If all you know about metal music was what was heard on commercial radio, then you don't know metal at all. Heroes of the Underground profiles 600 American bands from every town and city in the United States who ever released a record.Metal bands exploded during the 1980s. Influenced by the heavy sounds coming out of Britain via Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, young guitar shredders turned the amps up and played harder and faster. American record companies scooped up a few bands and signed them to major label recording deals (Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax) but that left hundreds of bands-and their fans-trying to get their songs heard.These intrepid metal bands borrowed a page from punk's DIY handbook and did it themselves. Regional favorites. Hometown heroes. Tour van veterans. Bands who invested their life-savings into recording and pressing their songs onto albums for a shot at immortality on vinyl.