The Horror Show
American Satan
by Ash Avildsen
American Satan is a cinematic adventure of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll.
Lead singer Johnny, his bandmates, and their manager strike a deal with the devil himself to become the most successful metal band on the planet. This deal comes with a cost, as all deals with the devil do, and our beloved band, The Relentless, rockets into fame while their personal lives simultaneously spiral out of control. A fun commentary on the music business, American Satan also puts the absurdity of our social media and celebrity obsessed culture on blast.
To go further into detail on specific plot points would be a disservice, so I’ll leave any further story related spoilers out of this review. Instead, I’ll focus on what I think makes this film work.
The devil himself, Mr. Capricorn, is played by the wonderful Malcolm McDowell and aside from him, I think the casting worked wonders for this film. Johnny and Leo are played by Andy Biersack of the band Black Veil Brides and Ben Bruce of the band Asking Alexandria. Booboo Stewart, Jesse Sullivan, and Sebastian Gregory round out the rest of the band wonderfully in their respective roles and John Bradley from Game of Thrones is fantastic as Ricky, manager of The Relentless. Mark Boone Junior is typically fabulous in whatever he does, and this holds true as he portrays Elias, the fierce record exec.
It’s evident that the brains behind the camera are not just part of the film industry. Ash Avildsen, CEO of Sumerian Records, was both director and one of the writers for this project. It’s safe to say that this man has the right job to create a film such as this. Another thing that made the film so fun was the music. The soundtrack is laced with artists on Sumerian Records like After The Burial and Circa Survive and sports hits from fictional band, The Relentless.
For a film whose main character is played by someone making their acting debut, I’d say American Satan struck gold. Andy Biersack does a fantastic job forcing the audience to empathize with him as he portrays a morally torn young man coming face to face with fame and fortune and all the hell that can come with it. Also, hats off to Ben Bruce for what is probably the most realistic cry face ever.
I, for one, would most definitely recommend American Satan to horror and music lovers alike. If you’re looking for more gore than mayhem, however, I’d caution you to look elsewhere. But I’d also tell you to give this film a watch anyway. With its dark comedy and dramatic tension, American Satan is surely worth your time and I think you’ll be entertained throughout.
Stevie Kopas, HMS
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