“I feel that the introversion also has to do with the fact that we often want to keep things private. It has not been socially acceptable to show great emotions, for example, anger or sorrow. One has to appear ‘strong’ at all costs,” she told me in an email interview.

This repression of emotion is connected to the broad enthusiasm for the metal genre in this Nordic country. Apart from the sophistication and complexity of the musical styles, metal songs openly talk about a diverse range of emotions.

This strikes a chord with Finns.

Metal music almost works as an avenue for these Nordic folks to process and deal with emotions that they feel but do not openly express.

“The reason why heavy metal might reflect the Finnish mentality is probably because we are so private that it is difficult to discuss our feelings, but still we need an outlet to deal with these negative emotions,” Ida, who also works as a music teacher, explained.

She added that metal music should not be associated with negative emotions only.

“The emotions linked with metal often seem to be of negative nature, for example, sorrow, aggression and anxiety. Yet, I might also listen to melodic death metal or classical heavy metal in order to get an energy boost.”

Lauri Porra, the great-grandson of the legendary Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, thinks there is a connection between heavy metal and the classical Sibelius compositions that were highly inspired by the Finnish nature.

“The sun goes down very early, and the winters are bleak. Then in the summer we fall in love and the sun never sets. And I guess everybody knows a little bit about this Nordic melancholy, and sort of the way Finnish people express emotions,” he told CNN.

2. A strong sense of belonging

When it comes to metal music, the boundary between fans and non-fans is quite evident. There is a dividing line between the two groups — one is obviously thrilled about headbanging while the other disapproves of it.

This dividing line is what sets the stage for exclusivity.

It creates a feeling of being ‘insider’ vs ‘outsider’ in the arena of metal music.