RECOMMENDATIONS: Share Your Favorite Female-Fronted Metal Bands

[BlackRoseMetalHeart]

So I thought this forum would be a great place to start a thread where people who love female-fronted metal could share the names and some information on the bands they love. I'm not trying to make this into a "This band should/should not play the festival" thread, but I figured it could be a good way for those of use who love the stuff with female lead vocals to learn about some new bands and share our favorites with others.

Oh, and try to post links to Web sites/myspace pages whenever you can so that the rest of us can go and check out these bands for ourselves.

Metal Forever!

[BlackRoseMetalHeart]

Many of these you may have already heard of:

Edenbridge - Founded in 1998, by vocalist Sabine Edelsbacher, guitarist / keyboarder Lanvall and bassist Kurt Bednarsky, this Austrian melodic metal band recently signed to Napalm Records. Edenbridge has 5 studio albums, with the most recent, "The Grand Design," being release in 2006. www.edenbridge.org

Leaves’ Eyes - A wonderful female fronted metal band from Norway, showcasing the talents of Liv Kristine. Male vocals courtesy of her husband, Alaexander Krull (Atrocity). www.leaveseyes.de

Lullacry - Currently with four studio albums, this somewhat "pop-metal" band has toured in support of Nightwish and played multiple festivals including the 2006 Female Metal Voices Fest. www.lullacry.com

Lunatica - Released their debut album in 2001 shortly after connecting with lead vocalist, Andrea. Since then this epic, melodic metal Swedish band has released two more studio albums, with the most recent, "The Edge of Infinity," coming out in the fall of 2006. www.lunatica.ch

Visions of Atlantis - Opening for Epica on their fall US tour this year. Their vocalist, Melissa Ferlaak, will also be the emcee for this year's FOTV festival. www.visionsofatlantis.com

Angtoria - Singer Sara Jezebel Deva is the main backup vocalist for Cradle of Filth; Brothers Tommy and Christopher Rein are the other founding members of the band. Their 2006 debut release "God Has a Pan for Us All" is amazing! Check out the video for the title track/single. www.angtoria.com


Benedictum - Singer Veronica Freeman used to be the lead for a Dio cover band, or at least that’s what I heard – no doubt, she’s the closest thing I’ve heard to Dio in a long time. This heavy metal band hails from San Diego, California and released their debut album, "Uncreation," in 2006. ("Uncreation" was my #1 album for last year.) They recently played Chicago Powerfest this year and I believe opened for Doro earlier this year on part of her European tour. www.bendictum.net or www.myspace.com/benedictum

Shadowside - Brazilian heavy metal with powerful female vocals; Debut album "Theatre of Shadows," was released in 2005. www.shadowside.ws

Godyva - Italian metal band formed in early 2000; lead singer Lady Godyva (Christina Argese) brings both melody and power to the project. The band released one demo ("Advent") in 2002 and released their first full-length album, "In Good and Evil," in the summer of 2006. www.godyva.it

Gwyllion – This symphonic metal band from Belgium formed in 2003. Vocalist Valerie Vanhoutte joined shortly before the recording of the bands demo in the spring of 2004. Since then Gwyllion released their first full-length album, "Awakening the Dream," in March of 2007. www.gwyllion.com

Triosphere – Melodic heavy metal from Norway; Formed in fall of 2004; Their debut album "Onwards" was released in Europe earlier this year and an American release date is set for spring 2007 through Candlelight Records. www.myspace.com/triosphere

Would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions for other bands.

[J-Man]

NIGHTWISH of course with the New singer
VISIONS OF ATLANTIS
BEAUTFUL SIN
VAINGLORY
THERION
MORTOR REIGN

[Burkhard]

Fear Of God - "Within The Veil" had been my favourite metal-album for about a decade, especially because of Dawn Crosby´s fascinating vocal work, and with more than 1,200 spins it´s still the album which got the most spins

Atrox (Monika Edvardsen-era) - Right now I consider "Terrestrials" my favourite metal album of all times and maybe in some years it might take over the no. 1-position in my eternal playlist. Monika Edvardsen´s vocals on "Contentum", "Terrestrials" and "Orgasm" are probably the most unique I´ve ever heard on a metal album. The same goes for her lyrics and the cover artwork.

