The new documentary Murder in the Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story will premiere next month at a screening in San Francisco, with a trailer unveiled today (watch below).
The film was directed by Adam Dubin, and includes interviews with members of Metallica, Slayer, Testament, Anthrax, Exodus, Megadeth, and Death Angel, among others. It features narration from comedian and metalhead Brian Posehn.
The movie shares a title with the photo book of the same name that came out in 2012. Dubin explained, “What I loved about the book is that it wasn’t just about Metallica. It was documenting a vibrant scene, where all the bands were equal and there was real camaraderie. The photos captured the sweat of the clubs, the ringing in your ears and the power of young people. Harald and Brian captured the humanity of it, and they understood that I was somebody who could bring that out in a film.”
Dubin previously directed the Beastie Boys’ “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)” and “No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn” videos, as well as Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” video, and the documentary A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica Parts 1 & 2, among other works.
[See Also: Ranking Every Metallica Album From Worst to Best]
The director said that the movie particularly highlights the importance that Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett had on the scene when he was a member of Exodus. “There’s a big four of metal that should really be a big five and include Exodus,” said Dubin. “I particularly think the movie will inspire viewers to re-evaluate the contributions of Kirk Hammett, who founded Exodus in the Bay Area three years before Metallica came to town.”
Murder in the Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story will premiere April 20th at the AMC Kabuki 8 movie theater in San Francisco at 1 p.m. PT. The screening will be followed by a performance by the all-star collective Metal Allegiance that night at the Fillmore.
Watch the trailer for the documentary below, and learn more about the film at this location.
