As human beings, there are lots of things that make us individuals. Some people define themselves by their fashion sense; others, by a hobby or sport they have a talent for. Still more feel they’re in some way shaped or categorized by the music that sets their souls alight. For fans of metal, the latter will be familiar.
There’s something about metal that reverberates on a primal level. We feel it deep inside, resonating at our cores. But one type of music we don’t often chime with is movie soundtracks. So often, they seek inspiration from more mainstream genres and ignore the one we like best.
Not in the case of these films. If you have a penchant for both movies and metal, here are three you’ll want to watch.
The Terminator
Post-apocalyptic films are not to everyone’s taste. In fact, most of us are rather vanilla when it comes to imagining global catastrophes. We can’t think of many things worse than being cut off from technology, so pulling together a tech survival kit like this one from ExpressVPN is about as far as we go to guard against societal collapse. While we might have power banks, pocketknives, and a satellite phone at the ready, what we’re not prepared for is robotic destroyers taking over the world.
That’s the premise of this famous film, where the future of humanity is at stake. Despite being James Cameron’s directorial debut, The Terminator was a relatively low-budget film, but its storyline and stellar cast win through.
Set in a post-apocalyptic LA, The Terminator marked the beginning of one of the world’s biggest franchises – but its soundtrack was far from polished. Largely recorded in Brad Fiedel’s garage, it echoes through the film, filled with synthesized vocals, sounds of metallic doom, and a shock of electronic chords. While it’s not the most refined, we still think it’s good fun to listen to.
The Gate
Another retro entry into this list is The Gate. The film revolves around childhood friends Glen and Terry, who accidentally open a portal to hell in their backyard. While you’d think it would be pretty tame considering its young leads, it definitely falls into horror film territory.
Regardless of the story itself, which we consider good, it has some great music. This is at the film’s core, with a cursed LP kicking off the action and opening the portal in the first place. If you want demonic battles, fantastic acting, and a dose of metal in the form of backing music, this is sure to tick some boxes.
Rotten Tomatoes describes it as follows: “A fun [and] entertaining horror film that relies on a good cast of actors and equally good story to deliver effective chills.”
Black Roses
No one – and we mean no one – can deny this film is fun. Set among the 80s metal scene, it features a band – Black Roses – and the effect they have on the teens in a small town. It’s not as serious as all that though. In actuality, the band members are demons in disguise, who delight in wreaking havoc.
Nor are the kids simply rebelling – they’re turning into monsters themselves. The best part is that the film is directed by a bona fide metalhead in the form of John Fasano and has a fantastic soundtrack featuring everyone from King Kobra and Hallow’s Eve to Lizzie Borden.
According to Discogs, featured songs include Me Against the World, Take It Off, and D.I.E.
Tell us, which of these titles will you try the next time you need some Friday entertainment?
