Tuesday, March 8, 2016

The Thurible Presents: The Griminine Mystique


"Why aren't there any women making metal?"

It's funny how often that question gets asked, considering the (always growing) number of amazing female artists making everything from drone to doom to black to death metal. If you really want to see more women making (and listening to) metal, then support these great artists (signed and unsigned) that are already doing it:

Acid King: https://acidking.bandcamp.com/releases

A classic doom/stoner metal act featuring Lori S. on vox and lead guitars. Busse Woods is my favorite of their records.

Turia: https://montturia.bandcamp.com/releases

A newer atmospheric black metal band from Denmark featuring the mysterious "T" on vocals. Their debut is free on bandcamp.

False: https://gileadmedia.bandcamp.com/album/untitled-2015

False, a scary black metal banded front by one "Rachel." Her voice is terrifying, and False's Untitled was one of the best black metal albums of last year.

Wolvserpent: https://wolvserpent.bandcamp.com/

Brittany McConnell is one half of this experimental doom/drone duo. They just released a new EP you should definitely check out.

Dark Castle: https://darkcastlemetal.bandcamp.com/music

Stevie Floyd (pictured center) plays guitars and shrieks in this excellent doom duo. Spirited Migration remains one of my favorite metal albums ever.

Menace Ruine: https://menaceruine.bandcamp.com/

This band actually sounds like a weird hippy cult. Geneviève's spooky singing and sinister songwriting are mostly to blame.

Myrkur: https://myrkur.bandcamp.com/

What's left to say? Amalie Bruun makes beautiful black metal, and anyone too kvlt for Myrkur can go lick Varg Vikernes' goatee. Seriously, go do it. I'll wait.

Blood Ceremony: http://www.metalblade.com/us/artists/blood-ceremony/

Alia O'Brien plays the flute in Blood Ceremony when she isn't singing. You shouldn't need any more information about this doom rock band to know they're something special.

Vile Creature: https://vilecreature.bandcamp.com/releases

Vic is one-half of this filthy Canadian duo that put the "Sludge" in "SJW."

I'm very proud of that joke.

Coldnight: https://dir666.bandcamp.com/album/waterfall-of-suicides

When people go on r/blackmetal asking about "depressive black metal with female vocals," they're looking for this solo project by plaintive shrieker (and, incidentally, pretty decent logo artist) Hypothermia.

Windhand: https://windhandva.bandcamp.com/

Dorthia Cottrell (pictured left) is probably the best doom singer in the world right now. I can't recommend Windhand highly enough.

Mire of Despondency: https://omenovtorment.bandcamp.com/album/december-winds-and-luciferian-mists

Young Pennsylvania artist Nokturnus is behind this atmospheric black metal project. I like it a lot more than my two reviews make it seem.

Oceans of Slumber: http://oceansofslumber.com/

This progressive band is fronted by Cammie Gilbert (pictured right), one of the only black singers in the metal scene. Her excellent vocal performances make this band.

Cairiss: https://cairiss.bandcamp.com/track/disgraced-demo

They're still only one song in, but Southhampton's Cairiss have already made significant waves in the post-black metal world, mainly because of singer Freya's amazing vocal performance.

Electric Wizard: http://www.electricfuckinwizard.com/

Electric Wizard is THE stoner metal band. Liz Buckingham joined her husband, Jus Osborn, in the band and helped save it from near-extinction in 2003. They've been going strong ever since.

Nachtlieder: https://nachtlieder.bandcamp.com/

True Scandinavian black metal without gimmicks or frills, composed and performed by Dagny Susanne. Her latest album, The Female of the Species, has been criminally overlooked by black metal critics and fans alike.

Happy International Women's Day from The Great Thurible of Darkness!

(Yeah, I didn't include Nightwish, Within Temptation, or Arch Enemy. There's no shortage of people buying their records already. Also: I hope to be back with another installment of Back to Bandcamp on the 9th or 10th. See you then.)

No comments:

Post a Comment