steppenwolf	Tilsit, East Prussia
Dee Snider	Twisted Sister	Massapequa, New York
Snake	Voivod	Jonquière, Quebec
Piggy	Voivod	Jonquière, Quebec
Doro Pesch	Warlock/Doro	Düsseldorf, Germany
Rob Zombie	White Zombie, Rob Zombie	Haverhill, Massachusetts

In a tragic coincidence, Denis "Piggy" D'Amour died a month before the movie was released. Girlschool guitarist Kelly Johnson (not appearing in the movie, but referenced by Lemmy) passed away in 2007.

[edit] Non-musicians

Bob Ezrin, record producer (KISS - Destroyer)
Deena Weinstein, sociologist
Robert Walser, musicologist
Malcolm Dome, journalist, writer, DJ
Mike Guitor
Sam Guitor, fan
Joe Bottiglieri, fan
Chuck Klosterman, writer
Eric Bryan, fan, bass player
Robert Kampf, founder of Century Media
Joey Severance, tour manager
Eddie Trunk, DJ
Rob Jones, DJ
Pamela Des Barres, groupie, author of I'm With The Band
Donna Gaines, sociologist
Gavin Baddeley, writer
Monte Conner, senior VP A&R - Roadrunner Records
Rolf Rasmussen, assistant minister of the Åsane church
Brian Slagel, owner/CEO of Metal Blade Records
Rose Dyson, writer
Keith Kahn-Harris, writer

[edit] Soundtrack

Accept - "Balls to the Wall"
Arch Enemy - "Silent Wars" (live)
Blue Cheer - "Summertime Blues"
Burn To Black - "Winter Rancid Skies"
Burn To Black - "Into Shadow"
Burn To Black - "Microcosmic"
Burn To Black - "Hellspell"
Cannibal Corpse - "Decency Defied"
Children of Bodom - "Needled 24/7"
David MacDonaldson - "Partita In C Minor - Chorale"
Diamond Head - "Am I Evil?"
Dio - "Heaven and Hell" (live)
Emperor - "Inno A Satana"
Enslaved - "Havenless"
Girlschool - "C'Mon Let's Go"
Iron Maiden - "Run to the Hills" (live)
Iron Maiden - "The Number of the Beast"
Lamb of God - "Laid to Rest"
Metallica - "Master of Puppets"
Mötley Crüe - "Girls, Girls, Girls"
Motörhead - "Ace of Spades"
Motörhead - "Killed by Death"
Rage Against the Machine - "Killing in the Name"
Richard Wagner - "Faust Overture"
Rush - "Working Man"
Sepultura - "Arise"
Slayer - "Disciple"
Slipknot - "(sic)"
Tim Renwick and Andy Caine - "Ain't Got A Pot To..."
Twisted Sister - "We're Not Gonna Take It"
Van Halen - "Eruption" (live)
Venom - "Bloodlust"

[edit] "Definitive metal family tree"

The chart from the film documents various subgenres of metal that have spawned over time, while also attempting to list the prime examples of bands that fall into each category. Below is a typed version of that chart, which can be found on the second disc of the film's special edition DVD package.