Metal Evolution Episodes 1-3:the Beginnings

      Sam Dunn and Scott McFadyen are two important names for heavy metal fans because of their exciting documentaries that deal with this complex and at the same time controversial type of modern music known generically as heavy metal.Their 2005 documentary ‘Metal:A Headbanger’s Journey’represented a fascinating journey into the world of metal and its evolution throughout the years,but it was too short to capture the complexity of the phenomenon called metal,so the two Canadian producers embarked on an even more ambitious project,entitled ‘Metal Evolution’ which consists of 11 episodes,each one dealing with a certain theme related to metal culture.

    The first episode,entitled ‘Pre Metal’,tries to trace the origins of metal by exploring the influence exerted by different types of music on the birth of metal.Classical music’s role is particularly emphasised as Sam Dunn interviews guitar legends such as Yngwie Malmsteen or Uli John Roth which describe its influence on their development as musicians,and the importance of opera on their style of singing is also discussed by metal icons Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson,two of the greatest performers in the history of metal.Sam Dunn also explores the connection between the beginnings of metal and other musical genres:blues,jazz and rock’n'roll,with other great rock musicians,such as Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward,describing how their style of playing was influenced by some of the great musicians belonging to those genres.

   The second episode,’Early Metal Part 1:US Division’ features Sam Dunn in a journey across the States,starting with the development of a new and loud sound by bands like Blue Cheer and Steppenwolf in the late sixties,and continuing with the flourishing Detroit musical scene,featuring interviews with big names like Ted Nugent or Iggy Pop which remember those creative times.Detroit is presented as an essential place for the development of American hard rock,and Alice Cooper describes how his band manage to become successful and bring hard rock to the top of the charts thanks to accessible and catchy hits like’I'm Eighteen’ or ‘School’s Out.’There are also interviews with members of two other bands which achieved huge success in the seventies,Aerosmith and Kiss,but the episode ends in a less happy tone because the end of the seventies coincided with the rise of disco music not only in America,but also in other parts of the world,and rock and metal music went through really difficult times.Luckily,it recovered,and the band which gave the signal of resurrection in the US was Van Halen.