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 Death Valley High’s Reyka as he’s been spending this time trying to stay alive and healthy.

What have you been doing to pass time during Quarantine?

We’ve all kept pretty busy, since our priorities have shifted for any kind of income. However, for people in bands, that doesn’t typically translate to some standard white collar jobs. It puts us on the frontline in the service industry, aka “essential services.” At times it can be unnerving, but we’re all managing to stay alive and healthy, while continuing to create new content for our social media profiles. 

Have you been listening to any music or have any playlists worth checking out?

It’s funny how many people I’ve heard say roughly the same thing about music. It seems there is a hunger to listen to older things that brought a sense of comfort from our past. I’ve recently been challenged in one of those “10 albums for 10 days”. I’ve gone so far back as my childhood favorites, with things like “Peter and The Wolf” and “Music Inspired by Stars Wars!”

A lot of people have been spending this time cooking including making their own bread, what food have you been prepping during this time?

Since the shelter in place, income has been sharply cut. So home cooking has become the new reality. There is a major shortage of flour in the Bay Area and we’ve been lucky enough to locate some through friends and family. Homemade focaccia, Navajo Fry Bread, and pita are among the quarantine challenges we’ve had here at my place! 

In terms of entertainment, what movies, TV shows, books, or games have been keeping you busy?

All of the streaming sources have been quite useful during this time. I watch plenty of Shudder and a good amount of Hulu as I wind down from a chaotic night of food deliveries. 28 Days Later was really great to revisit, and I have to give a nod to Tigers Are Not Afraid; a grim fairy tale set in an all too real, cartel ridden Mexico. 

What advice do you have for your fans in isolation during this time?

Being patient is not just a virtue, it’s a show of saintly courage. I hate the phrase “we’re all in this together” because the sad reality is that we’re not demonstrating it. But I do believe that by avoiding the panic, being safe for the sake of the compromised, and showing a little kindness towards your neighbor, we’ll all get to our brave new world with a new sense of strength and insight.

We caught up with Death Valley High before the protests following the death of George Floyd. The group has been active in the Black Lives Matter movement as they’ve been sharing the following: