Metal listeners from an early age, how was it for you and how are you today? lol
I went the usual route of discovering "heavy" music via Linkin Park when I was in Grade school. Then loved the likes of SOAD, Mudvayne, Marilyn Manson, and local gems like Skychurch, Valley of Chrome, Badburn. By highschool I was in too deep jamming to bands like Deicide, Behemoth, Bloodbath, Slayer, Kreator, Vital Remains.
May ilang tropa naman ako na nakakasundo sa rock and OPM, and even some tamer metal bands, but when it comes to my real love at that time, loner ako and had no one to share music with. And it was even worse in my family, as my parents thought I was going in an insane phase that they waited for me to grow out of (spolier alert; I didn't). Odd kid talaga, that I went to gigs alone throughout my teenage years (the only places I felt I belong), and played guitar at home on my own with the unwelcoming ears of my parents as my audience. By college, I had a friend from HS who started listening to metal (more on the metalcore and deathcore bands) it was kinda nice to have someone to connect with, but at that time nag eexplore naman ako ng origins ng metal music and was more into 70s and 80s bands. It's all exploration na from then on.
I think my early exposure to extreme music made me tolerant of different sounds, as today I am literally enjoying any type of music na may real instruments involved. From classical, to jazz, pop, to world music, indigenous sounds, and all sorts of fusion and experimental sound. Metal is still my true love, but it's good to have appreciation of all music now that I am older.