metal muthas

This Month's Mutha: Tara-Leigh Tarantola Mutha of Austin Haines of Outer Heaven

As a full-time professional, I am a communications manager at a large medical device company. My spare time is spent babysitting Austin’s son (sorry, I mean dog) Ozzy.

I don’t consider myself “metal,” but more of a “metal supporter.” Austin and I are at opposite ends of the spectrum as far as musical tastes, but his father used to listen to bands like Metallica and Iron Maiden. I am more of a country or coffeehouse-type music fan, but I have always supported Austin’s interests and dreams, so I am thrilled that he has such a passion for it, and I always look forward to listening to Outer Heaven’s new songs. I’m proud to say that I have fed and hosted many metal bands overnight in my home during tours, and have found them to be some of the nicest people on earth.

Of course! Mushrooms, maple syrup, brown sugar and vanilla. What’s not to like? We keep an empty bottle to show off on our back deck bar.

Austin was always very creative, and his elementary school stories were epic! During his high school years, I’d find his writings in little notebooks, on backs of envelopes and on sheets of paper all over the house. I had no idea at the time that they were lyrics to songs. I thought maybe they were just random thoughts or poems, like he was trying to work something out in his head. I’m glad he wasn't making plans to be a cannibal, and I can also see that my expert oversight on his vocabulary and spelling all those years paid off!

Realms of Eternal Decay was our 20th favorite

I was so proud after high school when he was accepted into an audio engineering program in Baltimore, and then graduated as one of the top students in his class. He built a recording studio in our basement, and even recorded a finalist from The Voice.

My favorite question! Austin is actually very shy and a homebody. I sometimes think his performing is a way to overcome that, giving him a platform to express himself through a different voice. He is an extreme perfectionist, loyal to a fault, and behind the tough tattooed exterior, he’s very sensitive. He can also be extremely stubborn. Ask him about the time he failed gym class because he refused to take out

Wonder what Decibel world HQ has

Well, here are the records that we spun most while trying to get Iron Maiden into the only Hall of Fame you should give a shit about.

 Iron Maiden, Powerslave  Iron Maiden, Piece of Mind  Iron Maiden, The Number of the Beast  Iron Maiden, Somewhere in Time  Iron Maiden, Seventh Son of a

Seventh Son ----------------------------------

 The Black Angels,

Directions to See a Ghost  Sonic Jesus, Grace  Gravediggaz, Just When You Thought

It Was Over  SQÜRL & Jozef Van Wissem,

Only Lovers Left Alive  Kælan Mikla, Nótt eftir nótt ----------------------------------

 Cannibal Corpse, Violence Unimagined  The Crown, Royal Destroyer  Cannibal Corpse, Gore Obsessed  Socioclast, Socioclast  Slow Machine, Black Tide ----------------------------------

 Power Trip, “Hornet’s Nest”  Cannibal Corpse, Violence Unimagined  The Red Chord, Fused Together in

Revolving Doors  Mutilation Rites, Empyrean  The Crown, Royal Destroyer ----------------------------------

 Insect Warfare, World Extermination  Frozen Soul, Crypt of Ice  Nunslaughter, Hells Unholy Fire  I Hate Myself, 11 Songs  Horrendous, Sweet Blasphemies

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 Deicide, Once Upon the Cross  Type O Negative,

World Coming Down  Mötley Crüe,

Shout at the Devil  Paradise Lost,

Icon  Hellripper,

Coagulating

Darkness