What promotes itself as a history of how rock became metal is actually more a compilation disc of bits from two live performance programs pulled together with as little commentary as possible. Using footage from Beat Club and Musik Laden, two foreign programs that featured live performances, the film traces the history of music that was first called hard rock before it changed to the term metal.
These programs featured the top acts of the day including Deep Purple, Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath when their careers were young. The audience around them is rarely seen but their performances are captured and show why these bands were the top at the time. From those early hard rockers to the glam era, all can be found here.
Those two forms later changed with the arrival of the hair bands and they too are represented. But one gets the feeling it was punk rock that changed things from rock to metal as bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest took over, offering more guttural growling, harder riffs and louder music.
Interspersed with the performance footage are interviews with starts that are featured performing or discussed in the film. The members of ex-Motley Crue founder Nikki Sixx new band Sixx A.M. are interviewed as are Twisted Sister's Dee Snider, Ian Gillan from Deep Purple, Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath, James Hetfield of Metallica, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Scott Ian of Anthrax and Michael Monroe of Hanoi Rocks.
Basic information that one could find on Wikipedia is mingled with the performances and interviews. This would make the film a good primer for those unaware of much of what is offered but it will be the performances themselves that fans of the various groups will want to enjoy.
On the whole this disc will no doubt be something that fans of the rock and metal will find enjoyable enough while it doesn't add a lot new to be found with the exception of performance footage. That's not to discount the disc but to just make sure when you purchase it you know what you're getting. If you're a fan then by all means you need to add this to your collection.
These programs featured the top acts of the day including Deep Purple, Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath when their careers were young. The audience around them is rarely seen but their performances are captured and show why these bands were the top at the time. From those early hard rockers to the glam era, all can be found here.
Those two forms later changed with the arrival of the hair bands and they too are represented. But one gets the feeling it was punk rock that changed things from rock to metal as bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest took over, offering more guttural growling, harder riffs and louder music.
Interspersed with the performance footage are interviews with starts that are featured performing or discussed in the film. The members of ex-Motley Crue founder Nikki Sixx new band Sixx A.M. are interviewed as are Twisted Sister's Dee Snider, Ian Gillan from Deep Purple, Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath, James Hetfield of Metallica, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Scott Ian of Anthrax and Michael Monroe of Hanoi Rocks.
Basic information that one could find on Wikipedia is mingled with the performances and interviews. This would make the film a good primer for those unaware of much of what is offered but it will be the performances themselves that fans of the various groups will want to enjoy.
On the whole this disc will no doubt be something that fans of the rock and metal will find enjoyable enough while it doesn't add a lot new to be found with the exception of performance footage. That's not to discount the disc but to just make sure when you purchase it you know what you're getting. If you're a fan then by all means you need to add this to your collection.
