A Band Called Death

Filmmakers Mark Christopher Covino and Jeff Howlett profile obscure, early-1970s Detroit proto-punk outfit Death, who disbanded before releasing a single album, but who were vindicated nearly 30 years later when their 1974 demo tape was released to much fanfare. Formed by three Detroit siblings six years before the Sex Pistols stormed the airwaves with God Save the Queen, Death's blisteringly aggressive music was initially dismissed by record labels more interested in cashing-in on the glitzy disco craze. As contracts were cancelled and debts mounted, the band that ushered in a dangerous new era of music vanished into obscurity. Three decades later, however, the discovery of Death's only demo reveals just how far ahead of their time the band really was.