When we think of heavy metal, images of macho lyrics, aggressive artwork, long hair, headbanging, dark clothes, and electric guitars often come to mind. For a long time, women were a rare presence in the metal scene, a genre historically dominated by bands like Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath. But times are changing, with artists like Evanescence introducing a Gothic heroine to the metal stage. Yet, even today, the bias against "women in metal" persists. In December 2020, when Zaria Zoyner—known as @zariasmusic on TikTok—posted videos wearing a Metallica shirt, trolls bombarded her with mocking comments. Her response video hit back perfectly.
Representative Image Source: A guest wearing a black Metallica t-shirt, olive bomber jacket, and black backpack outside Stylein during the Stockholm Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2017 on August 29, 2016. (Photo by Christian Vierig/Getty Images)
The video has since garnered 730,000 views and 164,000 likes. Zaria, a North Carolina-based musician and singer, responded to a comment by @paytonnsmith, who questioned her Metallica fandom after she posted videos wearing a "Ride the Lightning" T-shirt. The commenter demanded she "Name 3 Metallica songs," while others accused her of just showing off without knowing the band.
According to Bored Panda, her initial reaction to the comments was frustration. However, she soon realized that she had a really funny response to silence those critics. She posted a response video saying, “So my response to you guys is, like really? Only three? Only three songs? How ’bout I play ’em on guitar for you?” She then rocked three Metallica songs on her guitar - “Master of Puppets,” “Enter Sandman,” and the guitar lead in “One.”
Representative Image Source: Pexels | Olly
Following the video, she told the Daily Dot, “I decided to respond to that comment because I’ve been a Metallica fan for such a long time but I’d never shown that side of me on TikTok,” and added, “I’ve been a self-taught guitarist since 15 and Metallica was the band that influenced me to pick it up and inspired my journey with music.”
Representative Image Source: Pexels | Yank Rukov
Zaria listened to a lot of Metallica throughout her life, she told Bored Panda. “The first time I heard Metallica, I was sitting in my 5th-grade classroom when my teacher played Enter Sandman. I was like ‘This is the best song I’ve ever heard’ and I asked her who the band was. She told me it was Metallica and a few years later when I got my first guitar, the first riff I learned was Enter Sandman.”
The account of this trolling person was observed to be deleted after this video, but Zaria didn’t stop. Later on, she posted yet another TikTok of herself practicing Metallica’s “Unforgiven,” and continued with more. In one of the clips she posted on her Instagram page, Metallica commented from their official account. Others chimed in to support her. "Great response,I can bet most of these misogynists can't play one Metallica song.Keep on playing and rock on!" wrote one person. "Haters trying hate and look how what happened, Metallica now knows who Zaria is, and thanks to social media and my metalhead senses, I discovered the page. Happy for you, this is what happens when you stereotype a girl who actually knows her sh*t," another added.
Zaria was ecstatic. She posted the screenshots of comments in another post, writing, “It was simply one of the most special moments of my life. It meant the world to me and I didn’t care if anyone else realized the magnitude of what had happened,” and further added, “Not only did they leave a very nice comment on my last post, but they followed me back on Instagram, which was surreal and incredibly overwhelming in the best way possible.” The moral is, “Don’t take criticism from someone who is not in the arena.”
You can follow Zaria Joyner on TikTok and Instagram to watch her perform R&B and soul songs on guitar.
This article originally appeared last year.
This is an AI-generated image using the language "A beautiful woman with long eyelashes and red lips surrounded by swirls of colorful makeup." AI/Canva/Elyssa Goodman 
Juicy subject matter
Giphy from The Blacklist.
We could start a rumor.
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.