Part of our ‘Highlight of the week’ series

Thank you so much for the opportunity to talk about music! I’ll try not to ramble on about one of my favourite subjects!

Q1. Can you tell us about what lead you to find extreme metal and what about it ignited this passion you have for it? 

That was quite a journey. I didn’t really get on with the extreme metal at first, I had trouble engaging with some of the vocals. They either sounded like a toddler having a temper tantrum or a teenager having a strop! Hard to like after listening to people like Halford and Dio. But returning to music and discovering the underground scene, it was Metal 2 The Masses London, 2017. I was supporting southern rockers Dead Man’s Whiskey and one of the other bands playing was The Brood. Grindcore and not my thing but watching them, they were just such good fun that I wanted to see them again. So when they played a gig at the Black Heart I went and managed to drag a friend of mine along – she was in her late 60s then – and we both thought they were really good. Their album The Truth Behind remains a favourite. So it was following them and seeing other bands along the way – they led me to Jawless, Leeched, Sewer Trench, and a whole load more.

Q2. When did you first get involved in underground music? Can you tell us how that journey started? 

With a young family, money being tight and cost of tickets beyond my pocket, I largely dropped out of rock and metal, exploring classical and opera via the CD bargain bins. With the kids grown up and discovering the small gig scene I got back into live music and started going to shows, mainly places like the Big Red or Deptford’s Bird’s Nest, and letting my musical taste broaden. Following bands led me to new bands – go and see the supports and others on the bill as you never known when you’ll find someone awesome! Metal 2 The Masses helped. I also got to see Green Lung for free a few times! One of the things I like about the underground scene is the sheer diversity of the bands, and I’m just as happy to see stoner, prog. doom and rock bands as well as the more extreme forms of metal. Small venue gigs are some of the best shows I’ve been to.

Q3. Are there any pinnacle events or specific people that have kept you on the path of supporting extreme metal? 

Metal 2 The Masses has been important, again they have a great diversity of bands playing, and I’ve found a lot of bands I really enjoy watching and listening to. Retribution Alive has put on some fantastic nights of metal that have introduced me to new bands but a lot of it is driven by wanting to see live music and taking a chance on people I know nothing about and going to see them. I may not like them, I may not think they are any good but I will be down the front and I will cheer them on because they have the balls to get up on that stage and give it a go. And for a few bands I’ve been the only person watching them, and I still shout, clap, and cheer.

Q4. Can you tell us of any resources, entities or communities that could be particularly helpful for extreme metal bands in the underground today? 

There are a number around. Social media is a good starting point, Facebook groups featuring extreme metal bands is a start. Metal 2 The Masses are fantastic nights out and events are held across the country and they are either cheap or free. Follow bands, see who they are playing with and give them a listen. Talk to other people – make new friends in the audience and see if they have any recommendations; word of mouth is still a strong means of promotion. Give Loud Enough Magazine a follow and check-in on us every now and again as we post videos and tour/show news for bands from all over the world – even places we have to google to see where they are from!

Q5. How many band t-shirts and merch items do you think you’ve collected so far? 
I’ve lost track! I have a massive collection of CDs (or I have a tiny collection compared to others!) I do have a number of t-shirts, mostly purchased to support bands, some donated by the bands (greatly appreciated and worn with pride.) It’s odd seeing a young person in a pristine Number of The Beast tour t-shirt and I resist the temptation to tell them I still have an original bought at a show. 

Q6. Are there any extreme metal bands in the underground today that you feel the readers need to listen to? 

I write a magazine that focuses on the underground bands and receive so many promos it’s hard to keep up! The short answer is Thousands from around the world! There are a few that stand out though. Black metalers Necronautical were impressive when I saw them and they’ve done some great atmospheric albums. A Forest of Stars were just incredible live. USA’s Chronic Trigger – Tech Death/prog metal –  check out the video for Black Mental Epilepsy, unless you are squeamish. French band Cyado – another tech/death metal band who mix it up with ambient trance before slamming into serious brutal metal, switching between glow sticks in the air and body slam the nearest person with extreme prejudice! International band Enmity play some tasty death metal. USA’s Daedric is interesting, mixing industrial trance with brutal death metal. Beyond Grace (Scotland?) are interestingly disturbing. And let’s not forget London’s Red Method! There is a Middlands tech/metalcore band we are impressed by but they are one of our hot picks for 2025 so you’ll have to get issue 10 of Loud Enough magazine when it’s out (end of January) to find out who they are!  But there are so many around it is hard to keep track of them. 

Q7. What your favourite metal themed movie? (Rockumentaries count) 

It’s a bit of a cliché but Spinal Tap. Seen it a few times now and it skewers rock bands so well and still stands up today. Also The Terminator, there is some seriously brutal metal in that one! (Okay, I’ll get me coat!)