Growing up, I was an avid lover of the television cartoon Scooby-Doo. In one of the feature-length films created from that franchise, Scooby Doo and the Witch’s Ghost, we meet an unlikely band called the Hex Girls. This Rock/Metal band features three bold and eccentric Gothic women who rock that fictional stage in multiple episodes to follow. However, in the real world, we find that all female Rock/Metal bands are sparse. While we do have some exceptions like the all-female Metal band Girlschool from London, we do tend to see an alarming rate of male dominance in the Heavy Metal subculture. However, here I have compiled a list of just a few of the coolest Metal bands out there that are fronted by the strongest, most badass females in the industry.
1. New Years Day
Founded by lead singer Ash Costello in 2005 in the sunny Anaheim, California, New Years Day is an up and coming band on the Metal homefront. The lead singer is a self-professed Disney lover and a real-life Harley Quinn. Ash Costello is also an animal activist and owns her own clothing line called Bat Royalty. Check out their most famous song to date titled Angel Eyes.
2. Icon For Hire
While Icon For Hire would not be a band that would necessarily be classified as Metal, it is definitely one worth mentioning. Lead singer, Ariel Bloomer formed the band in her small hometown of Decatur, Illinois. Ariel makes a point in her work by capitalizing on the fact that she is female surrounded by a male-dominated industry. Check out Icon For Hire’s feminist anthem (and my personal favorite) Now You Know.
3. Butcher Babies
Founded in Los Angeles, California, the Butcher Babies sport two female lead singers, Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey. This band relates more to the Nu Metal side of Metal, paying homage to Slipknot and Marilyn Manson, two of these women’s idols. In an interview, Carla Harvey recounts her teenage years: “”As a biracial kid growing up in the Detroit area, I got a lot of shit for loving hard rock and metal, and seeing musicians that were also African American playing the music I loved made me strong enough to say, ‘F*** you, I’m going to like what I want.’ It is so important that we promote diversity in the Metal community and help bring new entertainers into the industry. As for their live shows, I can speak first hand for the absolute ordered chaos that has given the Metal community it’s reputation. Check out their number one single Monster’s Ball.
4. In This Moment
Yet another band formed in Los Angeles, In This Moment was created by female vocalist Maria Brink. Maria sports a one of kind voice and show that leaves fans feeling as if they have just witnessed a musical, not an average concert. Complete with pyrotechnics and costume changes that will make your head spin, In This Moment has captured something that many other bands don’t. Also, Maria Brink also boasts a healthy figure, something she is very proud of and discusses a lot on her social media platforms. She promotes body positivity and kindness and love at all of her shows. Check out In This Moments song Whore, a song Maria wrote after her struggles as a young woman in both the world and the Metal industry.
5. Halestorm
Red Lion, Pennsylvania is home to this band formed by lead singer Lzzy Hale. One thing Lzzy’s band is known for is their non-stop touring. Halestorm performs as many as 250 shows a year (that’s a lot of running)! Another interesting tidbit about Lzzy is that she is one of the few female vocalists that actually plays an instrument while singing. A musing from a Metal chat forum suggested that women are more likely to just be vocalists in Metal bands because their vocals are the one thing a man can’t do. I must admit there is something haunting about a females vocals next to heavy riffs. Check out Halestorm’s most known songs I Am The Fire.
6. The Pretty Reckless
If you happen to recognize this lead singer from a hit Christmas movie (and a long-running CW show about the Upper East Side’s finest), you’d be correct. Taylor Momsen played the beloved character Cindy Lou Who when she was just seven years old, and also Jenny Humphrey in Gossip Girl. Now, Taylor leads a successful career as the lead singer of the Pretty Reckless. Unlike our first three bands, many of their songs have been featured on our local rock station FM99 (98.7) and are widely known by even non-Metal fans. While Taylor is known for her gorgeous features and one-of-a-kind voice, she still promotes a down-to-Earth lifestyle through her social media platforms.
As we move into a more progressive world, I hope to see more women feeling the courage to venture into male-dominated industries. It takes a special kind of determination that all of these women have to face countless criticisms every day for predominantly one reason: their gender. I have linked all of their Instagram accounts throughout the article, so head on over and have a look at what these women dedicate their lives to doing and the message they send to every female who feels like she cannot reach her goals. HCXO, and bad dreams sisters!