Markus Staiger

In different times and spaces, genres like Death Metal are born. The early 90′s were still full of the 80′s vibe of over-consumption & greed, which found it’s way into everyday life, even into the music that was created. Just like hardcore in the early 80′s, not all of the teenagers of this decade wanted to hear the bubblegum pop that had invaded the airwaves. Death Metal did not want to be digested by the masses, and as a sub culture it was totally happy being the outsider. I’m not sure what was in the water in Florida during the late 80′s, because those kids were on some next shit, and they helped push the genre to other heights. When you are living in a certain period of time, you do realize that the life you are living could become historic to others in the future.

Donzdorf on the edge of the Swabian mountains in Southern Germany. A village just like any other, with a pointed church spire, a supermarket and a new housing estate. But Donzdorf is the seat of "Nuclear Blast Records", one of the world's most successful independent heavy-metal record companies. The company's boss, Markus Staiger, grew up with heavy metal, like many young people in rural areas, and has turned his enthusiasm into an empire with branches in Los Angeles and other major cities. Housewives from the village work for the mail order department, sending out bloody skulls to every conceivable place in the world. Listening Sessions are held in the village pub, where the offerings are commented on by the regulars as critically as by international journalists. The film takes a look at the occasionally comical interaction of the tranquil village inhabitants with the rather crude hard rock scene.