New Documentary 'Heavy Healing' Highlights Healing/Recuperative Powers Of Heavy, Aggressive Music

Fans of heavy metal, hardcore punk and the like have been told since forever, whether by their parents, teachers or religious leaders, that these genres are "not music," but noise. Each has been labeled as disorderly, violent and detrimental to the physical and mental health of young people.

Be that as it may, many who have been affected by a wide variety of enervating conditions have come to rely on heavy artists to successfully assist them through the worst of times such as severe illness, weighty medical conditions and mental health challenges.

New documentary film "Heavy Healing" seeks to dispel rumors and shine a much-needed bright light on the healing powers of aggressive music. You will hear directly and candidly from artists, fans and industry types — remarkable individuals who have leaned on (or even become) "controversial" music makers in order to inspire and be inspired through the grueling process of recovery from the likes of cancer, anxiety and depression, strokes, heart attacks, cerebral palsy, blood diseases, diabetes and HIV/AIDS, to name a few.

Appearing in "Heavy Healing" are Jesse Leach (KILLSWITCH ENGAGE),Lou Koller (SICK OF IT ALL),Jaret Reddick (BOWLING FOR SOUP),Mike IX Williams (EYEHATEGOD),Vinnie Stigma (AGNOSTIC FRONT),Eddie "Sutton" Pomponio (LEEWAY),Jesse Malin (HEART ATTACK, D-GENERATION),Jimi Hazel (24-7 SPYZ),Michael Alago (former A&R executive, METALLICA, WHITE ZOMBIE),Michael "Kaves" McLeer (LORDZ OF BROOKLYN),Jimmy G. Drescher (MURPHY'S LAW),Brian "Mitts" Daniels (ex-MADBALL),Adam Blake (H2O),as well as one of "Heavy Healing" filmmakers, and the inspiration for this documentary, music business veteran Seth Abrams, among others.

Seth offers: "I've survived several severe, life-altering medical ordeals. When you strip away the doctors and family and friends' support, it's the music that gets you through it all. In my case, I specifically leaned on SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' 'You can't Bring Me Down'. 'Heavy Healing' gives a voice to those who have relied on heavy, aggressive music to recover from any number of things — medical, emotional or both."

"Heavy Healing" director Howie Abrams adds: "As someone who has worked with underground bands for over four decades, I've encountered far too many musicians who are forced to cope with one disorder or another. That said, it's incredible to see how they've been able to rely on the extreme music we grew up with to help them remain motivated and to recover. Our hope with the film is that others can draw just as much inspiration from the music as our interviewees have."

"Heavy Healing" has been accepted into the ReelAbilities Film Festival in New York City, the world's largest film festival dedicated to disability. It will screen as part of the festival on:

Saturday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. Maysles Documentary Center Harlem, NY

Monday April 27 at 7:00 p.m. Nitehawk Cinema Prospect Park Brooklyn, NY

In addition to the screenings during ReelAbilities, "Heavy Healing" will be showing at the New Jersey Punk Rock Flea Market in Edison, New Jersey on April 11; a portion of the proceeds for which will be donated to SICK OF IT ALL vocalist Lou Koller's Sweet Relief fund as he continues battling esophageal cancer. It will also show at the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 18.

About the filmmakers:

Seth Abrams has worked in a variety of positions within the music industry, ranging from street promotion, marketing, A&R and tour management. A sudden aortic dissection (aneurysm),followed by a left side paralyzing stroke at the age of 34 planted the initial seed for "Heavy Healing". During the spring of 2019, Seth also suffered seizures, and a short-term memory erasing brain infection. Throughout his recovery, he has relied on heavy recorded and live music to aid him in his recovery.

Howie Abrams has a long history working with heavy music, having held A&R, product management and music publishing positions at companies such as In-Effect Records, Roadrunner Records, Jive Records/Zomba Music and Warner Chappell. In 2013, Abrams turned his attention to books, and has since had ten of them published, including the biographies of H.R. from BAD BRAINS, Vinnie Stigma from AGNOSTIC FRONT and SICK OF IT ALL's Koller brothers, as well as "The ABCs Of Metallica". In one capacity or another, he has worked with artists such as SHELTER, VISION OF DISORDER, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, SEPULTURA, TYPE O NEGATIVE, MISFITS and many more. Howie has also produced television for the MSG network and Fuse. "Heavy Healing" is his directorial debut.

Jammi York is a New York City-based freelance photographer and videographer of two-plus decades. He has captured everything from live music, celebrity portraits and fashion imagery, to protests in Nicaragua, as well as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Jammi's work has been featured in entertainment and news publications around the world.