Let’s address the elephant in the mosh pit: I started a metal blog.
Yes. Me. The one who once lived for James Blunt, had a Mazzy Star moment, and thought Macy Gray was what rebellion sounded like. Not exactly forged in fire and blast beats.
So why heavy metal?
Honestly? It was always in the periphery. My husband isn’t a metalhead, but if you looked at his CD shelf back in the day, metal definitely had the majority vote. Same story with a couple of his friends. It was never a lifestyle thing—it was just there. Quietly lurking in the background while I was off harmonising with whatever sad indie-pop ballad caught my mood that week.
But metal fascinated me. The look? Iconic. The attitude? Zero shame. The fashion? Leather, denim, long hair—basically the holy trinity of my taste in men.
I’ve made a few half-hearted attempts over the years. There was my Lord of the Rings phase at 16, naturally featuring Blind Guardian on loop (and yes, I did have to double-check they actually count as metal). At 19, newly dating my now-husband, I dabbled. Samael. Hammerfall. Iron Maiden. Motörhead. I liked—a couple songs. For maybe five minutes. Then I retreated back to my safe space of melodic melancholy.
But here’s where it gets real.
When I was 18, I had a pen pal named Manu. We met online, exchanged letters—actual paper ones—and bonded over music (or at least, he tried to bond over music). He wrote for Metal Hammer Germany. He sent me mixtapes, gently trying to convert me during my unfortunate HIM-fanatic era. Bless his patient soul. We drifted, as online friendships often do.
Years passed. Then, a few months ago, I found out Manu had died. 37. Just gone. I wasn’t ready for that news. I’m still not. But I found his “Top Ten Albums of All Time” list online. And I started listening. Not out of obligation. Out of grief. Out of connection. Out of respect. I wanted to feel what he felt. I didn’t—but I want to. That’s the difference now.
So here I am.
Starting this blog not because I know metal. But because I don’t—and I want to.
Because this genre meant something to people who meant something to me.
Because maybe it can mean something to me, too.
Let’s find out.