Artist: Sam Dunn, Scot McFayden & Jessica Wise
Title: “METAL: A Headbanger’s Journey”
Label: Warner Music Group
Release Date: 5/23/2006
Genre: Heavy Metal
Rating: 9/10

Sam Dunn found his love of Heavy Metal music at the very early age of twelve years old. The message and the power of this music stayed with him through his formative years and into adulthood as he became an Anthropology student. The study of mans evolution led to his deciding to apply the knowledge to explore and investigate the music he loved so much. He felt there was a level of anthropological detail in the way the music began in history and the factors that have kept it alive in the hearts of the fans that support it in legion and the bands that have come from its influence. It was an interesting idea and I admit that I liked the aspect as I glanced over the press copy of the film. Released as a double DVD set, you get the full 96 minute movie and a bonus DVD of a ton of features that make this something worth referencing against your own Metal love. As I watched I was impressed mainly by the level of detail placed within the film and the research done to put it together. Using a Metal history chart, the film is set up where Metal began historically and how it sprouted off into a number of other genres each holding its own unique audience and style. Dunn ties this all together and gives everything a level of coverage even if it is not the style he prefers. The other standout point of the film is that Metal is taken seriously and not presented as idiotic or childish. There are enough programs that belittle the form at every possible chance and it was admirable to see this would not be one of them. Popular music factions of today want you to believe that Metal is dead and you will see by the film and its commentators that this is very far from the truth. At one point of the film Dunn states regarding Metal “you either get it or you don’t”, “if you do then great, but if you don’t we don’t really care nor need you”. A bold but true statement that’s many of the readers will find themselves in agreement of as they revisit their own defenses of their musical preferences.
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