For many of us, heavy metal is both philosophy and creed. The sheer power and epic grandeur of a heartfelt metal record can move mountains and make us want to live to see another day. For many of us, heavy metal is also a shelter, a home. Matt Smith is no stranger to sensations like these. For more than 20 years, the guitarist-turned-vocalist has been pouring his life’s blood into Theocracy, building a legacy that stretches across four full-length albums, granting him a safe space to breathe and develop his vision. Theocracy is his vessel to communicate with himself and the world around him. No wonder he is very strict with himself when it comes to his output.  “There’s too much of everything out there, so more and more I have a merciless internal dialogue with myself when I’m composing: ‘Man, does the world really need this? Will life be a little better, a little worse, or no different if this song exists?’ Because of that”, he says with a smile, “the vast majority of things I start get thrown out. So the songs that do make it are the ones that I really feel are worth hearing.”