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Heavy: The Story of Metal is a four-part documentary special that aired on VH1 in 2006. The series focuses on the origins, subgenres, and the bands of heavy metal music, paying close attention to influential bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden, who helped to define heavy metal in its early years. Other bands on the program include, Alice Cooper, Kiss, AC/DC, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Quiet Riot, Mötley Crüe, Megadeth, Metallica, Anthrax, Guns N' Roses, and Marilyn Manson. However, the documentary notably passes over lower profile metal sub-genres such as death metal, black metal, doom metal, progressive metal, power metal and many others considered core elements of today's metal pantheon, focusing mostly on hard rock & traditional heavy metal. In Canada, the documentary aired on MuchMoreMusic and on C4 in New Zealand. It is not available on DVD or video.
"Welcome To My Nightmare" traces metal's roots in the late-60's in the bombed-out industrial town of Birmingham England to the spectacular rise of Kiss and "glam metal" in the early 70's.
"British Steel" examines metal's growing pains during the 70's when both high-brow rock critics and punk rock threatened its very existence. By decade's end, bands such as Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Def Leppard gave birth to what became known as "The New Wave of British Heavy Metal."
"Looks That Kill" sees metal thrive in, of all places, sunny California. Quiet Riot, Motley Crue - it's the world of metal on the sunset strip. And, keeping everyone's Jacuzzi-soaked ego in check, a little film called Spinal Tap emerges.
"Seek and Destroy". takes a walk on the dark side: Guns N' Roses, Metallica, thrash, Nu metal (Korn, Limp Bizkit), and how the music and images of Marilyn Manson became associated with the Columbine massacre.
