"Musical Outcast" by Jonathan M

       When people think of music they would mention big artist like Taylor Swift or Justin Bieber, etc, which are a few and media’s favorite. There must be more than just this, more than just the six artists always playing on the radio and deciding what song is a “Top hit” and play it for months. Usually, these songs are similar—lyrics only talking about money, girls and partying. For myself, I avoid the radio at all cost and explored music in a different direction.  I wanted to listen to music that has not have been getting credit and something that no one really recognizes.

                  When I was younger, I came across metal and alternative music that no one even knows about. I just wanted something different and wanted to experience what the media has shunned. When people think of metal, they always say, “it sounds like devil worshipping music” or “it sounds like cats and dogs inside a bag fighting”.   They are not use to listening to singers screaming and having loud distorted music playing all the time. They are not use to different and easily judge a book by its cover. These bands do not scream songs of the devil at all, but scream an emotion that only screaming it can only express. I see it more as, they want to scream out the pain they have faced throughout the years and carry out this opinion that should not be whispered.  The lyrics that they tend to scream are usually about their lowest point in their life, and how they came across it and overcome their problems and become a better person out of it; or getting back up to their feet and to move forward, or to never give up on your dreams or to commit yourself to help others. These were lyrics that they would write and give out word of hope to people who do not have any. These are advice that should be screamed at to everyone every day!

                  I went to these metal concerts to experience this environment that is filled with positivity in the tempo that no one is used to. Once the band starts, the crowd becomes energetic. This was sort of ironic knowing that these people were not prep kids; they were outcasts who are seen as weird, or different. They were all here to experience this emotion.  They were all broken and wanting to find a relief and seeing them all together uniting to hear messages of hope is as special moment as if it was the same type of emotion we would feel at church. I enjoy this type of fan base the most because no one is assigned seats; they are all bundled up together, penetrating each other’s personal bubble and in the end we join together as one family. During mosh pits, people would swing the air and accidently punch someone. However if they do, usually they tend to say sorry and care about one another. Moshing just seen as a way to release the anger they have been hold up, like a type of relief. And at the end of the day no one stays pretty, everyone has their voice lost and filled with happiness as if they came out of a sacred temple and all their sins have been lifted.

                  To me this experience means the world, without it, I would have been lost still trying to find a hope that I could actually experience. Music has saved my life just from little research and listening to something that never plays on the radio. Even if you do not like metal music maybe there is something different that may have your interest. See it as an adventure, to explore a world that has not seen the spotlight of the media!