WHEN we talk about metal music, what typically comes to mind? Screaming? Noise? Or perhaps something dark, like satanic imagery?
Metal is a genre I often see stereotyped and boxed into these very narrow categories.
However, attending the recent 'Bring Me The Horizon Live Featuring Babymetal' concert, organised by Hitman Group, finally changed my perception of the music type.
Being the first metal concert I have ever attended, it opened my eyes to the depths and complexity of the genre, far beyond what is often seen on the surface.
That night, with more than 13,000 metal fans in attendance, the energy from Bring Me The Horizon and Japanese kawaii metal group Babymetal was palpable throughout their two-hour performance at Sunway Lagoon's Surf Beach in Subang Jaya, Selangor.
At first, I was terrified. The crowd, the intensity, the raw energy, it was an overwhelming experience.
But as the night went on, I found myself letting go and tuning in to the music. To my surprise, it became almost relaxing.
What caught my attention were the lyrics. They were not just about anger and rage, as I had once assumed.
Take, for example, when Bring Me The Horizon's lead vocalist Oliver Sykes sang 'Throne'.
It was a motivational track that ignited a fire in me and made me feel ready to take on whatever the world threw my way.
The lyrics, "So you can throw me to the wolves/ Tomorrow I will come back/ Leader of the whole pack/ Beat me black and blue/ Every wound will shape me/ Every scar will build my throne", were nothing short of beautiful.
This was not a one-off moment, as many songs performed that night were laced with equally powerful lyrics.
Even the mosh pit — an area I had only heard frightening stories about — turned out to be an unexpected source of joy.
For me, the pulling, shoving, and bumping in the pit feels a lot like playing.
It triggered a nostalgic feeling and I reverted to more innocent times at the playground where it was so gratifying to wrestle with childhood friends.
All this while the British alt-metal band — formed in Sheffield in 2004 — put on a spellbinding show.
Bring Me The Horizon performed about 18 songs at the event, which included hits such as 'Shadow Moses', 'Happy Song', 'Sleepwalking', 'Follow You', 'Mantra', 'Kool-Aid', 'Parasite Eve', 'Teardrops' and 'Lost'.
ELECTRIFYING PERFORMANCES
The spirited Sykes was amply backed by drummer Matt Nicholls, lead guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, and touring rhythm guitarist John Jones to the delight of the audience.
Babymetal, which consists of lead vocalist Suzuka Nakamoto and backup singers and dancers Moa Kikuchi and Momoko Okazaki, also got the crowd going with its collaborative track with Bring Me The Horizon on 'Kingslayer'.
The concert came to a close after Bring Me The Horizon performed an encore set made up of 'Doomed', 'Drown' and 'Throne'.
Hitman Group founder and chief executive officer Rohit Rampal said the metal scene in Malaysia has always been big, which is why it decided to bring this concert to Kuala Lumpur.
However, he said organising the event was not without its challenges, particularly due to Malaysia's strict policies and restrictions on such shows.
"We set the rules so that nothing inappropriate would occur. As the organiser, we played a big role in ensuring the bands followed these guidelines.
"We worked with them for three months to make sure they understood and adhered to all the rules before the show," he told the 'New Straits Times' on the sidelines of the concert, recently.
My opinion is not meant to change anyone's ideas on the metal genre as a whole, as I understand that it is an acquired taste.
But this memorable concert introduced me to a world I had previously misunderstood.
So now, I can proudly say that I am officially a fan!