The research team that brought you the award-winning documentary The Metal Islands on extreme music in the Caribbean has announced a new documentary film to be released in late 2018. This time around, they explore metal music in Latin America focusing on Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Peru. The film examines how local metal artists have used the musical genre to reflect on their social context. Issues of colonialism, dictatorships, violence and indigenous identities are brought to the forefront of metal music that aims to shed light on the social injustices of the region, and provide strategies to critically address them.

Dr. Nelson Varas-Díaz, who leads the team at Florida International University, stated that “the film dispels the myth that metal artists in the region have been unengaged with the social and political issues of their time and context. Metal in Latin America has been extremely reflective of where it is embedded. These artists have lived through political repression, dictatorships, torture, the murder of indigenous populations and extreme neoliberal policies that have even privatized their water supplies. These issues are reflected in their music, and we have been granted the privilege of engaging in deep conversations with local musicians about these topics. We can't wait for the world to see this.”

The artwork for the film was developed by Puerto Rican artist Kadriel Betsen and has the title Songs Of Injustice.

Keep tabs on the development of the documentary on Facebook.