LOUD WOMEN is stoked to introduce our new Metal Editor, Mishkin, who's going to be bringing us news from the heavy side! Take it away Mishkin ...
Hi, my name is Mishkin, and I love my metal. Especially if it’s alternative, progressive, orchestral, or just a bit weird, I am constantly on the hunt to fill my ears with the ultimate blend of riffage, double kick pedals and of course, death growls. Over the years my own (weird) band Birdeatsbaby have travelled through many genres and are now making some pretty bombastic sounding prog/alt-metal.
As we’ve gotten heavier, I’ve noticed that the technical and progressive metal scene seems to be almost entirely male-dominated, and I’m not quite sure why that is. As a song-writer who tends to lean towards the darker and more unusual side of metal, I’ve always adored bands like Opeth, Tool, Conjurer and Gojira, but I’ve really struggled to find many female/non-binary bands doing anything similar.
It’s quite easy to find singers/screamers, but I’ve decided to make it my mission to uncover the all the fem/non-binary instrumentalists and writers in the dark, progressive, avant-garde and genre-defying metal scene… and here’s what I’ve found.
Maximum the Hormone
Hailing from Japan this group is a blend of extreme metal, punk and pop. Nao Kawakita is the glue that ties this band together; her insanely energetic drumming and brilliant vocals are an integral part of the sound. This band are totally mad and a lot of fun, just go listen.
Bones of Minerva
I first heard of this band a few years ago with their stand out track “vehemence” back in 2018. The blend of soaring harmonic minor vocal slides and brutal, guttural screams is just glorious. The riffs keep on coming and carrying you through a satisfyingly smashy song. Their current release Embers from 2022 is firmly on my listening rotation and I can’t wait to see them in their all-female line-up on their UK tour this August.
“Our music comes from our guts, and our female experience is unapologetically weaved into it. We’ve had many brilliant experiences as a band, but being a female-identifying band in a hugely male-dominated scene (metal/rock) we’ve definitely felt the scrutiny of other bands judging whether we are “good enough” to be on a bill, or putting accomplishments in our career down to the fact that we have it easier because we are women, which is frankly laughable.”
Ruth (guitar – Bones of Minerva)
Stolen Babies
My final suggestion to add to your fem-metal playlists is a band from California, with band-leader Dominique Lenore Persi. It’s not often you find accordion in a metal band… but when you do it’s in Stolen Babies. With multiple influences from Mir Bungle to Oingo Boingo the band are like listening to a kind of experimental avant-garde metal cabaret. It’s a very strange blend but the song-writing is so good that it carries well and the screams and sung melodies from Dominique are both entrancing and terrifying. I’ve yet to see them live but I’m hoping they will return to the touring scene soon.
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