Hi! My name is Matthew Bentley, but most people call me Theology. I recently partnered with Guild, an organization I respect deeply for their mission and approach to mental health advocacy. They were also the first group out of many I reached out to that noticed what I was doing and took it seriously.
Why Mental Health Matters to Me
Mental health has always been important to me. I’m not a clinician—I studied Theology and have a deep love for Philosophy—but I’ve been through my own struggles, and I’ve spent years researching, learning, and finding ways to talk about mental health in spaces that don’t always get the attention they deserve. One of those spaces is the gamer community.
Video Games as a Tool for Mental Health
In short, I’m a DJ and producer who makes club-ready video game remixes—and I’m also a mental health activist. I use the nostalgic power of video game music as a bridge to start conversations around mental health, especially in gaming spaces, which are often underserved. Most people find me through my music—if you like emotional melodies and filthy drops, you’ll probably dig what I do—but they quickly see there’s another layer to it.
What I’m really trying to do is show that video games can be a tool for good. I’ve created tons of content around this—videos on character arcs, loss in video games, and even what Tetris taught me about life. I believe games are uniquely positioned to support mental health because they combine storytelling, beautiful art, problem solving, and music. That’s a rare combo—and it makes games an active form of entertainment, which is more engaging and potentially more healing than passive forms.
I actually wrote a book called What Video Games Taught Me About My Mental Health: A Layman’s Perspective, and one of the chapters is about video game addiction. So I don’t shy away from the dark side. Just because I love this medium doesn’t mean I’m not objective, and balance is something I preach constantly in my content.
From Trance to Tetris
Musically, I come from the mainstream electronic dance music scene. I made trance and was supported by acts like Above & Beyond, Cosmic Gate, and Fatum. However, I kept running into walls—namely gatekeeping and industry politics—and the grind started to suck the joy out of something I loved. Around the same time, I moved about 18 times to support my wife’s career. I lost my sense of community—but I’d always remix video game music as a break from the industry grind.
I released an album in 2020 called Trapped in a World Between Beauty and Bass, which included three VGM remixes. After my brother heard it, he told me I should focus on that full-time. I said, “Yeah… I might… it’s really fun… but is it viable?”
A Chance Encounter That Changed Everything
A couple weeks later, I got a Facebook message from a guy I used to serve drinks to during happy hour at Longfellow Grill—Thomas Spargo. Turns out he founded a convention called VGM Con, and he asked me to DJ a set. I pre-recorded it in my kitchen in Pennsylvania and sent it in for their online event. While it played, I watched the chat explode, which was my “Aha!” moment. Everything clicked.
Soon after, I emailed a bunch of conventions around the world. Only a few responded. One of them was 2D Con here in Minneapolis. I played there, became friends with Joe Opsahl and Kiki Snell, and found myself being welcomed into this incredible community. That feeling of community I’d lost? It started coming back big time.
Support Guild, Join Me at Bash
Fast-forward to 2024: Guild becomes 2D Con’s charity partner. I introduced myself, told them what I do, and for the first time, an organization focused on mental health took me seriously. That’s what led to this partnership, and I couldn’t be happier.
On June 22nd, I’ll be DJing and emceeing Bash for Mental Health at Forgotten Star Brewing Co. in Fridley. It’s an annual fundraiser for Guild with gaming, music, activities, and info about mental health. I’d love to see you there—you can grab tickets here. If you can’t make it, please consider donating to support Guild’s work.
So yeah… video games and mental health. They’re not often put together—but they should be. My journey didn’t go the way I thought it would, but I’ve never felt more fulfilled as an artist. I’m grateful to be doing what I love, and I hope the work I do with Guild can make a real impact.