logo

Watch: Metallica drops American Sign Language MV for every song in 72 Seasons

“Metallica has shown the world what access and inclusiveness can look like.”

Metallica ASL music video

Image: Metallica via YouTube

When you purchase through affiliate links on Guitar.com, you may contribute to our site through commissions. Learn more.

Metallica have once again made history by releasing American Sign Language (ASL) music videos for all 12 songs in their 72 Seasons album.

The band collaborated with nonprofit organisation Deaf Professional Arts Network (DPAN) and Amber G Productions teams for the project. Each video features an ASL interpreter translating the lyrics and rocking out to the song, as the original footage plays on the other half of the screen.

“Metallica has shown the world what access and inclusiveness can look like,” said Amber Galloway of Amber G Productions. Her team is known for signing at several music festivals the band has headlined, including Lollapalooza (where Galloway herself once went viral for her ASL performance with Kendrick Lamar) and Austin City Limits.

“Often times hearing individuals think that captioning a music video is sufficient. Sadly text does not show intonations, it doesn’t show the emotional connection that ASL does. These videos also capture the voices of the instruments.”

“As a deaf musician, who has been a huge fan of Metallica my entire life, it is an absolute honour to work with the band and Amber G Productions to make an entire album of their songs accessible in American Sign Language,” Sean Forbes added.

“It is our hope that more bands, artists, performers, will follow the example set by Metallica and make their music accessible in American Sign Language. There is an entire community of deaf music fans that are ready to experience more music and Metallica doing this speaks volumes to the deaf and signing communities”

Metallica have also expressed their gratitude to the Deaf Professional Arts Network and Amber G Productions teams for making it possible for them to become the first rock band to release an entire album accompanied with side-by-side ASL interpretation.

“We cannot wait for our fans in the deaf and hard of hearing community to get to feel the emotion behind this album,” the band wrote.

Catch the ASL versions of the MVs in the playlist below.

Related Artists

Related Tags

logo

The world’s leading authority and resource for all things guitar.

© 2024 Guitar.com is part of NME Networks.