Andrew O'Neill's History of Heavy Metal

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Capably conveying Andrew O'Neill's passion for heavy metal with a seasoned comic's skill at making his subject compelling for the uninitiated, this is an engaging late-night show with broad appeal and a little bit extra for the metalheads.

Recreating some of the most famous guitar riffs in history from behind his skull mic and incense scented candles, O'Neill is an accomplished guide to the genre, infectiously imparting his enthusiasm and knowledge but never losing sight of the music's more ridiculous developments. Where Spinal Tap spoofed prog rock so brilliantly, heavy metal scarcely seems to require satirising, with recurring themes being hardcore bands inexplicably kicking out founder members for imbibing too enthusiastically; fans completely missing the blatant homosexuality of their frontman for the better part of decades; and a commitment to splitting into enough confusing sub-genres to surpass the number of metal elements in the periodic table. On this last aspect, when it comes to differences between death and black metal for example, O'Neill is particularly enlightening and doesn't refrain from condemning the dickishisness surrounding the latter, which prompted a series of church burnings and murders.

The emergence of nu-metal and decline of Metallica as they galloped up their own fundament pains him to a hugely amusing degree. But what's striking is that, a few gratuitous swipes at Elton John fans notwithstanding, he always affords a band their due. Ultimately, he arrives at a rather mixed conclusion, that while the music itself has lately stopped progressing, this is a golden age of retrospection for metal fans.