Hell Bent for Leather is one of those books I purchased a long time ago but simply allowed to gather dust on my bookshelf. However, in September of last year I started the Life Writing module and thought that it would be time to get reading it. So, in early December, I did. And I'm only now writing the review due to being piled under with work.
The book is the story of Hunter's discovering heavy metal at 15 and not looking back. It tells the stories of his various bands, the disagreements with his parents, drug and booze troubles and his transformation from heavy metaller to writer.
Along with his own tales, it provides insider knowledge of (and opinions on) some of the world's most famous bands including Judas Priest (of which the book gets its title), AC/DC and Iron Maiden.
Being a huge fan of metal since the age of 12 I found the book to be a fun read and not too serious. It was able to mock metal and its stereotypes whilst also being one. Additionally, I found that I was able to agree with a number of the writer's views on things yet also laugh at them as I thought back to some of my younger years.
Well-researched and written with a certain passion for music, this was one of those reads that every fan of music should read (if they can), whether or not they are listeners of metal and/or its subgenres.
Overall rating: 4/5
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