Going to My First Metal Concert in My 30s
Somewhere between 13 and 14, my music tastes changed. I went from boy bands to metal and every subgenre of rock in the early 2000s. I don’t know what my first metal album was. Maybe Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park. But I remember being obsessed with the Queen of the Damned soundtrack in 2002. Also in 2002, something else happened. I first heard the song “Heaven’s a Lie” by Lacuna Coil on MTV2 when I was home one night trying to work on an essay.
I don’t know what captured my interest first. I think it was because it was the first time I ever heard of a woman doing metal and the duel vocals of their lead singers. I remember burning a copy of Comalies off a friend and then liking it so much, buying my own copy. With my newly acquired driver’s license, I would visit F.Y.E at my local mall, hoping to find their previous CDs. I instantly latched on the lyrics and riffs with different songs.
I remember getting excited with Karmacode. I downloaded Spellbound onto my iPod and kept it on repeat. I fell in love with Dark Adrenaline and “Give Me Something More.” Broken Crown Halo had a few songs that helped me get through a difficult time in my life. Delirium and Black Anima had a couple of songs that stood out, but I really didn’t fall in love with until a few years later. With Comalies XX, it felt like meeting a familiar friend, but still recognizing that…
