The irony isn’t lost on me. While the sentiment of the song might lean towards deeper themes, for me, the “seeing red” part translates to the sheer, visceral energy that fuels so much of what I love outside the typical day job. It might surprise some, given my professional life, but a healthy chunk of my free time is dedicated to the glorious chaos that is metal music. And for those who don’t know, the song is by one of my current faves, Architects. Who I will have the pleasure of hearing let loose one of the best ‘bleughs’ in the industry, this October.
My love for this alternative genre hasn’t been a lifelong affair; I came to my senses slightly later in life, solely thanks to my husband who has always been a fan of those bands whose logos looks like an advertisement for headaches. My first metal experience came in my early 20s, seeing the Nu Metal band Ill Nino. At first I was apprehensive, I’d never been to a gig like that before. But I had nothing to do on that wet Tuesday evening, so fuelled somewhat by a bid to impress my now husband I gave them a go. Dressed in beige chinos and a white top, I stuck out like a non-metalhead sore thumb. But once the guttural vocals, intricate riffs, and thunderous drums burrowed their way in, there was no turning back. I am 100% a fan. For life. Though I do often wonder if I’ll still be banging my head along to Machine Head when I’m 80.
If someone told me when I was 16 that I would one day attend metal festivals and gigs regularly, I would not have believed them. Even the classic pop punk bands of the 00s were a bit too alt back then. And I conformed, as most teenagers do, to the appeasing monotony of pop music (which I do also actually like, but not as much as this). Whatever my younger self was doing, I’m just glad I found a different way. Some of my best experiences over the last few years involve watching these bands in all their glory, at festivals (glamping obvs) and gigs. And that is despite me usually not being able to see a thing (I’m very small). All I’ve got to work with at these events is the music, lights, watching the phone screens held up high by people in front of me and sometimes if I’m really lucky, maybe a glimpse of the top of the drummers head.
So why do I love it? I find it relaxing, even therapeutic. Whether it be at work, when I’m deep in Excel pulling together all the data that goes into our reports, or driving to do the nursery pick up and drop off, I will most likely be listening to something very shouty. I don’t love it because I am disproportionately angry all the time (though it is quite the stress reliever if you are having one of those days/weeks/months!) Instead, I love it because you feel part of a tightknit, welcoming, no judgment community. It makes me feel safe, it’s silly, and weirdly, it makes me feel calm. As I see it, with a new bad news story every waking second, having a community to escape and have a bit of fun with, strengthened by moments of calm can only be a good thing.
Music is emotional intent, whether it be pop music, folk, country, classical, rock or death metal. It’s a way to express yourself, to feel the feels, to have a little cry even, but most of all it’s there for enjoyment. And I certainly do enjoy a bit of metal.
