London - When choosing music to calm you down, something classical or a gentle ballad might seem the obvious choice.
But if you really want to feel soothed, you might be better off opting for some deafening heavy metal – if the latest research is to be believed.
Scientists found loud, aggressive bands such as Slipknot, Metallica and Rage Against the Machine help soothe anger and enhance positive emotions – provided you are already a fan of the genre.
The researchers, from the University of Queensland in Australia, studied 39 heavy metal fans aged between 18 and 34.
The participants were made to feel angry and then told to listen to the music of their choice for ten minutes, the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience reported.
Levels of hostility, irritability and stress were all lowered after ten minutes of heavy metal, while the listeners also reported feeling more inspired.
Psychologist Leah Sharman said: “When experiencing anger, extreme music fans liked to listen to music that could match their anger.”
Daily Mail