# Metal Lords

Metal Lords is a 2022 American teen comedy-drama film written by D. B. Weiss and directed by Peter Sollett. The story follows two high school best friends and metal music lovers, Hunter and Kevin, who set out to start a metal band, against societal norms. The film was released on Netflix on April 8, 2022.

## Plot

Metalhead Hunter Sylvester jams with his best friend, introvert Kevin Schlieb, who as yet only plays a single drum in the school's marching band. During marching band practice, Kevin witnesses sensitive Scottish student Emily having a full meltdown and quitting band because of her lack of skill with the clarinet.
Later that day, Kevin drags Hunter to a party at Clay's house and tries to fit in while Hunter feels misplaced. Kevin gets drunk and flirts with Kendall, while Hunter gets into an altercation with jock Skip and derides Clay's band, Mollycoddle.
Learning that the school is holding a Battle of the Bands contest, Hunter registers his and Kevin's band, Skullfucker. Hunter steals his father's credit card and buys an exorbitant amount of gear, including a full drum kit for Kevin.
Kevin adopts a grueling daily practice schedule after school, learning Hunter's metal playlists by ear; he notices that Emily is a skilled cello player with equal dedication. They become mutually interested, which prompts Kevin to give her a copy of the playlist. Meanwhile, Hunter auditions bassists to complete the trio, but is unsuccessful, and has an escalating series of run-ins with Skip.
Kevin unsuccessfully tries to pitch Emily as their new bassist but Hunter rejects her outright. Afterwards, Kevin calls her to apologize for Hunter's behavior and they have sex. Kevin and Emily become a couple, which enrages Hunter, who believes she will be their Yoko Ono.
While Kevin continues to hone his skills, Clay hears Kevin practicing and immediately recognizes his advanced abilities and 'intense' drumming style; since Mollycoddle's drummer is in rehab, he asks Kevin to be their drummer for a performance at his sister's wedding. During speech class, Hunter mocks Emily until she attacks him, breaking his guitar in the process. These circumstances lead to an argument between Hunter and Kevin, with the latter leaving Skullfucker.
As Kevin performs at the wedding reception, Hunter tries to crash it in full heavy metal costume but is arrested for trespassing. Clay praises Kevin's contributions, mastering the material on short notice and elevating their original pop music with his techniques. Clay invites him to hang out and join Mollycoddle for the Battle of the Bands, which Kevin reluctantly accepts. A drunk Kendall invites Kevin into the hot tub and makes out with him. Kevin's conscience materializes as heavy metal musicians Scott Ian, Tom Morello, Kirk Hammett and Rob Halford. Through the apparitions, Kevin realizes that he loves Emily and leaves to be with her. Kevin later discovers that Hunter's father sent him to rehab as punishment.
At the rehab clinic, Hunter meets his idol Dr. Troy Nix, former lead guitarist of metal band Killoton, the last Battle of the Bands champions. Nix explains that he became a doctor after rehabilitating from alcohol abuse, which itself was due to the dysfunction of being in a band with people he didn't really like. Although Hunter is fit for discharge, due to clinic policy it cannot be until Monday, after the contest.
Kevin breaks Hunter and Mollycoddle's drummer out from the clinic. Hunter and Kevin go to Emily's, where Hunter apologizes and recognizes Emily's metal attitude, but she responds that she is not ready to perform.
At the Battle of the Bands, Kevin apologizes to Clay and presents Mollycoddle's now sober drummer to resume his position. Kevin and Hunter prepare to perform as a duo, when Emily joins them with an electric cello and gothic metal gear. Just before they take the stage, Principal Swanson warns them the name "Skullfucker" is inappropriate for the event, forcing Emily to quickly change it to Skullflower.
Despite initial skepticism, their performance wins over the crowd. However, during Hunter's guitar solo, an inebriated Skip stumbles out of a mosh pit and shoves Hunter into his amplifier stack. The amplifiers crash down, breaking Hunter's leg.
Later, the band reads in the paper that their performance went viral, despite losing the Battle of the Bands and coming in second behind Mollycoddle. They conclude that they are the moral winners of the contest as the entire crowd loved them and sang the chorus of their original song, and they received more prominent media coverage. As an inclusive trio, they begin to practice with renewed vigor and camaraderie.

## Cast

* Jaeden Martell as Kevin
* Isis Hainsworth as Emily
* Adrian Greensmith as Hunter
* Sufe Bradshaw as Dean Swanson
* Noah Urrea as Clay
* Analesa Fisher as Kendall
* Michelle Fang as Lisa
* Phelan Davis as Skip
* Brett Gelman as Dr. Sylvester
* Joe Manganiello as Dr. Troy Nix
in addition, metal musicians Scott Ian, Tom Morello, Kirk Hammett and Rob Halford appear in cameo roles as themselves, representing Kevin's conscience, while music critic and author on heavy metal, Chuck Klosterman, plays the school's band teacher.

## Production

Metal Lords was shot in Portland, Oregon. The school scenes were shot at Parkrose Middle School and Parkrose High School, while the Battle of the Bands scenes were filmed at Revolution Hall.

## Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 62% of 47 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.0/10. The website's consensus reads: "If it doesn't quite rawk, Metal Lords remains a good-natured and overall enjoyable look at adolescence and the life-altering power of music." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 59 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.