Global metal bands density

A user on reddit has produced an interesting map showing the number of metal bands per capita. It’s based on the vast database of bands at metal-archives.com , correlated with population figures from the CIA world factbook. Metal archives is pretty comprehensive but, to add a note of caution, metal bands may not be reported with the same frequency from all countries. In fact, what ‘counts’ as a metal band anyway? What may in a country where making metal is easy, just a group of friends jamming, may in other places be a fully-fledged band striving to overcome adversity. That caveat aside, the map is interesting, although there are few surprises. While non-metal people may be surprised that the density isn’t higher in US and UK, those of us involved in the scene know that the Anglo world isn’t as metal as is often assumed.