The Might of Metal

“There are certain emotions in your body that not even your best friend can sympathize with, but you will find the right film or the right book, and it will understand you.”—Björk

Dear Reader,

Last weekend I went with a couple of friends to see Power Trip Texas, who have just completed their Asian tour. It was extremely entertaining and the energy at the venue was throbbing with positivity—you could see it with the way the band performed on stage, and how the audience kept successional stage diving, like flying fish in the ocean.

I love listening to music just as much as I love to read. Both serve as escapism for me. An escape not to avoid life, but to hold onto something good when everything sucks. The artists I listen to are probably more varied than the books I read, and can range from anything between One Direction to Icelandic Black Metal.

And as with pop music, the key is not to take yourself or the musicians too seriously—it is just a performance after all. A performance that can take you somewhere else, possibly even move you, and can bond you to others with a special shared experience. It’s how I’ve made some of my closest friends—a case of, Oh! You too?

I’ve been lucky enough that the majority of my experiences in the heavy metal scene have been positive or neutral as a woman, but the magic of this gig was that it felt so welcoming regardless and was devoid of the usual ridiculous machismo vibe. The front-man addressed the audience as, “Ladies and gentlemen, and those beyond the binary”, and has famously said “This is not a band for white males to enjoy and be dumb rednecks.” So thank you Power Trip for challenging the norms of the scene and exemplifying all the bits I love the most about going to metal gigs!

Anyway. I’m the latest intern here at Ethos and my favourite colour is purple. I’ve also included a little mix-tape of 20 tracks that are current and forever favourites that I hope you will enjoy.

Live long and prosper fellow rockers,

Tamara

(From February 22, 2020)