It’s no surprise that heavy music is a bit of a boy’s club.

While all genres have their own struggles toward gender equality, metal and hardcore often treated as inherently masculine, channeling aggression and anger with big meaty riffs and growling vocals.

But there are plenty of women out there who are proving that there is just as much room for feminine voices in heavy music.

Chelsea Wolfe

Since the goth-folk fusion of her early releases, Chelsea Wolfe has recruited a full band of doomsters to give her music the same heft to match her emotional content. Her 2017 Hiss Spun (which featured ISIS frontman Aaron Turner was a crushing meditation on mental illness and death that offered no reprieve from either the sonic or lyrical punishment.

Her mournful wail even made an appearance on Deafheaven’s Ordinary Corrupt Human Love.

Comrades

Comrades‘ Laura McElroy is often talked about as if she is the softer side of Comrades unique blend of hardcore, post rock, and indie. She cuts through the screamed vocals and mosh-ready riffs with the voice of an angel.

An angel of war, maybe. Because for the delicacy of her voice, Laura’s also providing much of the heaviness of those riffs. Her massive bass tone is a major element of Comrades’ sound. Those breakdowns wouldn’t be nearly as heavy without her.

Oathbreaker

When I first heard Deafheaven’s Sunbather, it was a blissful catharsis that I had never experienced before. And for years, nothing else came close to hitting me the same way.

Until Oathbreaker released their masterpiece Rheia. But while Sunbather is largely life-affirming (to me at least), Rheia plumbs the depths of life’s struggles.

This is largely due to frontwoman Caro Tanghe, whose voice shifts from holding-back-tears frailness to banshee-like black metal shrieks as she explores grief, trauma, and Stockholm syndrome. Just look at the primal scream therapy at the end of “Second Son of Jon R.” for proof of her power.

Emma Ruth Rundle

While her most celebrated contributions to heavy music may be her guitar work with post metal outfit Red Sparowes, Emma Ruth Rundle’s solo work combines introspective singer-songwriter folk with metal heaviness in a fresh way.

At times, it sounds a bit like my record collection got too hot and the Elder and Emmylou Harris sections melted together—and I’m here for it. It may not be the heaviest thing on this list, but it’s absolutely rewarding.

Rig Time

And here’s where we get into an argument over the semantics of “female-fronted.” Strictly speaking, Rig Time’s Rebecca Fleming doesn’t do any vocals, but it’s only two people, and her guitar setup is the titular Rig.

Rig Time plays heavier than heavy hardcore that is as loud as it is brutal. Rebecca plays off of her husband’s machine-gun drumming and war cry screams with detuned, seven string riffs that most hardcore guitarists wish they could match. That’s not a hypothetical statement—I’ve seen them live while the guitarists in every other band gawked hopelessly.

King Woman

King Woman plays mournful doomgaze that’s far more doom than gaze. While there are some dream pop textures here, they’re twisted and warped into nighmarish heaviness.

Bandleader Kristina Esfandiari leads the dirging march with funereal vocals and crushing riffs that would make Tony Iommi blush.

Brutus

Belgium’s Brutus sounds far bigger than their minimalist three-piece set up, offering a crushing blend of post metal and d-beat hardcore, but when you realize that vocalist Stefanie Mannaerts is also playing drums, it gets even more impressive.

Her vocals range from sorrowful cleans to riot-ready hollers, all while holding down the drum set.

Helms Alee

Who exactly does front Helms Alee?

All three members of the sludge/shoegaze trio share vocals pretty evenly, but drummer Hozoj Margulis and bassist Dana James may do more to give Helms Alee their unique vocal sound than guitarist Ben Verellen’s screams.

From angelic harmonies to manic Kim Gordon-esque sneers, the ladies’ vocals are as mercurial as the genre hopping the group engages in.

 

 

Looking back over this list, I guess Sargent House is dominating the game. I promise that wasn’t intentional.

Who are your favorite women in heavy music? Drop a comment.