A weighty discussion of metal, for both passionate fans and neophytes . . . Yet what elevates Heavy from being a simple love letter to metal is the way in which Franklin situates heaviness within the "iron-rich bloodline running through the bedrock of culture" . . . a book that pulls off the trick of offering something to both passionate fans and neophytes

Victoria Segal, Sunday Times

Heavy opens an ornate portal into a murky subculture, illuminating the marginalia as well as the big beasts

Elif Shafak, The Spectator

Fascinating . . . powerful

Liam Cagney, Irish Times

A wildly entertaining journey into the heart of musical darkness