Myth pervades heavy metal. With visual elements drawn from medieval and horror cinema, the genre's themes of chaos, dissidence and alienation transmit an image of Promethean rebellion against the conventional. In dialogue with the modern world, heavy metal draws imaginatively on myth and folklore to construct an aesthetic and worldview embraced by a vast global audience. The author explores the music of Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Metallica and many others from a mythological and literary perspective.

“Thorough, in-depth, and quite captivating... The book is well-researched and yet the tone and language of the piece is sufficiently lively and concise most of the time, which entails that one does not lose focus or interest when immersing oneself in it.... fascinating...offers a unique perspective on the music that we all love and the many things that course through its lyrics”—Eternal Terror

Robert McParland is a professor of English at Felician University in Rutherford, New Jersey. His popular music writings include publications on The Beatles, The Who, U2, Bruce Springsteen, John Fogerty, Paul Simon, and American lyricists.