For too long the region has failed to celebrate what is rightfully theirs – the home of “heavy metal”.

With 2008 being the 40th anniversary of when the phrase “Heavy Metal” was coined it seems like a crucial time to start celebrating.

Home of Metal aims to build an on-line digital archive that actively engages its audience in the creation and shape of the project.

The project will start with a series of open days at galleries in the region inviting people to bring along memorabilia, photographs and great stories which will be digitised to help create an on-line digital archive of memories, images and pictures to tell the story of this unique moment of Midlands’ musical heritage.

The bands they are focusing on are Judas Priest, Napalm Death, Godflesh, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin.

It’s at Wolverhampton Art Gallery tomorrow, Walsall’ New Art Gallery on November 6 and Birmingham’s Museum and Art Gallery on February 2 next year.