Coined to describe the frenetic head movements to fast-paced, pounding guitar riffs, the origin behind "headbanging" is credited to British "doom rockers" Black Sabbath. Such frenzied displays accompanied the live shows that promoted its self-titled debut album, whose Friday the 13th, 1970, release figured prominently in its marketing. By year's end, "Black Sabbath" sold a million copies--though the band saw little, having signed away all rights in perpetuity.
Toiling in obscurity is a common theme for many heavy metal rock bands, until some unexpected event revives interest in their music. Notable examples include Diamond Head, whose lack of success forced guitarist Brian Tatler to live with his parents until age 33--when Metallica's recording of the Diamond Head song "Am I Evil" enabled him to buy a house. Another example is the glam-rock band Girl, mainly remembered as guitarist Phil Collen's apprenticeship before joining the higher-profile Def Leppard.
As with punk rock, independent labels have proved vital. Two examples occurred in 1979, when Iron Maiden and Def Leppard self-financed and released EPs on their own Rock Hard and Bludgeon Riffola labels, respectively. Those releases were cornerstones of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal movement--and are credited with inspiring the 1981 launch of "Kerrang!" the first publication dedicated to hard rock music.
Religious objections to heavy metal frequently center on the alleged insertion of subliminal messages in the music. These accusations reached a head in 1990, when British band Judas Priest was sued by two families who claimed the band's music inspired their sons to commit suicide. A judge decided that such messages were present but had not been recorded intentionally. On that basis, the suit against Judas Priest and its record label, CBS, was dismissed.
Largely seen as a fanatical subculture in the West, heavy metal has received a response considerably chillier in Muslim nations--where fans risk arrest, police harassment and imprisonment. In Morocco, the arrest of 14 men, who received prison terms of three months to a year for "undermining the Muslim faith," sparked a concert, website campaign and protest demonstrations. The sentences were later dismissed or reduced on appeal. However, similar issues persist in nations like Lebanon and Egypt.