Metal Saves: Goatwhore Meet Young Fan Escaping Gang Life Through Music

Matt Mittwer is a young metal fan and musician living in West Covina, California, and for him, as it is for many fans, metal isn't just a style of music, it's a passion and a community that helps sustain him through tough times. For the second episode of our series "Metal Saves" — which profiles fans and their deep connection to their favorite bands — we joined him in Southern California, where his mother opened up about her gang past and he reveals how heavy music has kept him from following a similar path. We follow him as he meets with one of his heroes, Goatwhore frontman Ben Falgoust, who offers encouragement and advice. "I want to reach out to people," Mittwer says, "and let them know, 'You're not alone."

A SERIES BY ANGELA BOATWRIGHT // EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Enrique Abeyta, Brandon Geist, Jimmy Hubbard, Skip Williamson PRODUCERS: Angela Boatwright, Jimmy Hubbard, Brandon Geist EDITOR: Angela Boatwright ASSISTANT EDITOR: Johnathan Mora CINEMATOGRAPHY: Josh Salzman, Ted Newsome GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Ryan Weibust SOUND RECORDIST: Sean Huntley AUDIO POST: New Constellation RMP SOUND EDITOR: Jarrett Pritchard SCORE: Jonas Wikstrand​​​​​​ COLORIST: Annette Lamothe-Ramos PHOTOGRAHY: Hikaru Iwasaki, Estevan Oriol