Share <Embed>

Buy New

$17.85

List Price: $21.99

FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon or get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

In Stock.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Buy Used

$15.99

FREE Shipping on orders over $25.

Used: Good | Details

Sold by Hawthorne Academic

Fulfilled by Amazon

Other Sellers on Amazon

Add to Cart

$18.57
+ Free Shipping

Sold by: Book Depository US

Add to Cart

$15.86
+ $3.99 shipping

Sold by: indoobestsellers

Add to Cart

$19.88
+ Free Shipping

Sold by: Books Go Direct

Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Loading recommendations for you

Recommendations for you

Adding to Cart...

Added to Cart

Not Added

Item is in your Cart

View Cart

Not Added

There was a problem adding this item to Cart. Please try again later.

Sorry, we're having trouble showing recommendations right now. Please try again later.

Continue shopping

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 3 images

Follow the Author

Jon Wiederhorn

Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal Paperback – April 29, 2014

by Jon Wiederhorn (Author), Katherine Turman (Author)

100 ratings

See all 8 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$11.49

—

Hardcover

"Please retry"

$53.94

$50.00

$3.99

Paperback

"Please retry"

$17.85

$15.86

$2.50

The definitive oral history of heavy metal, Louder Than Hell by renowned music journalists Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman includes hundreds of interviews with the giants of the movement, conducted over the past 25 years.

Unlike many forms of popular music, metalheads tend to embrace their favorite bands and follow them over decades. Metal is not only a pastime for the true aficionados; it’s a lifestyle and obsession that permeates every aspect of their being. Louder Than Hell is an examination of that cultural phenomenon and the much-maligned genre of music that has stood the test of time.

Louder than Hell features more than 250 interviews with some of the biggest bands in metal, including Black Sabbath, Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Spinal Tap, Pantera, White Zombie, Slipknot, and Twisted Sister; insights from industry insiders, family members, friends, scenesters, groupies, and journalists; and 48 pages of full-color photographs.

Frequently bought together

Total price: $57.14

Buy the selected items together

This item:Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal by Jon Wiederhorn Paperback $17.85
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal by Ian Christe Paperback $14.34
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal: Completely Revised and Updated by Daniel Bukszpan Paperback $24.95
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items when the Enter key is pressed. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Ian Christe

113

Paperback
$14.34
Albert Mudrian

46

Paperback
$23.45
Dayal Patterson

76

Paperback
$20.09
Daniel Bukszpan

39

Paperback
$24.95
Michael Moynihan

109

Paperback
$15.48
Michael Heatley

2

Hardcover
$4.96

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Whether you’re the sort of man who knows everything from who first threw the Devil Horns to the correct pronunciation of Yngwie Malmsteen, there is something fascinating to learn from Louder Than Hell . . . Shed[s] new light on the making of Satan’s Music.” (Esquire)

“Presents the collective memory of heavy metal through the ages and eras in the voices of the men who lived it . . . It’s an aficionado’s delight.” (New York Daily News)

“Louder than Hell is a love letter to the misunderstood genre of heavy metal music, written by trusted companions who had a front row seat on the devil’s rollercoaster. The definitive chronological testimony by the people who were there, including some who are no longer with us.” (Mark McGrath, Sugar Ray and co-host Extra)

“A great read and an instant classic.” (The Onion's A.V. Club)

“This is the best oral history I’ve read since Please Kill Me. Louder than Hell is the first book that really delivers the brutal truth from the mouths of the artists and key players themselves! I couldn’t put it down.” (Matt Pinfield)

“Two devil horns up!” (USA Today)

A compelling, first-person account of a seemingly unstoppable force . . .the book reads like an extended, uncensored, shockingly satisfying episode of VH1’s Behind the Music. (Washington Post)

“An amazingly comprehensive book on all eras and genres of hard rock and heavy metal. The stories and attention to detail make it an instant must for anyone who ever was or is a fan.” (Eddie Trunk, DJ and host of That Metal Show on VH1 Classic)

