“A big part of life is expanding outside of your comfort zone, and I can happily admit that I know I’ve pushed people past their boundary after seeing one of my performances,” Mike Bliss, 2013 graduate, said.

Bliss finds enjoyment in exposing people to the metal genre, something they usually stay away from due to all the “preconceived notions” about it. According to Bliss, most people assume heavy metal is “demonic” or “just a bunch of noise.”

“Really that’s because they haven’t taken the time to step out of their comfort zone and actually listen with an honest pair of ears,” Bliss said. “In a live setting, at a place like Battle of the Bands, these people have no choice but to exit their comfort zone for the duration of my performance. I’ve always been doing something different, and while a lot of people aren’t into it, it’s respected.”

Whether he is performing in front of two people or two hundred, his main goal is to give people a show to remember.

“Some people may walk away with a new perception, others may be unchanged, but I at least know that I was able to challenge people’s minds,” Bliss said. “That’s awesome and all I can really ask for. To me, is successful in itself.”

Bliss, now a sophomore at Harper College in Palatine, started listening to metal bands like Underoath and Killswitch Engage when he was in fifth grade.

“Metal is the main genre that I like to perform because it is the easiest for me to express my feelings. I find it to be the most fun as well. It is energetic, intense, and it just really gets my blood flowing. And I love that,” Bliss said. “I’ve come across no better feeling than being up on stage and giving it my all for the audience. When I listen to this music, I feel many different ways, depending on the song or band I’m listening to. It is also a good way for me to cope with negative emotions and feeelings, especially through performing.”

One of the negatives of performing such loud, aggressive music, Bliss says, is that people judge him based on his choice of music.

“But that’s completely alright because I know that a lot of people are not used to seeing or hearing the music at all.”

Not all musicians share the same expierences and feelings of being judged. Michael Krupp, junior and lead guitarist in Asgard in Flames, named after the powers of Thor, started the band in October 2014 with a few of friends and reacts to judgement diffferently than Bliss.

“People judge us because we are different,” Krupp said. “If you look at it, it is just a different way of life. The music that you listen to immediately reflects on the kind of person you are. For example, if you are a cheerleader, you probably listen to pop and you might attend a lot of parties.”

While judging others on stereotypes goes both ways, Bliss says that music should unify people.

“We all experience things like betrayal, heartbreak, loss, anger, and so on,” Bliss said. “As a musician, you can convey those emotions or situations in so many different ways. Whether it be singing or screaming, as a vocalist you can choose how you’d like to present yourself based on what you’re feelings or how the song makes you feel.”

Feelings are at the basis of everything, according to Bliss. When Bliss is combining the vocals with the instruments, the “overall heaviness” in the musical choice is created to demonstrate the emotion the band is performing.

“I consider ‘heavy’ to be a loose term,” Bliss said. “I say this because I consider songs heavy, based on aggressive instrumentation and vocals, but I also think acoustic songs with a strong lyrical message or even just a haunting melody can also be heavy, which again can both be found within something like metal.”

Bliss finds performing this musical genre to be fun and exciting.

“It’s energetic, intense, and it just really gets my blood flowing,” Bliss said. “I absolutely love that. I have not come across any better feeling than being up on stage and giving it my all for the audience.”

Both Krupp and Bliss, get that “blood flowing” feeling when they listen or perform music. However, when Krupp is practicing in his basement, his mom is not accepting.

“My mom hates my music, and I find it hilarious,” Krupp said. “I’ll be playing a song on my guitar and I will go upstairs and be like, ‘What’s going on?’ and she will tell me how much she hates my music and that she has made other lyrics to them, because mine are bad. It’s not that she doesn’t approve of my kind of music, she would just rather not listen to it herself.”

While Krupp’s mother is listening to “mom music”, Bliss’ parents approve and accept his choice in his musical style.

“My parents are very supportive of what I do,” Bliss said. “Whether it be the metal music I play or the soft rock, they believe in me. They know I am very passionate about music, and my parents actually enjoy a few metal bands I listen to, so they’re pretty acquainted with the sound and what the genre can bring to the table. Although it isn’t their favorite genre, they will always be two of my biggest fans.”