From the Ashes with Bearpit: Mental Health, Music, and Making It Through the Darkness
In this episode of The Heavy Metal Therapist, John sits down with Rob from Bearpit, a Bristol-based metalcore band that’s been through it and come back stronger. They’re not just writing breakdowns and catchy hooks. They’re writing their way through mental illness, burnout, chronic pain, and the mess of trying to be human.
Rob talks about how Bearpit formed, why the band faded for a while, and what brought it back to life. We get into the story behind their upcoming track Echoes, a song rooted in borderline personality disorder and the weight of living with a chronic illness. This episode is about more than music. It’s about finding your people, staying in the fight, and creating something real.
How Bearpit Started (and Why the Name Actually Matters)
Bearpit was born in 2014 while the guys were at BIMM in Bristol. Like most bands, it started with a couple of metalheads hanging out, drinking, and jamming. They almost went with the name “Pit of Lions,” but ended up naming the band after the Bristol Bearpit, a roundabout they walked through every day. It stuck. And it felt like home.
They dropped an EP in 2017. But after uni, life got complicated. People moved, got jobs, or drifted away. For a while, it looked like the band was done. But in 2019, they came back with a track called From the Ashes and picked up where they left off.
It wasn’t just a comeback song. It was a mission statement.
Songwriting, Paralysis, and Why Collaboration Matters
Rob is one of the core songwriters in Bearpit, but he’s quick to make it clear that it’s never just “his” music. Songs usually start with a riff or melody, something he’s been playing with for a while. Then he brings it to the band. From there, the guys break it down, reshape it, and turn it into something they all believe in.
That kind of collaboration takes time. It takes patience. And when you’re dealing with mental health struggles, chronic illness, and just trying to survive, it can feel impossible to find momentum. But that’s what makes it meaningful.
Rob talked openly about the pressure to “get it right.” The paralysis that comes from sitting on too many ideas, not knowing where to start, and wanting it to be good enough to matter. That vulnerability shows up in the music, and honestly, that’s why it hits as hard as it does.
Echoes: A Song About BPD and the Weight of Being Human
Bearpit’s next single, Echoes, is personal. Rob started writing it a couple of years ago but didn’t rush to finish it. It took time to come together, and now that it has, the whole band is behind it.
The song dives into the experience of living with borderline personality disorder—something Rob has lived through and had to learn how to manage with therapy, medication, and serious mental rewiring.
He’s not trying to preach. He’s just being honest.
“Things do suck sometimes. But talking about it helps. Writing about it helps. Making space for it helps.”
And Echoes does that. It’s not about offering a clean resolution. It’s about naming the pain so someone else doesn’t feel alone in it.
Why Performing Feels Like Freedom
When Rob steps on stage, something shifts. He calls it “turning himself up to 11.” The stage version of him isn’t fake. It’s just unfiltered. Honest. Chaotic. Free.
That freedom matters because behind the scenes, life isn’t always comfortable. He talks about performing as a form of release, especially when the crowd leans in and gives that energy back.
You’re going to mess up. Notes will be missed. Strings will break. But that’s not the point.
“If you want the perfect version, go listen to the record. If you want the real version, come to a show.”
The Metal Scene Is Raw Because It’s Real
The conversation turns to what makes the metal scene different. And Rob doesn’t hold back. Metal fans can be brutally honest. They can spot fake a mile away. But that’s also what makes the community special.
You show up. You bring the real version of yourself. And people connect with it.
Metal isn’t about gimmicks or marketing stunts. It’s about community. Vulnerability. And catharsis. From Bring Me the Horizon to August Burns Red, the best bands put their souls into the music, and people feel that.
Whether it’s BPD, anxiety, chronic illness, or just the ache of trying to survive, the metal scene gives people a place to process it out loud.
Mental Health Insight from a Therapist’s Point of View
This episode hits on something we talk about often on this podcast. Music isn’t just an outlet. For a lot of us, it’s survival.
Rob calls the band his lifeline, and he means it. Through dark seasons, grief, and mental collapse, the band gave him something to hold onto.
He’s honest about using DBT tools, about needing therapy, and about still having days where he just texts someone and says, “I’m head poorly today.” Sometimes that’s enough. Sometimes it’s not. But he’s committed to talking, to staying connected, and to doing the work.
That’s what this show is about. You don’t have to pretend you’re fine. You just need to find someone who’ll sit with you in the not-fine.
If you’re struggling, reach out. You’re not the only one, and you don’t have to carry it alone. Visit mind.org.uk or talk to a local therapist.
Just Do the Thing
Rob closes the conversation with a word for creatives trying to find their place.
Figure out why you’re doing this. Set some goals. Find your people. Then go for it.
You don’t have to blow up on TikTok. You just have to keep creating. Be yourself. Stay weird. Show up.
That’s the whole point.