Often hilarious, occasionally, ‘God, I wish I hadn’t read that!’, sometimes profound, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes infuriating . . . no one holds back on any subject. . . you come away from this book with a crystal-clear vision of this world (The Huffington Post)

“The authors inclusiveness give this examination a weight that is just as heavy as the music.” (Publishers Weekly)

From the Back Cover

Louder Than Hell is the definitive oral history of heavy metal, crafted from more than four hundred interviews with icons of the genre from its inception to today, including Ozzy Osbourne, Eddie Van Halen, Tommy Lee, Lars Ulrich, Vince Neil, Axl Rose, Corey Taylor, Dave Grohl, Trent Reznor, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, and Dimebag Darrell. From groundbreaking innovations such as the dawn of distortion and the birth of cookie monster vocals to amazing tales of destruction and wild sexcapades, Louder Than Hell is packed with raw, unflinching stories, eye-opening admissions, and the truth behind some of metal's wildest moments.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product details

Paperback: 768 pages
Publisher: It Books; Reprint edition (April 29, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061958298
ISBN-13: 978-0061958298
Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.3 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 100 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #151,883 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #341 in Music History & Criticism (Books)
- #72 in Heavy Metal Music (Books)
- #531 in Rock Music (Books)

Would you like to tell us about a lower price?
If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support?

Start reading Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Customer reviews

Review this product

Write a customer review

100 customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

marc a paschke

Oral History yes but Hardly Definitive

August 25, 2014

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

At 600 plus pages there are several interesting stories and tidbits and some I hadnt even heard before. The problem with the book is in distribution of space. For example, there is more coverage of the crossover scene and norwegian death metal then the formidable years in the late 70s when Priest, Scorpions, UFO were creating some of the most influential heavy music EVER. In fact Michael Schenker, UFO and Ulrich Roth are NOT MENTIONED in the book other than a reference to a MSG show Lars was at. Thin Lizzy is pretty much absent. Early Rush, nada. But if you want to hear how many fights the Cro Mags got in or how many chicks the guys in Ratt were nailing, than this is the book for you. Very little about the substance of the music, the influence of early bands and how the music came to be and much more of the sensationalism of church burnings and the sex and drugs. Just once I would like to see a book like this done by someone who ACTUALLY lived it, not who knew someone who knew someone.

15 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

GlenMac

Very informative and orderly book on the History of Heavy Metal

July 16, 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Very well written history of heavy metal bands. If you get too serious about remembering which band a person started out in and which band they ended up in, it could drive you crazy. But I liked the order the author kept the book from beginning of heavy metal, to how styles changed over the years to present day. Some of the tricks the guys played on each other are hysterical. And just about all of them admit they got in a band for the chicks. As of right now I am 3/4 of the way through the book and still not bored. Pretty good read, better than I thought. Thank the guys on, "That Metal Show."

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

D. Owens

Really a great read

September 11, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Awesome book for any metal fan I'm 48 and grew up with Sabbath and Kiss and then went through the thrash era and saw the big four start and also overkill and exodus it should be the big 6. Great book highly recommended for anyone who loves metal or music in general . Write a second edition go more into metals roots ( Blue cheer , vanilla fudge, etc) and also power metal ( how do you do a book on metal on not mention Manowar? Fantastic book packed full of great information and inside stories I loved it.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Taryn

... research paper and I can honestly say that I loved it. The book is super informative and set ...

April 7, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I bought this book as a source for my research paper and I can honestly say that I loved it.The book is super informative and set up in an easy to follow pattern. The vast majority of the book is a compilation of interview answers from big names in the Metal music industry so the information is coming directly from the source. It's a great read for research papers or just casual reading, i'd highly recommend it.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Shpeeen

Easy read about Hard Music!

