Sam Dunn grew up as a Heavy Metal loving teenager in the 80s in Victoria, British Columbia. At university, he studies anthropology and research various cultures. He decides to do a documentary studying the unique culture of Heavy Metal music.This is a well thought out academic dissection of this subculture. It's informative and compelling. The subject may be too much for one movie. Some bands deserve a movie just for themselves. This is covering a whole genre of music over decades in many countries. It's also covering specific issues with this genre like sexuality, satanism, religion, censorship and women. The movie takes on a lot and generally does it well. It may be a good idea to concentrate on one point or one idea or one person. The genre is so big that the movie ends up feeling a bit scattered. It's an interesting introduction for non-fans and a defense of the genre from a die-hard fan.

Sam Dunn seems like a typical metal fan; long hair, the now obligatory "vagina beard" (pseudo-goatie), headbangs in the first rows, over-worships the bands that he listens to, wears black shirts of his favourite bands, and does the silly devil sign at every opportunity. In other words, he confirms the stereotype of the somewhat clownish metal fan, which is to the most part true. On the other hand, the fact a typical fan would make a documentary about it has its advantages.Dunn's more-or-less wide-eyed tour of the history of metal is an interesting one, but mainly due to the fact that he interviews several note-worthy people from (and outside) the scene. As a source of information this documentary is incomparably more useful to the uninitiated. Personally, there was very little new here for me. To people unfamiliar with metal, this movie might dispel many clichés/prejudices/falsehoods that have existed since its "inception". Likewise, the movie will confirm some; hormone-driven kids/fans screaming "metal rules!" and "yeahhhh!" probably do this more than anything.People like Lemmy, Snider, Iommi, Dickinson, Cooper, Dio, Dennis D'Amour, or Araya - regardless of the fact that some of them made rather bad music (hint: glam rock) - deserved to be given a chance to say one or two things about the subject, and the bits with them were alternately humorous and revealing, though not in any way shocking, while the parts with the newer-generation musicians came off as rather uninteresting and phony (Lamb of God, Slipsnot) or merely laughable/pathetic - hence perhaps amusing for all the wrong reasons (the Norwegian black metal morons section). Listening to those untalented nu-metal idiots from Slipsnot self-importantly rant about graveyards and "Republican puritans" was in stark contrast to the more relaxed, casual approach that the veterans have. And anyway, someone ought to tell that cretinous Slipknotian singer that Al and Tipper Gore, who feature prominently in the anti-metal/censorship-movement section, are Democrats and not Republicans, hence that censorship is bi-partisan and not right-wing. Fortunately, however, there was no major attempt by Dunn to try to link metal in any way with left-wing liberalism or Socialism. I suppose the idea of having a few sociologists and a musicologist have their say had its advantages, as well, although what came out of the mouth of the musicologist was far more interesting (and reality-based) than what sociologists had to say. ("Sociology": the study of the bleedin' obvious.) I liked Dunn's categorization of various metal genres and sub-genres (although I needed the pause button to have a proper look at it), and even though he pretty much got it right, there were a few slip-ups here and there: Sodom should have been in the "thrash" category and not listed under "death metal"; Judas Priest and Accept are heavy metal not "power metal" (which is a problematic term), whereas Helloween is merely "ultra-crap metal"; Rainbow and Dio are a mix of hard rock and early heavy metal, and have nothing to do with power metal; GBH isn't so much hardcore as it's punk; Ratt should be filed under "glam metal" (although "pop metal" isn't a bad term for that crap either); Machine Head are a mix of nu-metal and thrash and NOT "metal core"; in fact by "metalcore" Dunn must have meant "crossover" which is what the Suicidal Tendencies and D.R.I. really are; Merciful Fate has nothing to do with black metal, except thematically, but as we "all" know these categories are much more music- than lyrics/image-orientated; Biohazard isn't nu-metal by any stretch of the imagination - it is 3rd-generation hardcore; Prong is a bit out of place in the "hard alternative" section, because it is a mix of progressive metal and industrial music. I also had problems seeing the unique Voivod grouped together with a poppy band like Rush; Voivod could just as well have been placed under "thrash" rather than share a category with their overrated and very soft Canadian fellow countrymen. All in all, nothing revolutionary, merely a good, rather solid way to spend 90 minutes.For my music commentary, go to: http://rateyourmusic.com/collection/Fedor8/1

A thought provoking and interesting documentary about one of the most popular- and controversial- genres of music around today. Discussing topics like religion and sexuality in the world of metal, this features some fascinating interviews with pretty much everyone from Geddy Lee to George Fisher. for those unfamiliar with the genre, or those who consider it "pointless noise", this should hopefully open a few eyes. The director, Sam Dunn, a self confessed headbanger himself, has clearly researched his topic greatly, and whilst the "geneology chart" may need a few tweaks (last time I checked, Cradle of Filth were English, not Norwegian), the footage and interviews provided more than compensate. It addresses the musics critics head on, whilst also providing us with some very funny stories from the lives of its subjects. The interview with Dee Snider about the PMRC is particularly hilarious. And best of all, it has a killer soundtrack.

A documentary that wears its heart on its sleeves is often a documentary that keeps its eyes on the prize. And just days after viewing the disappointingly cursory "American Hardcore", "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" throws down a challenge in its first scenes when a frazzled youth with a microphone makes sure to add that "punk…does not belong in this world". Canadian metalhead cum anthropologist, Sam Dunn heads off on a personal odyssey to the United States, Germany, the UK and Norway to interview metal's luminaries and academics with two purposes in mind – to find out why metal has been so maligned and to gauge the obsession it inspires throughout its legion. Dunn angles a new perspective on its self-aware, perceptible fanbase and bands by personalising his journey in a formalised, but never didactic way, of approaching his subjects and interviewees as kindred spirits. He features erudite interviews with the subculture's leading and most influential personalities and accomplishes his first goal by juxtaposing their reasoned, informed views on metal with the irrational fear that advocacy groups have waged battles over. But in one of the film's most harrowing interview sequences, he also concedes that there are some bands that take the transgressive state of their cults of personality too far. Dunn's academic background allows him certain legitimacy and the documentary does try to counter the stigma of a pedagogic structure by employing some innovative and accessible use of the documentary within a documentary footage, accentuating Dunn's individual venture into his lifelong fascination.