Madder Mortem - My favourite non-defunct female-fronted metal band. Just like Atrox, they are also from Norway, and they have a rather original sound IMO. Their vocalist Agnete M. Kirkevaag has one of the most powerful female voices in metal - maybe best to be heard on the song "Resonatine" (from their album "Deadlands") and the second part of "Hangman" (from their current album "Desiderata"), yet she can also sing with a very soft/tender voice. I think she covers a wide range.

The Third And The Mortal - Though they already abandoned their metal influences on their second album "Painting On Glass", I´d still like to mention them, because their debut album "Tears Laid In Earth" (as well as their first EP "Sorrow") is an absolute masterpiece as far as atmospheric doom-influenced music with heavenly voices is concerned.

Stolen Babies - Metal purists might complain that they are not a metal band, but I don´t care. I think they´ve got a refreshingly different sound and I really enjoy their debut album "There Be Squabbles Ahead" very much. It happens very rarely nowadays that I discover new metal(-related) bands, whose albums impress me. This is one of the few exceptions.

OK, this shall do for now. This subforum seems to be a very deserted place and I guess there won´t be many people who´ll read this anyway. Maybe I´ll mention some more bands in the future.

np: Stolen Babies - "Gathering Fingers"

[BlackRoseMetalHeart]

Originally Posted by Burkhard

Madder Mortem - My favourite non-defunct female-fronted metal band. Just like Atrox, they are also from Norway, and they have a rather original sound IMO. Their vocalist Agnete M. Kirkevaag has one of the most powerful female voices in metal - maybe best to be heard on the song "Resonatine" (from their album "Deadlands") and the second part of "Hangman" (from their current album "Desiderata"), yet she can also sing with a very soft/tender voice. I think she covers a wide range.

Just checked this one out. (Turns out my boyfriend has it in his collection.) It's heavy and their singer does have a very different sounding rough female voice. I'll be burning this one until I can find my own copy.

Originally Posted by Burkhard

Stolen Babies - Metal purists might complain that they are not a metal band, but I don´t care. I think they´ve got a refreshingly different sound and I really enjoy their debut album "There Be Squabbles Ahead" very much. It happens very rarely nowadays that I discover new metal(-related) bands, whose albums impress me. This is one of the few exceptions.

Saw them recently on the hottest chicks in metal tour. I love the fact that their singer also plays the accordion. That's certainly part of what makes their sound so different - like metal circus music. They were also really fun to watch live.

Originally Posted by Burkhard

OK, this shall do for now. This subforum seems to be a very deserted place and I guess there won´t be many people who´ll read this anyway. Maybe I´ll mention some more bands in the future.

I'd love for this forum to become a little more active. Besides, now I know what my new purchase for the week will be. Thanks dude.

[Burkhard]

Originally Posted by BlackRoseMetalHeart

Just checked this one out. (Turns out my boyfriend has it in his collection.) It's heavy and their singer does have a very different sounding rough female voice. I'll be burning this one until I can find my own copy.

Which album are you talking about? "Deadlands" or "Desiderata"? Since you already posted on the Sonic Cathedral-forum, you probably also know the Sonic Cathedral-store. Maybe you´ll find the album there, if you don´t already know a better place to get it.

Saw them recently on the hottest chicks in metal tour. I love the fact that their singer also plays the accordion. That's certainly part of what makes their sound so different - like metal circus music. They were also really fun to watch live.

Metal circus music is exactly what I also thought when I first heard this band. I first watched their "Push Button"-videoclip and liked it immediately. Then I ordered my copy of "There Be Squabbles Ahead" from The End Records - to my knowledge, it still hasn´t been released in Germany yet. I hope that one day I´ll get a chance to see them over here in Germany.

I'd love for this forum to become a little more active. Besides, now I know what my new purchase for the week will be. Thanks dude.

You´re welcome! BTW, there are also a few full-length mp3´s on the websites of Fear Of God and Atrox. (Just in case you haven´t already noticed it yourself.)

np: Candlemass - "At The Gallows End (vocal session w. Robert Lowe)"

[TX Metal Cowboy]

In This Moment are pretty damn good. They have an old IN FLAMES sound mixed with a modern twinge. The song "Prayers" is one of my favs on the album.

