Metallica has shared American Sign Language versions of each video released for the band’s new 72 Seasons album.
The metal legends previously announced the project earlier this month with the ASL interpretation of the 72 Seasons title track. You can watch the ASL videos for the other 11 72 Seasons songs now via Metallica’s YouTube channel.
According to a press release, Metallica is “not only [the] first rock band to release an entire album in ASL, but the first band to release official videos side by side with an ASL interpreter.” To make that happen, they partnered with Amber Galloway of AG Productions, which provides signing at festivals, including Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, as well as The Deaf Professional Arts Network, or DPAN.
“Metallica has shown the world what access and inclusiveness can look like,” Galloway says. “Often times hearing individuals think that captioning a music video is sufficient. Sadly text does not show intonations, it doesn’t show the emotional connection that ASL does. These videos also capture the voices of the instruments.”
“As a deaf musician, who has been a huge fan of Metallica my entire life, it is an absolute honor to work with the band and Amber G Productions to make an entire album of their songs accessible in American Sign Language,” adds DPAN co-founder Sean Forbes. “It is our hope that more bands, artists, performers, will follow the example set by Metallica and make their music accessible in American Sign Language. There is an entire community of deaf music fans that are ready to experience more music and Metallica doing this speaks volumes to the deaf and signing communities.”
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