Going into Home is for the Heartless, I really wasn’t expecting Parkway Drive to be able to top their last documentary. The first DVD charted the Byron Bay metalcore band’s rise from obscurity to prominence in heartfelt fashion and became an instant classic with pretty much everyone who saw it. But if that was an origin story, then their latest effort is more of a road movie, and it’s a spectacular one at that. The film documents the band’s world tour in a trip which spans four continents, beginning with their home shows in Australia and moving on to Europe, South America and Asia. The footage from Down Under is a blast to watch, from people in animal suits dancing on stage to bodyboard crowd surfing, but it’s only a prelude of what’s to come. The documentary is constructed in such a way that you experience the places as the band sees them: whether it’s a train through a dilapidated city in Russia, a waterfall in Costa Rica, or some titties on a beach in Barcelona. There’s snatches of countryside, contrasting cultures and metal scenes from around the globe. Whether they’re playing a huge festival in England or a tiny show in Guatemala, you can’t help but get an authentic feel for the place and the people there. It helps that the documentary is filmed in beautiful high definition. There’s some amazingly shot scenery which wouldn’t look out of place in a BBC documentary, and the use of low aperture for the close-up scenes completes the artistic feel. These parts are intersected with montages of live footage that capture just how intense and fun Parkway Drive shows really are. The whole package is extremely well constructed, edited seamlessly and the softly spoken Aussie accented voice-overs never get tired. The film also maintains a decent balance between humour and seriousness. At times it’s as funny as an Every Time I Die video; one moment stands out in particular when the band struggles to decipher the thickest Chinese accent you’ve ever heard. But it’s also refreshing to see how grounded the band is. You can tell that they understand how fortunate they are to be able to tour the world, as they appreciate their fans and still experience pre-show nerves. They’re happy to see people counterfeiting their merch in Mexico and amazed that they can draw a crowd in Calcutta.
Home is for the Heartless is a phenomenal achievement in that it captures the diversity of the world whilst demonstrating how much the band’s music means to people in every place they visit. It adds another level of depth to a band’s music when you see them in this light and leaves you feeling both inspired and introspective. You can’t help feeling incredibly jealous of their lifestyle, but at least they’re kind enough to share it with us in such a well put together package.
Links: Facebook – Trailer
