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In a film that sings the praises of heavy metal music and reveres those who create it, “Metal Lords” stumbles in its ability to truly rock. Director Peter Sollett’s coming-of-age feature centered on two teen outcasts who form a hardcore metal band explores some fairly unexpected, dark recesses given its lighthearted, comedically-inclined premise. Sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll are on the set list, yet it plays too fast and loose, failing to achieve a good balance to make the chords reverberate louder. And just as it begins to get into its groove, the song abruptly ends.

Kevin (Jaeden Martell) and Hunter (Adrian Greensmith) have been friends since elementary school, suffering together through the indignities of adolescence and the pains of impending adulthood. However, they’ll be tested like never before in high school. After Hunter’s mom left him and his plastic surgeon father (Brett Gelman) a few years prior,...