March 13, 2015

Verified Purchase

Having worked in the music bidness for almost 40 years and having actually worked with a number of folks profiled in this book, I found this a
fascinating read and consistent with my experiences. The overview given by the book tended to confirm a number of my opinions of these folks
and the their music. This music has never been "fashionable" and yet the artists/players in this book are some of the most influential musicians in rock music. In some parts of the book, it tended to focus a bit too much on the things we all know, ie: that these guys got laid a lot, but given the
excessive nature of this lifestyle and music, I guess it was a needed "device" for the purposes of the book. If you have ever "banged your head" or given the Dio "horns", you should read this book, you will enjoy it...

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Amazon Customer

Rare interviews

March 3, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Pros: A wide range of metal artists are covered, from Van Halen to EYEHATEGOD. Fairly comprehensive and entertaining overall. Great stories from the tours and tribulations of metal bands worldwide.
Cons: some bands only get a few paragraphs, others get page after page. Maybe limited by source material on the more obscure bands.
Metal fans will dig it.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Academic History of Metal

August 2, 2013

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I enjoy metal and feel like I know a decent amount about it but damn this book is a hard read. It's like an oral but academic history of metal. It includes all different genres-classic (Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest), the hair bands of the 80s, the big 4 (Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth), the British scene, speed metal, punk metal, black metal, techno metal....the list goes on. Honestly, I could have been spared the inclusion of Filter, Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails and Skinny Puppy -not that I don't like them, I just think that they didn't really merit a whole chapter.
My main complaint about the book is that is the way it's organized. It starts out chronological and then segments things by genres. It's hard to get a sense of the 'scene' when it's grouped this way-more interesting would have been to see what's going on in the different genres at the same time to see how each evolved. Rather, you get a sense of each sub-genre as a whole but not a complete picture of the scene. The strongest chapter, in my opinion, is the death metal/black metal chapter, toward the end. SO read the above-notice I'm not talking about the great stories that the artists share in the book? About how everyone has a great Dave Mustaine story? Because, much to my surprise, there wasn't much funny about the book. I was expecting there to be a much bigger Spinal Tap factor but there's just...Not. But there's a great debate on the correct positioning of fingers when flashing the sign of the devil (useful and amusing) and details about Rob Halford's struggles as a gay metal God and well done details of Dimebag's last days before he was shot at a show in Columbus. Worth the read but totally academic-it's obvious the author cares about his subject and has researched it.

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Tapebox

Gets weaker as it goes on

November 8, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Simply put, the book starts out good (nothing the Metal fan doesn't already know though) and gets weaker as it goes along. Much like Heavy Metal itself. The last section on "Nu Metal" is particularly bad, just like Nu Metal itself. Just stories about "I did this many drugs/drank this much and had this much sex". I found the Death Metal section interesting, even though I am not a big fan of the genre. Becasue it talked about the music.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Paperback

Ian Christe

113

$14.34
Paperback

Albert Mudrian

46

$23.45
Paperback

Dayal Patterson

76

$20.09
Paperback

Michael Moynihan

109

$15.48

Pages with related products. See and discover other items: history music, dance history, music manager, rock music history

5 star		62%
4 star		21%
3 star		13%
2 star		4%
1 star		1%

Buy New

$17.85

Buy Used

$15.99

Other Sellers on Amazon

Adding to Cart...

Added to Cart

Not Added

Item is in your Cart

Not Added

Follow the Author

Similar authors to follow

Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal Paperback – April 29, 2014

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the Back Cover

Product details

Customer reviews

Review this product

Read reviews that mention

100 customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Buy New $17.85

Buy Used $15.99

Other Sellers on Amazon

Adding to Cart...

Added to Cart

Not Added

Item is in your Cart

Not Added

Follow the Author

Similar authors to follow

Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal Paperback – April 29, 2014

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the Back Cover

Product details

Customer reviews

Review this product

Read reviews that mention

100 customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Buy New

$17.85

Buy Used

$15.99