One thing that I am sure that we can all agree on, we all love making lists. Not grocery lists but music lists. Whether we are making lists of the world’s greatest singers, albums, songs or whatever else we make lists about we all love it right? Hell, not a day goes by when one of us says that this album or that is going to make our end of the year lists. So really it was just inevitable that someone was going to write a book of metal lists wasn't it? I mean which one of us wouldn't love to get our favorite music lists published for some actually money? Pay me for lists? Sign me up dude!
Howie Abrams and Sacha Jenkins are the lucky ones of us who actually got their heavy metal lists published in the book The Merciless Book of Heavy Metal Lists. With a forward from Kerry King and an afterward from Phil Anselmo this book already seems to have some credibility in the metal world. I mean with the big guns like Mr. King and Mr. Anselmo how can you not feel that this book is a must have as a metal fan? Currently working in the positive for this book is metal lists, Pantera and Slayer! I can stop there right? No need for this review to go any further right? People who know metal like Mr. King and Anselmo as well as Eddie Trunk, Danny Lilker, Brian Slagel and Gary Holt are all part of this book so it must be credible right? Well, it definitely has some interesting lists, and it could spur some interesting conversations and arguments. So there is that.
By the way did I mention in one page it becomes one of the most offensive books you have arguably ever read?
Do I believe that everyone who was associated with this heaping pile of manure should be ashamed of themselves? Well they should because on page(s) 68-69 the authors', I am assuming attempt at humor, is derailed by a disgusting display of homophobia aimed at one of the true legends of our favorite music; Rob Halford!
On the pages mentioned above the authors decide that re-examining the lyrics of Rob Halford songs since his revelation of his homosexuality in 1998 would be a pretty good tongue in cheek moment. Well it is not! It is offensive, immature, homophobic and plain old disgusting! To include this CRAP in this book removes all of the credibility that this book had (if any) and makes the people who contributed to it look just as bad as the two bullies whose names are on the cover. I honestly don't understand how they let themselves be used like this. It is appalling!
One of the most amazing things I experienced as a true metal head was the response of the heavy metal community when Rob Halford announced he was gay. The overall response was pretty much “Huh; interesting, when is the new Judas Priest coming out?” I was there, this was truly the response, we metal heads didn’t care a bit about Rob being gay as long as he was still putting out the great music that made him our Metal God. It is one of those moments in time that I like to revisit with people outside of metal to show how inclusive our music is no matter how off-putting it may seem to others. This is why the unacceptable path the two bullies took to make a mockery of Rob Halford is so disgusting to me.
And they are bullies! The unforgivable attack on Rob is the most blatant display of this but there are also sections of this book where they go after other metal legends because of what seems there annoyance that these metal legends couldn’t be bothered with these hacks! Attacking a person’s personal beliefs or the way they look are pure bully tactics, whether they are made as a joke or not. If you have ever been bullied then you will recognize this behavior easily.
There were a few moments when I first started reading this book that I was looking forward to writing a great review of a book that we are all jealous we didn't write and get published. But after I got to page 68 that all changed and I couldn't get this book out of my life fast enough. I hope everyone who reads this review believe when I say how insulting this book is not only to the gay community but to the great Rob Halford personally and to some degree the intelligence of metal fans. Do not buy this piece of garbage as it will only fatten the coffers of two disgusting homophobes and allow them to write more of this offensive trash.
Author's note: I actually won this book in a contest. It was not sent to me for review but I decided to write this to warn you all of this homophobic garbage.
"...a disgusting display of homophobia"
