Growing up in a ‘sad lonely town,’ I found myself frequenting Stoke-on-Trent’s beloved grassroots music venue, The Underground . And believe me when I tell you, this venue had its quirks. It was the most picture perfect, grotty (in the best way) basement that a girl could wish for — you just had to be there. Experiencing my first pit, and being surprised that I didn’t stick to the floor, this was the place where me and my friends, well… we danced to South Walk . The self des

Monochrome shot by Sam Harbridge From the birth of metal in the 60s and 70s, there have been associations with Satanism, violence and aggression. However, ask anyone who actually is involved in the scene, and they will happily inform you that these connotations do not depict the majority of the metal music subcultures. With diversification of genre being so prominent in modern music, it’s hardly surprising that the heavier scenes are also evolving. I had the distinct pleasure