THE RISE OF THE LANCASTER COUNTY METAL SCENE
Some of the most prominent metal bands in the world started practicing in barns in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. But Lancaster is still known more for horses and buggies than its music scene.

From the mid-2000's onward, an underground metal (and metalcore) scene in Lancaster grew from a DIY effort to a creative movement that established a unique sound and has received international acclaim. August Burns Red has received multiple Grammy Nominations, Texas in July drummer Adam Gray was featured on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and This or The Apocalypse and others have undertaken countless U.S. and world tours. Through first-hand accounts, concert footage, rare photos and videos, the documentary Barn Burner tells this true story of how Amish Country has become a hotbed of heavy music.

Members of August Burns Red, This Or The Apocalypse, Texas in July, and their peers describe their upbringing in rural Lancaster and how it influenced them to seek out a new sense of belonging in music. Mirroring the work ethic exhibited by their families and community members, bands booked their own shows, printed their own flyers, and built their own equipment. These bands take us to the farms, VFW halls, and church basements where it all started, and show us how an unlikely mix of familial support, church sponsorship, and pure dedication to aggressive music catapulted Lancaster, Pennsylvania to a household
name in metalcore.

Barn Burner is more than just an inside look at the unlikely origins of beloved bands. It is a story about coming of age in the midst of seemingly clashing cultures. This film shows that there can be a relationship between radical art and old world, small town values. It will connect with anyone who has found a home in, purpose from, or has loved music.