I've gotta start by saying that I've got nothing against Sam Dunn or his intention to approach metal-heads and non metal-heads (in fact I really enjoyed his first release). However, There are plenty of areas in which this film fails to reach its objective.
The first and most obvious flaw is that this movie is not really about how the world assumes and adapts heavy metal to a wide variety of cultural, demographic, economic and geographic situations, but rather spends a vast amount of time capturing the way in which geographically separate nations digest American and British Heavy Metal bands.
The second big flaw of this film is the lack of prior info and investigation on local metal that is evident when Sam arrives to foreign lands, which is why he decides to twist the local metal into something he is more likely to recognize. Seriously: Marty Friedman(former Megadeth) interviewed in Japan? Sepultura (probably the most North-Americanized band in south America) as the only Brazilian exponent? Would't standing in front of and interviewing 'Angra' members be a good reason to feature some of their music (Brazil's most locally influenced and internationally acclaimed band)?
The third, and probably biggest blunder, was the election of the places he decided to visit. Israel? India? There is so much innovation and interesting things to show in Easten Europe. Argentina has a huge reputation and respect all across America(not north America, but America) for breeding top-class Heavy Metal bands that do not respond to North American Metal trends and refuse recording in English while still maintaining a huge die-hard fan base. Mexico is a huge Metropoli that is constantly releasing socially aimed thrash/death at its finest.
The first and most obvious flaw is that this movie is not really about how the world assumes and adapts heavy metal to a wide variety of cultural, demographic, economic and geographic situations, but rather spends a vast amount of time capturing the way in which geographically separate nations digest American and British Heavy Metal bands.
The second big flaw of this film is the lack of prior info and investigation on local metal that is evident when Sam arrives to foreign lands, which is why he decides to twist the local metal into something he is more likely to recognize. Seriously: Marty Friedman(former Megadeth) interviewed in Japan? Sepultura (probably the most North-Americanized band in south America) as the only Brazilian exponent? Would't standing in front of and interviewing 'Angra' members be a good reason to feature some of their music (Brazil's most locally influenced and internationally acclaimed band)?
The third, and probably biggest blunder, was the election of the places he decided to visit. Israel? India? There is so much innovation and interesting things to show in Easten Europe. Argentina has a huge reputation and respect all across America(not north America, but America) for breeding top-class Heavy Metal bands that do not respond to North American Metal trends and refuse recording in English while still maintaining a huge die-hard fan base. Mexico is a huge Metropoli that is constantly releasing socially aimed thrash/death at its finest.