Breaking Musical Barriers - BROKEN INSTINCT!

Within our society, the LGBT community and women are treated unfairly. Issues such as mental health are shushed and shooed away from the mainstream media. Groups are oppressed and alienated on a regular basis. Institutions including the mass media place negative labels on certain people, making them seem deviant and unstable. This has led to many identities being underrepresented within the music industry. Music should be an open place in society, where people can freely express themselves and embrace their identities.

Broken Instinct are ready to challenge societal norms and break musical barriers. They are shaking things up, with their first hard hitting single, 'Break Me'. Taking inspiration from bands such as Korn, Paramore and Disturbed, they plan to use the undeniable force of nu metal and hard rock to connect with people, resist labels and fight social change.

'Break Me', holds a fearful truth - that numerous people can relate to. The gritty, descending guitar, the fantastically violent and bone-crunching rhythm and the mysterious vocals explode into a perfect chaos. Like a glowing fire, the song possesses a dangerous beauty. Lyrics such as, "I’m really going insane, from all this pain of how I’m much too strange" blaze through you, overwhelming your emotions. The song is primarily about mental health. Evie Carter-Sheen (guitar) wrote the lyrics, explaining it was about, "being scared of what I can become and what I can lose." She believes that "if you are connected to it, then you play it better."

Mental health within the music industry is a growing issue, charities such as Help Musicians have found that musicians are three times more likely to suffer from depression. There is still a constant stigma around mental health. Increasingly musicians in the metal and rock genre have spoken about mental health but it is still shied away. Jess, expressed that the bands aim is to help "other people with their problems, like music helped us."

As it was International Women's Day yesterday, I asked the women if they have faced any struggles in the music industry or elsewhere. They highlighted topics such as harassment and gender ideals. Rock and metal has given its fan base a strong feeling of empowerment from its epic and massive sound, however many women are sexualised within the genres. It was interesting to have input from the guys on these issues. Ben mentioned that when he first started to play guitar, he never really saw women playing it. However, he now has "been playing for ten or eleven years" and "now sees a lot of women play guitar". This shows that the music world has slowly developed to allow women on the scene, but does this really reflect the attitude of the industry as a whole? Sara suggests that women must "work so much harder" to get to the same "level as men" in the industry.

Musicians that are part of the LGBTQ community within the metal and rock genre don't seem to be as vocal about the issues the community face and how it is treated within the industry world. I was able to question Broken Instinct whether it is a prominent theme they will use in the band. Jess laughs and exclaims, "well we have three gays!". Going on to tell me that, "I think it is important that when you have a platform, to use it. I think once we develop a following, we become a part of the public eye, so why wouldn't we use that to talk about it."

They all agreed that in music they don't think the community is being spoken about enough. However, Sara claimed, "We have got some more artists that are quite open about it." They discuss how the community makes you feel included, whatever identity you may have. Evie believes that, "you don't have to be gay to be a part of the community." This is a really refreshing idea, expressing that the community accepts anyone, just like the industry and the rest of society should accept them. The band strive to perform at metal bars across Manchester and venues within GAY Village.

Broken Instinct are a powerful band, that will liberate and empower many people involved in music. They are showing that all the negative experiences that people go through, should never control you and stop you from doing what you adore. They will rise to the top and smash their way into Manchester's metal and rock scene. Go and listen to their phenomenal debut single, 'Break Me' which will be out on the 6th of April.