Heroes of the Metal Underground

The only encyclopedic anddefinitive book on American indie metal!

 If all you know about metal music was what was heard on commercialradio, then you don’t know metal at all. Heroes of the Underground profiles 600American bands from every town and city in the United States who ever releaseda record.

Metal bandsexploded during the 1980s. Influenced by the heavy sounds coming out of Britainvia Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, young guitar shredders turned the amps up andplayed harder and faster. American record companies scooped up a few bands andsigned them to major label recording deals (Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax), butthat left hundreds of bands—and their fans—trying to get their songs heard.

These intrepidmetal bands borrowed a page from punk’s DIY handbook and did it themselves.Regional favorites. Hometown heroes. Tour van veterans. Bands who investedtheir life savings into recording and pressing their songs onto albums for ashot at immortality on vinyl.

Fans remember thesebands with joy. Collectors seek these records like the Holy Grail. And in Heroesof the Metal Underground, author Alex Anesiadis compiles the details of these bandsand their records. Whether you’re a true or baby metalhead, Heroes of the Metal Underground will become your guide to all things metal.