TV Review - "Into the Void: Life, Death & Heavy Metal" is a Compelling Behind the Scenes Look at the Legends of Heavy Metal Music

Heavy Metal music has legions of fans, and countless stories of the musicians and groups that were infamous for their antics or the stories that were built from their creations. With Hulu’s latest documentary series Into the Void: Life, Death & Heavy Metal fans will get a chance to learn more about their favorite groups with detailed behind the scenes looks from the people who lived the moments.

From Jason Eisener and Evan Husney, the co-creators of the wrestling docuseries Dark Side of the Ring, Into the Void looks to give the legends of heavy metal a chance to tell their own story through this intimate and detailed look at the moments that shaped the music.

Eight episodes of this new series are set to open the vaults of memory of those who were there and tell a truer story of what happened both on and off stage. Clouds of gossip and tabloid stories have permeated the decades, and Into the Void takes you beyond the headlines and introduces the audience to the people and events that shaped the metal scene.

Randy Rhoads, Kurt Struebing, Judas Priest, Chuck Schuldiner, Wendy O Williams, Iranian Metal Crusade, Ann Boleyn, and Dimebag Darrell get their stories told by their bandmates, family members, and friends. Probing the depths of memory, and the stories that often blazed across newspaper headlines for the last thirty years, fans will get a chance to meet their favorite musicians on a personal level, while casual viewers will be able to learn about the people and the music.

I am not a fan of heavy metal, but I loved Dark Side of the Ring and that alone made me excited to start the series. The names and groups are familiar to me, and from the first episode, I was hooked by the intimate raw portrayal of what life was like.

Sharon Osbourne recounts her experience with Randy Rhoads and how his joining with her husband Ozzy was a proverbial gift from god. To think this is decades after Randy’s death, Sharon was eloquent as was his family about Randy’s passion for music, and how he had such an incredible impact on others. Sharon describes with joy how Randy nurtured Ozzy’s talent, and she breaks down in tears as she discusses Randy’s untimely death.

Into The Void hits a homerun with its first episode because rather than sensationalizing the epic tales of heavy metal, we meet the people and connect with the musicians who were just living their dream, creating music, and playing for others.

From Randy’s life to the ‘Judas Priest’ trial, viewers will get the inside tale of the famed court case that was brought against the group after two youths committed suicide and blamed the lyrics of the band for inspiring them to commit the act. It’s easy to look up what happened, but following the story as Into the Void has set it up in the episode will have the viewers on the edge of their seats as the case is resolved. While footage from the case and news reports provide a foundation of knowledge for the episode, it’s the reflective pieces by the participants, including the lawyers for the plaintiffs that sets the tone for what the consequences would be if there is a guilty verdict.

Heartbreaking loss, court cases that could impact free speech to tales of the legends that built the foundational bricks of the heavy metal scene is what keeps the series flowing with rapidity, and a compulsion by the viewer to keep watching.

Throughout the show, I was intrigued by what I learned, connected with the people who wanted to share their stories, and felt the ache of the musicians. Episode 5 features the life of Wendy O Williams, and while her music is not my preferred choice (Jazz has my heart and soul) it would be impossible to watch the story of Williams and to not be impressed by her drive and creativity, while also carving a path in an industry that was predominantly male.

I love documentaries and stories that tell me about the past and people who did incredible things, while using the voices of the people who were there. This is a perfect way to tell the story of heavy metal, and I am certain that we will see season two of Into the Void: Life, Death & Heavy Metal in the future.

There is so much to explore in this genre of music, so many stories to tell, and Eisener and Husney have crafted a meticulous formula to tell the stories of the people we admire whether they are wrestlers, or the songbirds of the heavy metal scene.  

Into the Void debuts on Hulu on September 22nd.