Metal Inside(r) Home Quarantine is Metal Insider’s new column during this time of isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We asked artists five questions on what’s been keeping them busy ranging from their favorite movies, food they’ve been eating, music they’ve been listening to and more. We caught up with Bleakheart as they’ve been spending this time working.
What have you been doing to pass time during Quarantine?
Kelly: I am incredibly lucky and thankful to still have a job during this time, so I’ve been busy with the usual work days, but also staying busy with writing music for a few different projects, watching movies, reading, and spending time with my partner. My newest endeavor is becoming a houseplant mom, so I have a few new little green friends brightening up the house.
JP: I have mostly been working on music projects, BleakHeart guitar riffs and drum parts for the new Vermin Womb record. I think it’s important to stay focused and continue moving forward. The pandemic won’t last forever so I want to be ready to hit the ground running when shows/touring is a thing again.
Mark: I’ve luckily been working a lot through the whole time. On the fun side I did piece a new guitar together and have been building guitar pedals.
Josh: We’ve been gardening, growing 4 types of peppers, 5 types of herbs, tomatoes, weed, and roses. Outdoor cooking in our backyard, hanging out with my 6 year old son, sharpening knives, black smithing, cooking.
Have you been listening to any music or have any playlists worth checking out?
Kelly: I’ve been fueling the spooky vibes during October with your standard 80s goth rock as well as Carpenter Brut. I’ve bought a few records during the quarantine, collecting some old favorites like Bjork, Massive Attack, Dead Can Dance, and Radiohead as well as picking up a few new releases from friends like Foret Endormie and awaiting the Wayfarer vinyl.
JP: None to recommend at the moment but I’ve been listening to the new SUMAC album and the latest Revenge a lot.
Mark: I’ve kind of been all over the place with music these last couple months which has been pretty nice; lots of old country, nostalgic emo/pop punk, listening to lots of and writing some ambient, post-rock, etc. Also lots of homies in the Denver heavy scene have put out some great music – Primitive Man, Palehorse/Palerider, Wayfarer…
Josh: Listening to: Craft, Bloodbath, Blood Incantation, Cathedral, Entombed, Dystopia, Doom, Discharge, Amebix, His Hero is Gone, A Giant Dog, The Beatles, Judas Priest, and Runemagik.
A lot of people have been spending this time cooking including making their own bread, what food have you been prepping during this time?
Kelly: I think my favorite home meals during this time have been our taco / burrito nights.
JP: I have been perfecting my taco game and my significant other/partner/girlfriend/better half has been destroying homemade pizza! Those recipes are from the Roberta’s (Brooklyn) cookbook, I highly recommend it.
Mark: Honestly I’ve probably cooked less frequently lately than I have in a long time. Being super busy with work and pretty lazy after has led to lots of pickup/delivery food for me..but hey it’s a good time to support local businesses and my fellow service industry crew.
Josh: Smoked a pork shoulder and some ribs, empanadas, green chili, roasted chilies, cured salmon, chili oil, several salad dressings, made a birthday cake from scratch for my son..
In terms of entertainment, what movies, TV shows, books, or games have been keeping you busy?
Kelly: When quarantine first started my partner and I were on an 80s-90s action movie kick, we watched all of the Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, Total Recall wins as my fav, and now that it is October we are in the deep dive of Horror Films, 70s-80s classics, the 90s series Subspecies (so goth), and some modern pieces like Color Out of Space. When quarantine first started I played through the new Final Fantasy VII game which was very badass. I am now reading more, I caught up on the Attack on Titan Manga as well as East vs West and Monstress.
JP: I live with a horror movie fanatic, so we are currently watching ALL of them for the month of October – and really, for the foreseeable future. We’ve also been playing Chess and skateboarding so I can keep earning cool points with my girlfriend’s kid.
Mark: I’ve been taking lots of long walks so definitely have been catching up on/relistening to old episodes of some of my favorite podcasts…99% Invisible, Criminal, 30 For 30 are a few of them. It’s October so obviously I have been watching lots of classic/my favorite horror movies the last couple of weeks. Earlier in the year I definitely spent a lot of time on my XBOX playing Destiny 2 and will probably do so more soon.
Josh: Watching riff trax, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Unsolved Mysteries, The Simpsons. Playing Mortal Kombat vs. Dc, Super Mario Bros. Reading : Adios Mother Fucker, Swedish Death Metal, I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead, Nasty Bits, White Line Fever, Shibboleth, and The Diamond Signature.
What advice do you have for your fans in isolation during this time?
Kelly: Try to find something that you love to do and focus your energy on that as best you can. It’s a good time to analyze what it is you find fulfilling in life, and to make movements towards that. Be kind and courteous to yourself and to others.
JP: My advice for everyone right now is don’t give up. Things are extremely hard right for a lot of people right now and it’s definitely not easy. Keep all of the important people in your lives close, make sure to check in on your people, and be kind to others. You have no idea what people are going through and sometimes a simple act of kindness can make a huge difference to someone.
Mark: I don’t know man!…Look for those positive things/people around you and embrace them. Start a new hobby or go down the “wormhole” with a new interest..it’s never too late or impossible to become an expert (or a striving amateur) at something
Josh: Stay busy, create, laugh, learn something new, try new things in the kitchen, try and stay connected, defund the cops, fight racism!