[Burkhard]

Since I´ve already mentioned Fear of God, I´d also like to mention their predecessor Détente. They were one of the very few female-fronted thrash metal bands. They only released one album - "Recognize No Authority" - in 1986, but it´s still one of my alltime faves and it has been re-released last year. You can listen to some songs on this page.

Talking about Fear Of God (US; there´s also Swiss grindcore/noisecore band with the same name), there are currently three videos on youtube:

"Betrayed" (official promoclip)
"Betrayed" (live in Ghent, 04 April 1992, a bootleg-recording from a concert of Fear Of God´s only European tour,)
"Red To Grey"(another song from the same concert)

np: Candlemass - "Destroyer"

[Burkhard]

I probably can´t call them one of my favourite female-fronted metal bands (at least not yet), because until today, I´d only read about them, yet never heard any song by them (except of one song played on a Dutch radio metal-programme somewhere in the late eighties/early nineties), but thanks to a link someone posted in the "Old School"-forum, I finally got a chance to download the "General Alert"-demo by the all-female Swedish metal band Ice Age.

They ceased to exist long ago, and in spite of the fact that they received a lot of positive response from magazines (as far as I recall) way back then (i.e. about 18-20 years ago) and played some successful concerts, they unfortunately never got to record an album.

For those who are interested, the "General Alert"-demo is to be found on this page:
http://bangbangblog.info/category/demo-archive/page/3/

(You have to scroll down a bit.)

There´s also a myspace-page, where you can listen to two songs, namely here:
http://www.myspace.com/iceagesweden

Too bad that the song "Instant Justice" isn´t available for download, because I think it´s better than any song on the "General Alert"-demo.

I also found out that two videoclips have recently been posted on youtube:

Ice Age - "General Alert" (live, opening for Candlemass in ´88):

You Tube

Ice Age - "Instant Justice":

You Tube

[Fire Spirit]

A local band, Dendura Is awesome! The lead singer, Aziza has an amazingly powerful voice and writes haunting lyrics. I love to listen to "New Life" but have to buy another copy because my husband and kids are always taking my copy! They are from Grand Rapids Mi.


Public Parking is also a Michigan band with a great female lead singer. Monica puts on a powerful show and her voice knocked me out.

[dan of bereavement]

Big fan of old Theatre Of Tragedy, The Third And The Mortal, Early Paramecium, Shape Of Despair, Skumring, Haggard.

[Metalhed]

Ignitor - good old-fashioned traditional metal - http://www.myspace.com/ignitor
Beautiful Sin - 'The Unexpected' is one my favorite albums from any genre - http://www.myspace.com/thebeautifulsinmetalband
Sister Sin - Motley Crue reborn, awesome tracks on myspace - http://www.myspace.com/sisterssin
Hydrogyn - solid rock n roll - http://www.myspace.com/hydrogyn
Scarlet Sins - http://www.myspace.com/scarletsins
Arch Enemy - female fronted death metal - http://www.myspace.com/archenemy
Crucified Barbara - http://www.myspace.com/crucifiedbarbara
Slunt - http://www.myspace.com/slunt
Octavia Sperati - http://www.myspace.com/octaviasperati

For those unfamiliar with the magazine 'Fireworks' - a more melodic AOR/metal magazine - the new issue #31 includes three disks, with the first disk full of music from female fronted bands. From http://www.melodicrock.com/: "'Catz n' Clawz' sees Nicky Baldrian look at females in rock, and to complement this 4 page feature we have an accompanying 20 track CD which includes a track by Jaime Kyle, specially written and recorded for this feature." The magazine in PDF format will be available for download next week along with MP3's for all three CD's.

[PurpleCrayonWriter]

Vainglory
Benedictum (simply put: a powerhouse band)
The Runaways (I still love listening to those albums!)
Nightwish (incomparable)
Within Temptation (okay, as incomparable as Nightwish)
Lacuna Coil
In This Moment (easily one of the best new bands I've seen in years)
To-Mera
Edenbridge
Xandria

I'm sure I could prattle on. I love female-fronted metal bands. That's why I think FotV is a fantastic idea for a metal fest!

Bill

[Diabolik]

lets hope this fest doesnt happen at a certain time of the month though!

