Well, I'm obviously biased since I am one of them. But I feel we often get a bad reputation just because people don't take the time to understand it.

There's many different genres of metal. Some examples would be black, nu, thrash, power, heavy, industrial, and kawaii (yes that's a thing). That's why it is so irritating when people say they hate metal because it "all sounds the same". It is far more than a guy screaming with crappy guitar riffs.

Metal comes from all over the world. It is not and has never been a uniquely American music form. It can be found in virtually any country, from India to Angola and even Saudi Arabia. There's actually quite a growing number of metal bands from the Middle East.

Metal is not a man's world. Women have been a part of the scene and have contributed just as much as their male counter parts. Some examples would be Chthonic, Arkona, Butcher Babies, Girlschool, Arch Enemy, Night Wish, and Krypteria to name a few.

Many people view metalheads as "evil". While it is true that metal frontman Varg Vikernes burned a church and was convicted of murder, his actions were reviled by the metal community. Nor do his actions serve as a representation of the entire metal community. This is just another example of one person's bad decisions being blamed on an entire group. Another reason people might feel this way about metalheads is the fact that some metal music videos are "scary" and metal music tends to deal with darker themes. Honestly, the music videos are no worse than anything else out there. Metal does not glorify the darker side of life, but rather serves as a tool to deal with it and over come it. Metal teaches you to power through difficult times, to never be ashamed of being who you are, and to stand up against injustices and for what you believe it.

When I was a toddler, my parents caught me writing musical notes on a napkin. I don’t remember where I’d seen them, but my parents were pretty freaked. They enrolled me in guitar lessons right away.

Fast forward through the years, and I play four instruments and can’t get enough music. A song’s always playing in my head, or I’m singing it aloud.

I love music, period. Although metal isn’t my favorite genre, I enjoy ripping out a metal song or two on my guitars, once in a while. I’m subscribed to a few metalheads on YouTube and enjoy their work.

Being a metalhead doesn’t always mean you worship Satan. Stop judging, haters. I say, listen to whatever matches your internal beat.