The Choir Girl and the Metal Head (ON HOLD)

Chapter 02 - Doom

Elena

"A metal band?" Elena grimaced as she sat with Ashley for lunch the next day.

"They are nice people trust me. I'm good friends with the bassist."

"Yes, but what am I going to do in a metal band? Don't they just scream and play noisy stuff? How am I exactly going to sing with them?"

Ashley laughed. "Not all metal is screaming. Here listen to this."

Ashley opened the band's Instagram account and clicked on one of their videos.

Elena watched in wonder. The video quality wasn't the best, but she could make out a beautiful blonde girl on stage, with the most angelic voice she had ever heard. There was a lead male singer as well, but his voice was that of the devil. Hoarse and brutal, a great contrast to the girl's sweet voice. Like Beauty and the Beast. The music as well was a battle between sweet violin melodies and distorted guitar riffs, soft keyboards and blasting drums.

"That's not very bad," Elena mused. "The girl has a good range. Her high notes are perfect. I never knew metal could sound so melodic."

"There are different styles of metal. This genre is called..." Ashley scrolled up to the band's bio and read, "gothic doom metal."

"Doom?" Elena shuddered. "What a bizarre name for a music genre."

"At least it's not death metal."

"Death metal! Is that really a thing?"

"It is, my nightingale. Now, let's get you prepared. First we will need to get you a proper outfit." Ashley looked Elena up and down in disapproval.

"What's wrong with the clothes I have?"

"You can't go audition for a metal band with a baby pink sweater. Let's get you a band T-shirt."

"I don't know any metal bands."

"It doesn't matter, I'll get you everything you need."

"And what shall I sing in in the audition? Surely not a Lady Gaga song."

"They probably won't even know who Lady Gaga is," Ashley chuckled. "I'll text my friend Daniel and let you know. See you after class."

***

The week passed slow, and Elena grew nervous as the weekend approached. Ashely had sent her a Youtube link for the song which she should practice for the audition. It was not particularly difficult, and there was even no male vocalist at all. A sweet melancholic song, less than four minutes long. It was a piece of cake for Elena, yet she was shaking all over on Saturday morning, knowing that shortly she would be standing before those scary looking heavy metal guys and being judged for her singing.

She would have loved for Ashley to come with her, especially that she knew the band members. But Ashley had to work part time on Saturdays and she wouldn't make it on time for Elena's slot.

"I'm so scared," Elena squeaked as Ashley called her during break time.

"I told you, there's nothing to be scared of. They are all really nice. I already told Daniel about you, so they will treat you as a friend of his. Oh I wish I could be there with you. Does the T-shirt fit?"

"I guess, it's a bit loose though," Elena said as she looked at herself in the mirror, dressed in the band T-shirt Ashley had lent her. Elena had no idea who the band was, and she couldn't even read the band name because of the weird unreadable font.

"Listen, make sure to wear a lot of black eye liner," Ashley continued. "And avoid anything pink. Are you wearing black jeans?"

"Yes."