Dave here with one of my rare opinion pieces.  First off,  I want to welcome my friend Vick who is now working with me on here stopping in to write some articles.  She’s very feisty, opinionated, and passionate for the music I strive to promote and is already a great addition to the website.

I have been thinking about this topic for a while, and decided today to blabber about it.  I think its AMAZING seeing women/females getting into heavy metal and other genres artistically than the usual….you know, that female folk singer or pop or hip hop artist….you know, cultural gender stereotypes and expectations.  One thing I absolutely cannot stand is the whole “female fronted” label,  it’s stupid to me at least.  Women are musicians too, you know.  The fact there happens to be females in some bands shouldn’t be a surprise.  And no, this is anything BUT a fad or trend.

Okay, on to the actual point of this article.  As previously stated, I’m very infatuated with the growing number of women going against that artistic gender stereotype….and I’m going to promote some of them (well deserved artists that you may already know).

Yep.  She’s my obsession, i’ll admit it.  This young lady can not only shred and sing, but also can produce and record music.  She has a really unique style now that can’t truly be categorized.  Sarah was really metal at first with lots of shredly demos, heavily influenced by Swedish greats Meshuggah.  The older she got, she experimented with electronics and some pop influence as well to throw in her music for good measure.  If that isn’t enough of a mindfuck, she got into a more expeirmental and progressive style in her newer music.  Her success as a Youtuber is only the beginning of an extremely promising, fulfilling and diverse musical career.  She was also a member of The Fine Constant an instrumental band she had for a handful of years. Longfield is also a new artist of Season Of Mist, as well.  What HASN’T she done already in her young musical career? Her latest album “Disparity” is a serious artistic step for her, yet trying more new things to add to her very impressive sound layering even deeper.  There’s some saxophone, xylophone and even more singing.   I’m gonna let her great music do the talking, and just let you make the decision yourself.

Yvette is the guitarist in her 3 piece instrumental prog band Covet, who has a similar style to Sarah Longfield in some senses.  She also has an acoustic project under her name and an equally beautiful voice on top of her guitar playing as well.   Young is a melodic guitarist who also uses a lot of tapping in her style.  She dabbles into some math rock and jazz as well in Covet.  Both of these lovely young female guitarists are my two personal favorites in music right now and totally crushing it.  It was the “Ares” play through that caught my attention over a year ago and has kept my interest in this great young artist.  Check out some of her wild, melodic and inspiring guitar playing below.

Yep…..here it is….the almighty ARES.

Yep, time for the heavy shit now.  Sisters of Suffocation is a death metal band consisted mainly of females, except the drummer.  Why am I talking about SOS? Because they’re heavy, that’s why…..and love their death metal.  And before you ask, no they have nothing to do with the legendary death metal band Suffocation.  The gals are equally as crushing as most death metal bands, and don’t get enough recognition in their short existence as a band.  Bang your heads along with the girls (and guy) to these heavy songs.  Oh, and they’re releasing a new album next year I’M SO STOKED ABOUT.  Fucking Death Metal!

To SLIGHTLY change genres a bit, here’s a great Melodic Death Metal bands with TWO vocalists both females.  A friend of mine turned be onto this band, and couldn’t be happier that I am familiar with them.  The band released a great album “Ex Nihilo” last year that finds its way back in my rotation here and there.  Their growls are utterly impressive, to say the least.  Check out this great up and coming band right below.

WOW! I’ve been into this band for a few years now since I saw their grotesque video “Mechanisms of Omniscience”.  Their frontwoman Malika has such a low guttural that you would have never guessed it was a woman! The band is a great death metal band that means business, and full of groove and plenty of brutality.  They’re a straightforward death metal band that doesn’t technically woo you, but their disgusting brutality and sheer power wins you over.  And I have been a big fan ever since.  I hope you feel the same about Abnormality.  Oh, and they too are working on a new album set for a release date sometime next year in 2019.

Okay, so here’s a handful of my favorite bands/artists in the metal and prog scene involving women.  I think it’s great to see more women breaking the trend of where they stereotypically are, but are doing what they want.  I think it’s glorious, and pretty cool for a change in genres generally dominated by males.  If there’s any other great bands I may have missed, don’t be afraid to chime in.