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Harsh .

The post Harsh unleash video for track “Forever Yesterday” from upcoming album ‘Feels’ first appeared on Sleaze Roxx.

In a revelation that beautifully disrupts common mainstream assumptions, world-renowned Turkish-British author Elif Shafak has declared her deep, unconditional love for heavy metal music. Speaking during a comprehensive interview, the critically acclaimed novelist behind The Bastard Of Istanbul and The Island Of Missing Trees revealed that extreme subgenres like melodic death metal and metalcore act as her primary creative fuel, acting as the definitive soundtrack when she enters intense, focused writing sessions.

A Lifelong Devotion to Extreme Music

The mainstream media frequently falls prey to predictable, tired tropes regarding who listens to extreme music. However, it often takes an intellectual powerhouse from completely outside the traditional touring circuit to eloquently articulate why heavy metal remains one of the most vibrant, creative, and passionate cultural movements on Earth.

Appearing on the How I Write podcast with host David Perell, Elif Shafak comfortably shed any literary pretense to proudly fly the flag for the global metal community.

 

 

“I’m a metalhead. I’ve always been a metalhead since my early youth,” Shafak stated point-blank. “It never abandoned me. But what has changed over the years is I move towards more subgenres of heavy metal. So, I usually listen to melodic death metal. I love industrial metal, a bit more Gothic, metalcore. I like many Nordic bands, Scandinavian bands, but I’m also very open to discovering many bands from all over the world.”

For Shafak, heavy metal is not a casual background distraction. It is a tool for absolute immersion. When a particular arrangement resonates with her, she enters a deeply focused artistic loop that drives her long hours of structural storytelling.

 

“When I like a song that speaks to me in that moment, I can listen to that song on repeat maybe 70 or 80 times,” Shafak revealed. “It becomes a loop. I don’t jump from one song to the next. I stay with that song and it becomes, like, circles and circles, and that’s how I zoom in and zoom out and then I’m in a different place.”

When questioned on exactly what draws a celebrated author to such intense sonic landscapes, Shafak highlighted the sheer emotional authenticity of the songwriting. In her eyes, the theatrical dynamics of extreme metal represent a high-art form of emotional honesty.

“I think heavy metal is so honest. It’s so raw, you know, it’s all about raw emotions,” she continued. “And I love the dialectics, the contrasts, particularly in melodic death metal. You know, the clean vocals with the contrast [of vocals that are] a bit more guttural, the harshness, the intensity of it. It’s not pretentious; it is what it is.”

Shafak’s profound appreciation for melodic death metal references a subgenre with a glorious, influential history. While early extreme structural roots are widely credited to British grindcore legends Carcass, the movement found its definitive, emotional soul within the legendary Gothenburg, Sweden metal explosion of the early 1990s.

That highly creative era gave birth to foundational titans like At The Gates, In Flames, and Dark Tranquillity. The signature blend of soaring, ironclad twin-guitar melodies mixed with fierce, aggressive vocal attacks would ultimately construct the exact blueprint for modern heavy music, directly inspiring massive multi-platinum contemporary Western acts ranging from Killswitch Engage and Trivium to Bring Me The Horizon.

Also Recommended – Recording in Hell: 5 Legendary Metal Albums Nearly Destroyed by ‘Cursed’ Studio Sessions

Crushing the Aggressive Headbanger Myth

Beyond simply validating her own playlist, Shafak took the opportunity to strike down systemic, outdated societal misconceptions concerning metal fans and the artists who create the heavy music.

“Actually, I think it’s a myth to believe that people who listen to this kind of music are aggressive souls,” the author noted defensively. “Many metalheads are actually very gentle souls, including many metal musicians. I think it’s always been a genre that spoke to me and when I listen to this kind of music, maybe I feel calmer.”

The concept that heavy metal serves as a powerful medium for emotional regulation and deep inner peace is well-known to long-time listeners. By channeling intense, complex emotions through precise musical arrangements, the genre offers a profound sense of catharsis, community, and tranquility for millions across the globe.

Check This Out – The Metal Prescription: Science Reveals The Top 3 Metal Bands to Help Your Mental Health

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is Elif Shafak? Elif Shafak is an award-winning, bestselling Turkish-British author and the President of the Royal Society of Literature. Her celebrated books have been translated into over 55 languages worldwide.

What kind of heavy metal does Elif Shafak listen to? Shafak is a dedicated fan of melodic death metal, industrial metal, Gothic metal, and metalcore, specifically favoring Scandinavian bands alongside underground global music groups.

Why do writers listen to extreme music like death metal? Many creatives utilize the intense, driving patterns of extreme metal to block out external sonic distractions, using repetitive track loops to achieve a heightened state of psychological focus and creative flow.

