“Female Fronted” Metal Bands
In Carnival in Coal’s song Narrow Minded Sexist Pig, the singer critiques the sexism in the metal genre by voicing, “Metal music's a man's world/It must be done with muscles and force/Cannot rock with half a crotch/Cannot boogie if you ain't got balls/The girl's place is backstage.”
The classic image that comes to mind when thinking of the metal scene is a conglomerate of head-banging, electric guitars, leather, long hair, and most of the time, men. The metal scene is notorious for it’s inclusivity and prides itself on its empowering love for music. But, if you’re familiar with the metal scene you’re likely always hearing about the men, like Ozzy Osbourne, Corey Taylor, and James Hetfield. You likely buy tickets for metal shows, paint black around your eyes, and then come into contact with the concert flyer which very prominently says “Female Fronted” as if it is some type of novelty or special occasion. And as you watch a woman absolutely shred on the guitar and death growl, you wonder, why do the men get most of the credit in the metal space?
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The death growl, also known as the grunt, was predominantly associated with masculinity due to its “aggressive” sound. Women had to work hard to find their deserved respect in death metal. Thanks to Angela Gossow, the lead voice of the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, womens voices in metal are now more commonly recognized. She proved with her vocal talent that women have a voice in death metal, and is now recognized for her intense death growl and is seen as one of the most prominent voices in the metal scene.
In the early days, most metal bands used violent lyrics and degraded women through their songs. Nowadays, compared to other music genres, metal is progressive and promotes a tight knit community of fans. However, in most festival lineups, non-male metal bands are still heavily underrepresented, as well as underpaid.
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In 1978, after decades of backlash for sexist lyricism and male dominated bands, the British quintet Kim McAuliffe, Enid Williams, Kelly Johnson, and Denise Dufort made strides in turning the metal scene gender neutral. Their band, Girlschool, is the longest running all-female rock band. The fact that the band was composed of all girls created obstacles, and they had to push hard to break out of negative stereotypes. Especially in the 1980s, when the genre was mostly popular amongst young males, Girlschool was not taken seriously, but their talent was undeniable, so they quickly gained the respect of fans through their musicianship and aggressive demeanor. Girlschool originally gained momentum through their successful punk-tinged metal albums, and proved to metalheads that women are just as capable in the genre. Pete Makowski in an article of the August 1980 edition of Sounds defined Girlschool as "the leading pioneers in the battle against sexism".
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Heavy metal has a long history, as the term was first used in the 1960s, and continues to grow and shift with the times. When Metal first hit the media it was very controversial and even seen as satanic, but as the years progressed the genre became less stigmatized and more accessible to everyone. Whether you’re already a fan of metal, or wanting to try out some new music, consider diving into female led metal bands like Warlock, Halestorm, Arch Enemy, Girlschool, or Nightwish. Bands such as these are underrepresented, though they continue to pave the way for a more inclusive metal scene. With more exposure, talented women artists can get the recognition they deserve.
Strike out,
Indigo Carter
Saint Augustine
