Women In Metal / Laurel Canyon Redux

It’s been a spectacular year for women in aggressive

music, and not in a babes-who-rock way. Along with defying the constraints applied to “women in metal” (symphonic metal bands fronted by a soprano wearing an illegal amount of eyeliner), these bands were spectacularly, dick-ripoff-ingly good. In honour of all the women who laid waste, here are some of the best releases of the year.

Gelding Time

CASTRATOR

This all- women death metal project is definitely the most delightfully misandrist. Their No Victim EP featured tracks that focussed on violence and horror that typically targets women, from the abjection of pregnancy to the grotesquery of honour killing; they also sing about chopping off dicks with a kill-your-local-rapist glee. Their seething, wickedly acidic death metal is also fantastic.

Move to a Lesbian Commune

MYRKUR

There’s something deliciously misanthropic about black metal solo projects, from the rejection of collaborators to the image of tortured genius. Myrkur (Amalie Bruun of Ex-Cops) seemed blissfully nonplussed by endless criticisms for operating in the way all-dude black metal projects always have. Her debut full-length M sweetly shoved her triumph in the face of dudes and doubters.

Get An “All Men Must Die” Tattoo

VASTUM

Hole Below, the latest from these Bay Area death metal warlords, is like successful plastic surgery via a brick to the face: surprisingly well-executed, and you are better for it, but it doesn’t make the impact hurt less. The violence from Leila Abdul-Rauf and company is also extremely pointed, conjuring moral repugnance and darkly misandrist body horror.

Buy A Pope-Shaped Dildo

ROYAL THUNDER

Distrust, betrayal and profound survivalist joy suffuses the psychedelic metal of Royal Thunder. Bassist and vocalist Mlny Parsonz is an integral part: in a Metalsucks podcast, she recalled abusive religious experiences. The rejection of patriarchal power structures and a refusal to be misused and manipulated add a sharp edge to the otherwise thick, smoky guitar tones and a discomfort to the fuzzy edges that makes their latest release, Crooked Doors, stand out.

A Hex On Your Ex

WINDHAND

Dorthia Cottrell is the sorceress behind this Richmond, VA occult and doom band’s magic. Her voice is vast and deep, cavernous and sepulchral at some moments and urgently incantatory at others. Their third full-length, Grief ’s Infernal Flower, is atmospheric and deeply affecting, and as much as the huge, sludgy guitars and wicked snare drum shake you open, it’s her voice that crawls inside. I fervently believe Cottrell has the power to turn your sexist ass into a toad.