Metal Academy 1: Origins and Foundations

1. Main Books

• Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal – Ian Christe
• Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal – Jon Wiederhorn & Katherine Turman

2. Videos and Channels

• YouTube Channels to Follow:
  • BangerTV (Deep dives into metal history, reviews, and interviews)
  • Metal Evolution (Full Documentary Series – Sam Dunn)
  • Hellcast – Metal Podcast (Discussions on metal culture and history)
• Key Videos for the Week:
  • A Brief History of Heavy Metal (BangerTV)
  • The Birth of Heavy Metal: Blues to Doom (Metal Evolution Ep. 1)

3. Movies

• Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey (2005) – Directed by Sam Dunn
• This is Spinal Tap (1984) – A satirical take on metal culture

4. Music to Listen To (Essential Albums for the Week)

• Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath (1970)
• Deep Purple – Machine Head (1972)
• Led Zeppelin – IV (1971)
• Judas Priest – Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
• Rainbow – Rising (1976)

5. Bands to Study

• Black Sabbath (The band that started it all)
• Deep Purple (Early pioneers of hard rock and proto-metal)
• Led Zeppelin (Blues-infused hard rock influence on metal)
• Judas Priest (Shaped the sound of heavy metal)

6. Exercises

• Album Review Exercise: Write a 500-word review of Black Sabbath’s debut album (focus on its influence, sound, and themes).
• Timeline Activity: Create a timeline of major events in heavy metal’s early history (1960s-1970s).
• Subgenre Exploration: Research and list five early metal subgenres, their characteristics, and examples.

7. Quiz (Test Your Knowledge)

1. What year was Black Sabbath’s debut album released?
2. Which song is often credited as the first “true” heavy metal song?
3. Who was the lead guitarist of Deep Purple known for his aggressive playing?
4. Name three key characteristics of heavy metal music.
5. What role did blues music play in shaping early heavy metal?