Metal Mythology

The book begins with the story of Heavy Metal’s early years in the 1970s, explaining how it became popular with bands from working class British backgrounds like Birmingham’s Black Sabbath (with late Ozzy Osbourne) and East End lads Iron Maiden. Today’s fanbase - so-called “Metalheads” - will account for 13% of all arena and stadium audiences this year.

It then delves into the rich - and often very British - folk legends which inspired some of heavy metal’s biggest tunes, and reveals the likely story behind them. It’s a dizzying mix from the werewolves, shapeshifters, fairies and vampires of pagan ballads, to the witch hunters and torture devices documented in historical records and the twisted characters by horror writers like Edgar Allan Poe, HP Lovecraft and Mary Shelley.

Former Kerrang writer and prolific novelist Andy Boot looks at how this folklore was passed down and mutated as Britain changed from pagan to Christian and went from the dark ages through Enlightenment and past the Industrial Revolution. It’s a mix of social history, fantasy, folklore, gothic horror, and Heavy Metal music which will appeal to several unique (and very engaged) audiences, each in a different way.

While there’s been no end of books of heavy metal, mythology or British history, there’s yet to be one of all three. And that is the magic behind this title.