You are a young woman living in a small Icelandic town. You have a kinship with your metal-loving older brother. What are you to do after his tragic and unexpected death? You carry the flame of metal for him.

Admittedly, this is more of a “Gimme Something To Look Forward To” since Metalhead (aka Málmhaus in its native Icelandic) hit the festival circuit two years ago and is currently, finally, making its way through several US screenings. And despite my ridiculous introduction, this is not a self-aware fist-pumping metalhead lifestyle parody (à la Fubar), nor is it yet another look at the clandestine world of black metal (à la Until the Light Takes Us). Metalhead is a a moody, sparse drama about a young woman struggling to grieve with the loss of a sibling in an insular rural community, shot against the chilly emptiness of the Icelandic landscape.

Directed by Ragnar Bragason and starring Thora Bjorg Helga (also billed as as Þorbjörg Helga Þorgilsdóttir for umlaut credibility), Metalhead has plenty of full reviews available online, so if you’re looking for a more detailed look at the plot of the film, go check those out. One source has the release date listed as March 20th. Another says April 3rd. Much like the titular breed of metalhead for which the film is named, it prefers to stay in the shadows and not give out too much information about itself lest people get too close to it. Just keep your eyeballs peeled if you’re looking to catch a screening or pick it up on iTunes or VOD.

Finally, here’s a scene I’m sure most of us will immediately relate to even without context, as the main character unveils her frostbitten musical intentions to a roomful of disapproving elder folk.

For more info & updates on Metalhead, check out its Facebook page. \m/

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