Time and time again, rock and metal have been wrongly associated with doom and gloom. Sure, misery has found its rightful home in the heavier genres – thank you, 2000s emo movement – but it’s not the only end of the emotional spectrum that hard rock knows how to cover. The fire and fury of metal can provide the energy needed to overcome the challenges that genre speaks of, a very apt tone for the struggles of week five. However, even if you don’t want to wallow in this dreaded period, metal can still provide the answer; sub-genres like bimbocore and rave metal centre around tongue-in-cheek self-empowerment and fun, providing the perfect distraction needed to keep the seasonal sadness at bay. This playlist covers everything you’ll need for the absolute rollercoaster that is week five; let’s explore some of my personal favourites from the selection, from deeply meaningful to simply mosh-friendly.

“Sub-genres like bimbocore and rave metal centre around tongue-in-cheek self-empowerment and fun”

Unstoppable – Skindred

We open with an immediate thrashing of both guitars and metal stereotypes. This track features on Welsh reggae metal band Skindred’s most recent LP Smile, an album full of genre-bending, fun-loving metal goodness. However, Unstoppable is a particular go-to for my mid-term motivation. When it gets hard to drag yourself to your faculty library, Unstoppable provides an unignorable energy straight from the opening beat. The lyrical boost comes with equal immediacy; even the first verse boldly and unequivocally reminds us that “anything they throw at [us, we’re] gonna get through it.” The persistent vitality of this track takes me back to when I had the privilege of seeing Skindred live, a performance brimming with equal energy even as I stood at the back of the OVO Wembley Arena. Frontman Benji Webbe made a concerted effort to engage with (and lovingly insult) the audience in full with a level of authentic charisma that continues to inspire me in my day-to-day. Especially in week five, I think we could all benefit from being a bit more Benji.

“We could all benefit from being a bit more Benji”

Might Love Myself – Beartooth

When imposter syndrome is at its most rife in the Cambridge bubble, listening to this track can feel radical, even uncomfortable at first. If you’re stuck in a true emotional rut, start by ignoring the lyrical themes; Caleb Shomo’s vocal has a powerful depth, gradually building up over this track’s rousing melodies before sprinkling in the most satisfying riffs and runs. There’s even one in the second chorus that he celebrates with a “woo!” of child-like wonder before returning to his former power. It’s at this moment during my first listen of this track where a switch flicked. It’s hard to ignore a message of self-celebration when it’s so clearly exemplified; if Caleb Shomo can interrupt a song to honour his vocal skills, then I think we too have the right to stop, take a breather and acknowledge our own achievements from time to time. Once this lands, you start to sense the radical presence of this track, especially in the bridge where Shomo declares “I’m exactly who I want to be.” It’s a strong statement that can be hard to give yourself the permission to say, but, if you are making progress in the areas of your life that matter to you (not to some external success metric), then why shouldn’t you let yourself feel this contentment.

“He celebrates with a “woo!” of child-like wonder before returning to his former power”

We Got The Moves – Electric Callboy

Once I’m done crying over the profundity of some of Beartooth’s lyrics, I like to engage in a 180-degree tonal shift to make sure I don’t get stuck into an existential crisis alongside the essay ones. Enter rave metal. Rave metal underscores the melodic and lyrical conventions of the club with instrumentals fit for the pit. There’s something especially iconic about hearing classic fry screams and guitar shreds over a techno-heavy bass before a seamless transition into a bop-friendly chorus and a laddish cheering section fit for any college sports social.

Problem – Set It Off

For those wondering, this is indeed a rendition of the mid-2010s pop banger by Ariana Grande and Iggy Azalea, one of many incredible (and incredibly cheesy) rock covers borne by the Punk Goes Pop series. As much as I love metal, it has to be said that pop lyricists sometimes have a better handle on subtle, less emotionally charged self-empowerment. However, Set It Off add a satisfying level of menace to this version that proves extremely cathartic in times of stress. The familiarity of a pop cover may also be of benefit, especially for anyone newer to rock and metal. A sense of comfort may be exactly what you need, and this refreshing take on a nostalgic hit can provide exactly that.

Week five is a talking point for a reason. You’ve been in the Cambridge term for long enough to start feeling the effects, but not quite long enough to see Christmas at the other end of the tunnel. It can already be a hard time without even considering academia; the nights grow shorter and colder and the remnants of the dreaded fresher’s plague continue to run their course. But the worst of it is just for this renowned week, and will go by quickly, like any other in the uni bustle. In the words of Limp Bizkit, you’ve just got to keep on rollin’, baby.