For anyone who has wondered how grindcore connects to crossover thrash, The Map of Metal is your ultimate extreme reference guide

Having covered music in smallish Michigan towns has given me a considerably deeper understanding of the various subgenres of heavy metal than I might have otherwise. I’ve done my share of profiles of bands that identify themselves as metalcore, folk metal and speed thrash.

I sure wish I’d had something like The Map of Metal to help me navigate the various dominions of metalheads back when I was writing those stories. An extremely in-depth guide to the history of heavy rock by Australian designer Patrcik Galbraith (with an assist from “metal historian” Nick Grant), the map includes more fiefdoms than you ever knew existed, each with helpful musical samples. [Hat tip: AV Club]

Whether you’re a metal fan or simply interested in how bad-ass interactive design can be, it’s worth checking out.