The film chronicles the heavy metal club scene in Los Angeles during the 1987-88 time period, with an emphasis placed on the glam metal subgenre. Several unsigned club bands are also prominently featured, such as Odin and Seduce. The film features a mix of live concert footage and interviews with established heavy metal performers such as Lemmy, Ozzy Osbourne, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Megadeth, and W.A.S.P. The third film, The Decline of Western Civilization III (1998), would later chronicle the gutter punk lifestyle of homeless teenagers in the late 1990s. The first film, The Decline of Western Civilization (1981), dealt with the punk rock scene during 1979–1980. It is the second film of a trilogy by Spheeris depicting life in Los Angeles at various points in time as seen through the eyes of struggling up-and-coming musicians. Filmed between August 1987 and February 1988, the film chronicles the late 80s Los Angeles heavy metal scene. The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years is a 1988 documentary film directed by Penelope Spheeris.

Civilization 2 soundtrack