[Alzurath]

Hmm. My favorite female fronted metal acts would have to be: Nightwish (I like both Anette And Tarja), Sirenia, Epica, Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil, Myriads, Penumbra, Xandria, Ambeon, Elis, Midnattsol, Morning, and Sinergy.

[Dendura]

Epica, After Forever, Echoes of Eternity, To-Mera, Tarja, Distorted, Within Temptation,

[HeathenCrusader]

Tacere:
http://www.myspace.com/tacere

Silentium:
http://www.myspace.com/silentiumband

Beautiful Betrayal:
http://www.myspace.com/bbetrayal

Colleen:
http://www.myspace.com/colleenslegacy

Whyzdom:
http://www.myspace.com/whyzdomproject

[HeathenCrusader]

Seven Angels:
http://www.myspace.com/sevenangelsmetal

Aavah:
http://www.myspace.com/aavah

[Dolamite S. Biffle]

Originally Posted by HeathenCrusader

Tacere:
http://www.myspace.com/tacere

Silentium:
http://www.myspace.com/silentiumband

Beautiful Betrayal:
http://www.myspace.com/bbetrayal

Colleen:
http://www.myspace.com/colleenslegacy

Whyzdom:
http://www.myspace.com/whyzdomproject

Tacere - very cool sounding reminds me of the more upbeat After Forever stuff.

Beautiful Betrayal and Silentium - kinda boring

Colleen - I actually forgot I was listening to them because they did so little for me

Whyzdom - very cool with the epic symphonic elements.

[Dolamite S. Biffle]

Originally Posted by HeathenCrusader

Seven Angels:
http://www.myspace.com/sevenangelsmetal

Aavah:
http://www.myspace.com/aavah

Seven Angels - I dig it nice solid power.

Aavah - also dig it melodic power

[MEGALOUD]

Memoira
www.memoira.net/
www.myspace.com/Memoira
I like these guys so much I signed them, Scandinavia's hottest rising stars.

You Tube

Aetherious
http://www.myspace.com/aetherius
(these guys just played for me at Nightmare fest II in San Antonio, TX, I was very impressed with their new vocalist, She was a beautiful and powerful young lady barely 5' 2" with BIG vocal pipes!

[Ace Warloch]

Check out Power's Court if you like epic power metal. Their new album is a concept album called The Red Mist of Endenmore. There is a companion medieval horror novella that goes along with it. Read the story while listening to the album! Legendary Kingdoms will have a review of it online shortly.

Another band I didn't see anybody mention is Syren's Call from France.


Legendary Kingdoms on MySpace

[edgeofthorns]

Some of my favorites are:

Vixen - go ahead and flame, but I loved those gals back in the day
Nightwish - with both Tarja and Annette
Within Temptation
After Forever - it's a shame this band is no more...
Doro - a classic/metal icon in my opinion
Echoes of Eternity
Leave's Eyes
Delain - my latest discovery

~Brian~

[ConnieOH]

A newer female-fronted band I recently became aware of is Operatika. Closer to power metal than to symphonic, they've got some good guitar playing and songwriting along with good vocals! I did a review on their recent album, their first full length release: http://www.metalasylum.net/reviews/2009/mr0919.html

[BlackRoseMetalHeart]

Originally Posted by ConnieOH

A newer female-fronted band I recently became aware of is Operatika. Closer to power metal than to symphonic, they've got some good guitar playing and songwriting along with good vocals! I did a review on their recent album, their first full length release: http://www.metalasylum.net/reviews/2009/mr0919.html

Nice review! Thanks for sharing!

I really like Operatika too! I haven't had the money to pick up their EP yet, but I've listened to what's on their myspace on several occasions and I really enjoy it. I was very disappointed when they had to cancel their spot opening for Edguy and Kamelot at Jaxx last year, but I can't complain too much because I think it was (at least partially) due to that cancellation that I discovered another great metal band with female vocals (who opened that show instead) - Blood Corps.

http://www.bloodcorps.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bloodcorpsmusic

Blood Corps was an instant love for me. Right away Nina's vocals kicked me clear out of my seat! The band was so high energy. Their music had a groove and just begged for you to bang your head! They're somewhere at the crossroads of heavy, power, and melodic metal, and they incorporate hooks that make their songs instantly likable.

(And lucky for all of you, they have just been announced as the band that will kick off FotV this summer.)