The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years

The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years is a 1988 documentary film, directed by Penelope Spheeris, about the Los Angeles heavy metal scene from 1986 to 1988. It is the second film of a trilogy by Spheeris depicting life in Los Angeles at various points in time. The first film, The Decline of Western Civilization (1981), dealt with the punk rock scene during 1979–1980. The third film, The Decline of Western Civilization III (1998), chronicles the gutter punk lifestyle of homeless teenagers in the late 1990s. The 1988 film features concert footage and interviews of legendary heavy metal and hard rock bands and artists such as Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Megadeth, Motörhead, Ozzy Osbourne, and W.A.S.P.. The film premiered at The Wiltern Theatre and featured David F. Castagno, Publisher/Editor of Screamer Magazine, as the master of ceremonies. The film has been released for Region 3 (Southeast Asia, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau) on DVD only. Shout! Factory released this film as part of a Blu-ray box set with the other films in June 2015 for Region A.