The following article contains spoilers for Stranger Things Season 4Now that Stranger Things season four is over, fans finally know how their favorites fared in their battle against new villain Vecna. One of the highlights of the latest season was newcomer Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn), the longhaired metalhead who finds himself wrongly accused of murder. In classic Stranger Things fashion, the new fan favorite was killed off, but not before gifting fans one of the show’s best scenes when he shredded “Master of Puppets” in the middle of the Upside Down. The scene was also well received by Metallica themselves.
While Eddie may no longer be part of the Hawkins gang, his metal spirit can be found within an assortment of films that tackle the headbanging genre. The following films range from comedies, horror movies, and mockumentaries, but they all possess a reverence for heavy metal. Once you have finished violently sobbing like Dustin, watch one of these movies and raise the horns for Eddie as he rides the lightning into the afterlife.
Part live concert, part feature film, Metallica: Through the Never shows the immortal metal band playing their greatest hits while roadie Trip (Dane DeHaan) races through the city to collect an item for the band. Trip’s journey veers into the supernatural as the world around him reflects the current song.
While Eddie had some great moments throughout Stranger Things, he will always be remembered for his performance of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets.” If you loved that song, you would find plenty more to like in Through the Never as James Hetfield and co. blast through some all-time metal classics.
Metallica: Through the Neveris available to stream on Netflix.
‘Wayne’s World’ (1992)
The film that launched Mike Myers‘ career, Wayne’s World follows the titular Wayne (Myers) and his best friend Garth (Dana Carvey), two metal fans who create their own public access TV show. When a commercial station offers to broadcast them, they jump at the opportunity but soon find their beloved show changing for the worse.
Based on a Saturday Night Live sketch, Wayne’s World was a massive box office success and remains the best SNL star vehicle. Music legends Alice Cooper and Meat Loaf appear in the film, while the iconic ending featuring Bohemian Rhapsody remains a cinema favorite. Party on, Wayne!
A drama film from Iceland, Metalhead tells the story of teenager Hera (Thora Bjorg Helga). Losing her older brother in a farming accident, a grief-stricken Hera immerses herself in his love for heavy metal. She learns to play his guitar and adopts his fashion sense as a way to deal with her sorrow and still connect with her deceased brother.
Most metal films either veer into horror or comedy, but Metalhead shows metal music’s comforting powers. While Hera’s black metal make-up (known in the scene as “corpse paint”) and dark clothes make her an outsider among her church-going community, this same metal lifestyle offers a sense of belonging and purpose to the grieving teen.
‘The Devil’s Candy’ (2015)
When a young family moves into a new home in Texas, they soon discover Satanic forces possess the house. The Devil’s Candy stars Ethan Embry as Jesse, a struggling painter who becomes inspired by the sinister voices whispering in his ear, while these same devilish entities target his daughter Zooey (Kiara Glasco).
Directed by Sean Byrne, who made the cult-classic horror film The Loved Ones, The Devil’s Candy pays tribute to metal through its soundtrack (Metallica, Slayer) and its characters. Jesse and Zooey are metalheads, and their shared love for the genre makes for a wholesome father-daughter relationship, adding an extra layer of tension once their lives are at risk.
The Devil’s Candyis available to stream on AMC+.
‘Airheads’ (1994)
When amateur band The Lone Rangers hijacks a radio station to get their music on the airwaves, it soon becomes a hilarious hostage crisis. Airheads stars screen legends Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi, and Adam Sandler as the clueless band members who find themselves way in over their heads.
Airheads accurately captures the spirit of wannabe rock stars who want nothing more than for their music to be heard and will appeal to anyone looking for a harmless comedy. The soundtrack features the likes of Motorhead and Anthrax, while Lemmy himself even has a cameo.
Airheads is available to stream on HBO Max.
‘Deathgasm’ (2015)
A horror-comedy from New Zealand, Deathgasm follows teenage metalhead Brodie, who is forced to move to a new town. An outcast, Brodie soon befriends some fellow metal fans, and they decide to start a band. The teens come across a Satanic song they hope to add to their repertoire but accidentally unleash demons upon their small town.
Wearing its love for metal on its sleeve, Deathgasm is also a throwback to classic horror movies such as The Evil Dead. As more and more townspeople become possessed, the film piles on the gore as the band fights to end the Satanic panic they have unleashed.
Deathgasm is available to stream on Tubi.
‘Lords of Chaos’ (2018)
A dramatization of the history of real-life black metal band Mayhem, Lords of Chaos is a self-described story based on “truth and lies.” Beginning in 1987, the film portrays the formation and downfall of the band while also focusing on the black metal scene present in Norway at the time.
A highly controversial band, Mayhem’s history features murder, suicide, and church-burning, all of which are depicted in the film. While its accuracy is disputed by surviving band members, the film offers a grim look into the dark backstory of one of black metal’s pioneering acts.
‘Detroit Rock City’ (1999)
Set in 1978, Detroit Rock City follows four teenage musicians determined to see their idols, Kiss, live. The four boys find themselves in all manner of trouble on their way to the concert, forced to overcome fundamentalist mothers, disco fans, and stolen cars.
Equal parts road-trip comedy and coming-of-age film, Detroit Rock City offers an amusing look at life in 1970s America, as rock and metal began to engulf the youth and panic parents everywhere. The film proved to be a box office bomb but has remained a cult classic among Kiss fans.
‘Heavy Trip’ (2018)
Heavy Trip follows amateur band Impaled Rektum, who dream of becoming metal gods, despite never having written a song or played a gig. When the opportunity to play at a metal festival in Norway arrives, the band hit the road to make their dream come true.
A feel-good comedy, Heavy Trip features great characters, such as the black metal face-paint adorned Xytrax (Max Ovaska), who is Impaled Rektum’s bassist and can recognize any song by its opening riff. The film is a crowd-pleaser, offering plenty of heart and laughs, and will convert anyone into a fan of “symphonic postapocalyptic reindeer-grinding Christ-abusing extreme war pagan Fennoscandian metal.”
‘This is Spinal Tap’ (1984)
Presented as a documentary of fictional band Spinal Tap, This is Spinal Tap follows the British heavy metal band as they embark on a comeback tour of America. Spinal Tap themselves are a parody of the metal bands that were popular at the time, and the film is full of hilarious moments as the band experiences numerous setbacks and stage mishaps.
This is Spinal Tap has proven to be highly influential, popularizing the mockumentary style, while certain quotes such as “turn it up to 11” have become part of popular culture. Real-life musicians such as Jimmy Page, Ozzy Osbourne, and Kurt Cobain praised the film for its amusing accuracy, and it remains one of the most beloved metal movies of all time.
