After tomorrow, Middle Eastern relations will never be the same. No, the U.S. military is not gonna carpetbomb Iran (at least, we don't think they will), there's still no end in sight for soldiers stationed in Iraq and Israel's definitely not signing a peace treaty with the Palestinians. Still, it will be a historic day for fans of Iraqi heavy metal since the film "Heavy Metal in Baghdad" will go on sale. An insightful, funny and emotional documentary film that follows the Iraqi band Acrassicauda from the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 to the present day, "Heavy Metal in Baghdad" is both a testament to human endurance and an affirmation of the strength of the spirit.
Being a metal band in a Middle Eastern nation run by a tyrannical dictator was, perhaps, always an exercise in futility, but after Hussein was defeated it became even more difficult. Between 2003 and 2006, as the war raged on, Iraq disintegrated around Acrassicauda and the members scrambled to stay together and struggled to stay alive. "Heavy Metal in Baghdad" vividly captures the frustrations, fears and hopes of a group of young Iraqi headbangers who just want to be left alone to play music and build a fanbase (click "more" to read more and watch Mastodon and Neurosis discuss the film).
The film premiered at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival and was an official selection of the 2008 SXSW Film Festival, the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival and was screened at the 2008 New York Underground Film Festival. The movie was hailed by Newsweek, The LA Times and the New York Times, which said it was, "both a stirring testament to the plight of cultural expression in Baghdad and a striking report on the refugee scene in Syria" and added "this rock-doc, like no other, electrifies its genre and redefines headbanging as an act of hard-core courage."
The press aren't the only ones to praise "Heavy Metal in Baghdad." Politicians, filmmakers and musicians have also heaped on the accolades. HeadbangersBlog.com recently talked to members of Mastodon and Neurosis to get their take on the movie that's shaking the heavy metal community. For the next three days, we'll be posting clips from those interviews. Here's the first batch, in which Mastodon guitarist and singer Brent Hinds and drummer Brann Dailor address the most memorable parts of the movie, how being in Iraq might affect the tone of an artist's songs, the notion of having no access to music, and connecting to people through metal:
Also check out "Movies For Metalheads: Mastodon and Neurosis Discuss the Acclaimed Documentary 'Heavy Metal in Baghdad' (Pt. 2)."
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