Underneath a music scene dominated by country, bluegrass and blues, something louder and heavier has started to bloom along the Gulf Coast.

When most people think of heavy metal, they imagine fast, distorted guitar riffs and double-bass drumming behind screeching vocals that define much of the genre, but heavy metal, especially in the budding local scene, is much more.

Metal has become a home for much of the youth outside school and work as well as an outlet for artists to express their feelings and frustrations with their personal lives and the state of the world. The genre's anti-establishment persona, along with lyrical themes covering topical subjects, has made heavy metal, in a way, the musical genre of the working class.

There are no signs of it slowing down anytime soon.

At one point, however, metal in coastal Alabama almost didn't exist.

Matthew Boykin, lead singer of the band Afterdusk, said that when he first started playing shows in the area, most of the local bands had dissolved and the scene was basically non-existent. However, in the past few years, metal has experienced somewhat of a renaissance, as more and more bands began to emerge and heavy metal took a stronger grip on coastal Alabama.

"Just quite a few bands have been popping up that have really impressed me and made the scene feel alive again because there was a little while there when I just felt like everybody quit or moved on to different phases of their life," Boykin said. "Now, there are a bunch of young people coming to shows again."

Afterdusk, based in Mobile, came to fruition after Boykin joined forces with members of Outlast The End, a band from Foley, with a common sentiment to write the best music they had ever written. In recent months, they have been hard at work on their second album, with plans to head up to Nashville to finish the last few songs. Their next single, "Catalyst," is set for release on March 7.

"We joked around for a couple of years, like, one day we're going to quit our bands and form a supergroup, because we really liked each other and just kind of recognized each other's strengths," Boykin said. "We always kind of wanted to write some music together at a certain point."

Like a phoenix that falls to rise again, the metal scene made its return to the coast, and as the bands grew, so did their audience.

"2015 to 2016, there were a handful of [metal bands], but you couldn't get a packed-out show," said Austin Rodgers, guitarist for Caving In. "Now, you're having them every other week, and there are so many talented bands in the underground scene."

Caving In is from Foley and recently released the single "Premonitions" on streaming platforms. Rodgers, along with drummer Jamison Reid and guitarist and former vocalist Hayden Smith, all attended Gulf Shores High School and shared an interest in heavy metal music. When their band came together and started to write and perform music, the camaraderie of the local metal scene welcomed them with open arms.

"We actually met some guys from [Afterdusk]," Rodgers said. "We practiced in the same space they did, and they just kind of introduced us to all the other local bands. All these other groups would give us advice like, 'Hey, this is what you wear to shows. This is how you get in contact with bookers,' [along with] the best gear and all of that. They play shows with you, give you tips and tricks, and it's just rewarding to be able to play shows with those people."

No matter where artists are performing — whether it be at a local bar, in a skatepark or at an established venue — the alternative youth of today are guaranteed to fill the space, donning their band shirts, dark makeup and battle jackets with patches featuring the likes of Slayer, Metallica and Iron Maiden. The metalheads, punks, goths, wanderers and folks that society has deemed outcasts show up, drawn together by their love of music.

Brainburn, from Orange Beach, hosted a celebratory gig at the Handlebar in Pensacola on Feb. 8 to commemorate the release of their "Cost of Existence" EP, featuring performances from many other bands from the underground scene. The heavy riffs and growling vocals from Brainburn and other hardcore bands brought people of all ages together as they moshed and headbanged into the cold February night.

"I've been involved in the scene for a very, very long time," said Brainburn bassist Ty Loftus. "I've been booking shows since 2015 and doing band stuff, and I, especially with this band, have never seen the scene doing as well as it is. How I can connect that to this band is the growth we've had."

Brainburn came to be when lead singer Gavin Fuller, out of college and wanting to express anger at the world, discovered hardcore music. After getting in contact with drummer Will Halverson over their interest in forming a band, Brainburn, originally named Cerebral Arson, was born.

The group has slowly grown their presence on the coast as the underground scene grew around them. After having to start from the ground up, flocks of fans and hardcore enthusiasts now line up to see the band play.

"We've had people message us and tell us that our music has impacted them," Loftus said. "That's cool — to feel like you're making an impact on someone's life. I like to think that's part of why people create things. You want to be remembered. You want someone to relate to you in a way that hits home for them, so it's been cool to be able to do that."

Whether it be hardcore, metalcore or any other subgenre of heavy music, one of the elements of the community that broadens their appeal is their wide acceptance of its members and fans. With such an anti-authoritarian and anti-establishment image, elements such as race, gender, sexuality and beliefs are never taken into account, both as a performer and a fan. The underground metal scene has become somewhat of a safe space for marginalized groups who may face scrutiny in other environments. Everyone is seen as brothers and sisters, united by their passion for heavy music.

The growth of the scene in Baldwin County and on the Gulf Coast also shows the importance of supporting local artists and musicians. A scene once thought to be nearly extinct has gained more momentum over recent years, and it has slowly started to become one of the fastest-growing music scenes in the area. The number of people and groups it has brought together so far is a testament to the power of heavy music and signifies that the local scene is here to stay.

"It's super satisfying when you see two people meet at a show, and then you play another show a month and a half later, and they're showing up together," said Brainburn drummer Will Halverson. "This is bringing people together, and obviously with everything going on in the world at large, communities need that type of stuff."