METAL SOUL

Metal Soul is a podcast dedicated to the heavy metal music genre’s influence on my life, as a retrospection into how it has shaped me and my choices today.

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First some background - I must go back in time about 20 years. I had a troubled childhood and early adulthood and I felt I grew up far too soon. Recurring themes were anger, rebellion, anxiety, and a definite feeling of being an outsider. Possibly because of how my school teachers (with exceptions) stereotyped me without realising I might have learning or confidence issues. Which meant things that interested me, didn’t interest them or anyone else. Growing up in India, such things are attributed to a disinterest in education and immediately considered a stigma. Society didn’t help, and constantly focused on how my scores could improve. A long story short, I pushed through this stage and quite enjoyed the freedom of thought and action that a university environment brought with it.

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To go back to my social issues - what could I latch on to keep my sanity? The answer - heavy metal music. The first song I ever heard was Deep Purple’s Child in Time, from my dad’s extensive rock collection. And I’ve headbanged ever since.

Looking back at where I am today, I definitely can say, over 20 years later, I felt ostracized and my social anxiety was a direct result of all that I was subject to.

The question to ask is why this particular type of music attracted me to it, and perhaps that’s answered by some of the below:

1. It seemed to be a perfect cure for my social anxiety brought on by my formative years in school;

2. I didn’t fit into any particular social circle, always felt uncomfortable around people and was happiest expressing my thoughts with a pen and paper in hand, even as a child.

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Long story short, the music became my master. And, it accelerated my learning - what with its vast repertoire of words, locations and exotic subjects, the world suddenly, became a very interesting place indeed. No library’s general knowledge section was enough. Thankfully someone invented this thing called the computer. I’d plug away for hours on end on the computer exploring the themes that these mystical and exotic bands sang about and referenced in their music. I leant quite a bit, even in those early days, toward a sub-genre called black metal.

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Intellectually, metal became my stimulant. I used it to my advantage, coupling it with the intensity of mixed emotions of hatred, distrust and general apathy toward society at large to create a niche for myself in my university education even producing an entire event around a particular Iron Maiden album.

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Over the next phase of my life, I accessed a wider range of music, which meant there was a vastly increased scope of exploration. It also triggered a continuing introspection of life - maybe this could be put down to a philosophical bent of mind. Even today, many difficult situations are tempered by my ability to use this music to deflect the negativity or even channel it elsewhere to approach the difficult situation with a calmer mindset.

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Very early on in this journey, I began noting down all the different impacts that this music had on me intending to analyse it from a social perspective. And that brings me to the crux of this podcast.

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Perhaps, this is best thought of as a form of crystallized cognitive ability, where a lifetime of asking why and researching all the components of the genre led to an enhanced educated view. I must also recognize that there were innumerable negative factors too, and sometimes the influence question tended to flow into dangerous territory, what with documented cases of suicide and murder in the name of staying true to the music. No wonder then, that the very mention of the subject raises eyebrows.

So I want to ask three critical questions:

1. are metalheads stereotyped into outsiders and generally un-intelligent beings?

2. how does this music percolate into the choices of its fans and does it define the fabric of their nature and relationships?

3. what role, if any, does a metal fan or musician have to better the condition of those faced with ostracization and social discrimination because of their choice of this music today?

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I’m aware that extreme music can have far-reaching consequences, I’m focusing on answering this question through the lens of my journey and that of those involved in the music in different geographies to analyse to what extent society has impacted each type of individual.

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Every metalhead who feels ostracized or is mentally struggling to explain who they are and why they want to listen to this type of music is welcome to air their views and talk about their journeys, bringing together everyday people with everyday problems onto an open and judgment-free platform.

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Metal Soul helps build bridges with listeners by recounting my personal experiences and speaking with like-minded friends who have been through similar situations, trying to align the love for this type of music with a deeper meaning to life itself.

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Metal Soul is a fun place to be with a serious agenda - we’ll talk about critical issues but do it in a very cool and fun way - so there’s always something for everyone, of all ages.

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Stay heavy! Stay true!

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