The second in Penelope Spheeris' Decline Trilogy of trailblazing documentary features exploring Los Angeles music subcultures, The Metal Years captures an era of big hair and huge egos. Filmed in 1987-88, it chronicles the tail end of the heavy metal cultural moment through the excesses of "hair metal", right before its national popularity waned and the grunge explosion took hold. Spheeris interviews Dave Mustaine, Alice Cooper and Steven Tyler along with frazzled casualties like Ozzy Osbourne and Chris Holmes of W.A.S.P. (in arguably the most haunting scene to take place in a Hollywood swimming pool since Sunset Boulevard). Along the way we also meet the dreamers of the Sunset Strip, wannabe rock stars convinced that with a little willpower and a big enough can of Aqua Net they too can achieve the American dream.

While Parts I and III of the film trilogy cover troubled outsider musicians in the hardcore and crust punk scenes, Part II is a much funnier, slightly meaner and altogether more accessible look at a truly unique moment in time. It should come as no surprise that the director of Wayne's World has both a great fondness for and sense of humour about headbanger culture, but Spheeris isn't a typical filmmaker voyeur— she has a deep well of empathy for the lost souls of LA, along with a genuine appreciation for the catharsis and shared joy of a live metal gig.