About the Artists and Subjects

Elif Shafak: One of today’s most distinctive literary voices, Shafak writes in both English and Turkish. Her masterwork 10 Minutes 38 Seconds In The Strange World was shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize. Her work consistently champions human rights, freedom of expression, and global cultural unity.

The Gothenburg Metal Scene: Emerging from Sweden in the early 1990s, this specialized musical movement successfully married the aggressive energy of death metal with the classical melodic structures of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, creating the highly influential genre known as “Melodeath.”

TL;DR:

• Respected literary author Elif Shafak revealed her lifelong identity as an active metalhead.
• Shafak utilizes melodic death metal, metalcore, and industrial metal as her core writing soundtrack.
• She praised the heavy metal community as an incredibly dynamic, creative, and peaceful “kingdom.”
• The author directly countered mainstream stereotypes, describing metalheads as uniquely “gentle souls.”

Over to You!

What do you think of Elif Shafak’s take on the metal community? What’s your absolute go-to metal track or subgenre when you need to zone out and get into absolute focus mode? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Award-Winning Woman Author Shocks Literary World by Declaring Her Love for ‘Raw, Honest’ Death Metal appeared first on Loaded Radio.

The president had earlier said on social media that he should take the place of “these highly paid, Third Rate ‘Artists,’” saying he gets “larger audiences than Elvis.”

Norwegian all-female punk band Scampi Chips Dip & Campari has released a new single titled “Floorfiller Miss.” The track is built on driving drum grooves and sharp guitar riffs, exploring lyrical themes centered around bad dates, power dynamics, and post-breakup frustration.

Operating out of Bergen, the four-piece group features Hanne Maren Meldahl on bass, Maiken Andreassen on guitar, Marit Antonsen Tjugum on drums, and Karoline Skuseth on keys. Active since 2007, the band has built a steady live resume across the Norwegian underground scene and internationally, delivering a straightforward garage punk sound.

“Floorfiller Miss” serves as the third single from the band’s upcoming debut full-length album, which is currently rumored to be titled WELL, IT AIN’T FAST FOOD. The new track is available to stream across all major digital platforms alongside their previous recent singles, “Monster” and “Let Go.”

The post Scampi Chips Dip & Campari Releases Third Single “Floorfiller Miss” first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

with the acoustic version, Marty And The Bad Punch release a newly reimagined version of their widely acclaimed ballad ‘Have Faith‘. A song that has already received strong international resonance in its original version. Reduced to its essence, the track now appears in a new and intimate sonic atmosphere. This version without drums is carried […]

The post Marty And The Bad Punch Release Newly Reimagined Version Of ‘Have Faith’ appeared first on ROCKPOSER DOT COM.

“That’s kind of the weird thing that the metal community doesn’t understand. Like, look, guys, if you want your community to be healthy and big and grow, you’re gonna need bands like Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch…”

The post Five Finger Death Punch Wrap New Album, Zoltan Bathory Says Bands Like His & Disturbed Are Necessary For The Metal Scene To Continue To Grow And Be Healthy appeared first on Theprp.com.

New Jersey hard rock band Black Rose Rebellion proudly announces the release of its debut full-length album, ‘Hail The Rebel Queen‘, available today through Pavement Entertainment on all major streaming platforms. To mark the occasion, the band has also unveiled an official music video for the album’s anthemic title track, ‘Hail The Rebel Queen‘. A […]

The post Black Rose Rebellion Release Debut Album ‘Hail The Rebel Queen’ appeared first on ROCKPOSER DOT COM.

Squeeze joined the dots between The Beatles, punk and kitchen sink dramas

So far, Morris Day And The Time, Young MC, Martina McBride, Bret Michaels, and the Commodores have all dropped off the lineup for Donald Trump’s Freedom 250 concert series called the Great American State Fair, which is (was?) slated for this summer at the National Mall. Now Trump has reacted to the controversy on his weird-ass Truth Social platform, complaining about the “third rate ‘artists'” who pulled out of the bill.

The post Donald Trump Slams “Third Rate” Freedom 250 Dropouts, Proposes DC Rally For Patriots Instead appeared first on Stereogum.

Mississauga, Ontario-based progressive thrash metal outfit Guardians of Purgatory have officially released their ferocious new single, “Guardians of Hell.” The track delivers an intricate showcase of the band’s signature style, which pairs classic speed metal velocity with technical, modern precision. Formed in December 2025 by multi-instrumentalists Rylan Jones (vocals/guitar) and Magnus Chien (bass), the project … Continue reading Guardians of Purgatory release technical new single Guardians of Hell