Tarja Turunen. The absolute most boring answer of them all. But hey, the old Nightwish albums with her is the reasons why it's one of my favourite bands.

Dawn Crosby ( from Fear Of God , Détente ) - a true emotion, sincerity, unvarnished voice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHkl3rzqU-4

Leather Leone ( from Chastain ) - powerful and naturally aggressive voice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z2C-uw3gvA

Elize Ryd - I don't really like Amaranthe's style, but I saw her live with Kamelot and heard her in their studio album, heard her on Timo Tolkki's Avalon album. She also has done some cool things with Nightwish when Annette was ill, I think. However, I'm in love with her voice. Moreover, she's damn beautiful.

By the way, there are some Amaranthe songs that aren't total rubbish.

I don't actually listen to a whole lot of female fronted bands but Anneke van Giersbergen's work with Devin Townsend was really great, even if I can't even attempt to say her name. I also quite like Alissa White-Gluz of the Agonist. I used to like Som Pluijmers of Cerebral Bore a lot but now that she is out of the band I rarely listen to them for some reason. I will say though I really don't care for Angela Gossow. I think Arch Enemy is awesome instrumentally but her vocals were always just kinda meh to me.

Just realized that of all my favourite bands, only three have female singers: Arch Enemy, Grayceon and Kylesa and they are all screamers even though Grayceon and Kylesa use cleans as well.

Written by BloodTears on 01.01.2014 at 13:38

Just realized that of all my favourite bands, only three have female singers: Arch Enemy, Grayceon and Kylesa and they are all screamers even though Grayceon and Kylesa use cleans as well.

wait wait ...how come Angela is screamer? i mean she is loud and all but i really cant put her in scream cathegory
just asking ...

Written by ANGEL REAPER on 03.01.2014 at 00:43
wait wait ...how come Angela is screamer? i mean she is loud and all but i really cant put her in scream cathegory

Well she definitely doesn't handle clean vocals and she's not exactly operatic either... I don't know if "screamer" is the perfect word but she can best be described as a harsh/extreme vocalist.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 03.01.2014 at 01:17

Written by ANGEL REAPER on 03.01.2014 at 00:43
wait wait ...how come Angela is screamer? i mean she is loud and all but i really cant put her in scream cathegory

Well she definitely doesn't handle clean vocals and she's not exactly operatic either... I don't know if "screamer" is the perfect word but she can best be described as a harsh/extreme vocalist.

yeah ,i thought of that same thing too ... i mean harsh/extreme vocalist and all ...however i always considered that screamers are actually screaming ... i mean ,am i wrong?

Written by ANGEL REAPER on 03.01.2014 at 01:34
i mean ,am i wrong?

I don't think you are. Screamers scream, that's a pretty straightforward explanation. I just think BT was using "screamer" as kind of a catch-all for different types of harsh vocals.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 03.01.2014 at 01:48

Written by ANGEL REAPER on 03.01.2014 at 01:34
i mean ,am i wrong?

I don't think you are. Screamers scream, that's a pretty straightforward explanation. I just think BT was using "screamer" as kind of a catch-all for different types of harsh vocals.

ok... that also make sense

Written by Troy Killjoy on 03.01.2014 at 01:48

Written by ANGEL REAPER on 03.01.2014 at 01:34
i mean ,am i wrong?

I don't think you are. Screamers scream, that's a pretty straightforward explanation. I just think BT was using "screamer" as kind of a catch-all for different types of harsh vocals.

That was my point. I know it varies, but I was simplifying because I know people are picky about this Just as something opposed to "clean vocals" you know.

So that was it, ANGEL REAPER. But we can discuss if she growls or not!

Written by Warman on 18.12.2013 at 14:57

Tarja Turunen. The absolute most boring answer of them all.

Generally I don't realy care about Nightwish and most of other symphonic/gothic music, but I would definitely pointed out Tarja as being one of the most talented opera vocalist within the metal world.

So, focusing only to the execution, quality and variety of her vocal sound, she outperforms the majority of her peers. Which means that the "answer" may be boring, but far from untruthful.

Personally I believe she could use better the quality of her voice in other fields of music.

Written by BloodTears on 03.01.2014 at 11:37

Written by Troy Killjoy on 03.01.2014 at 01:48

Written by ANGEL REAPER on 03.01.2014 at 01:34
i mean ,am i wrong?

I don't think you are. Screamers scream, that's a pretty straightforward explanation. I just think BT was using "screamer" as kind of a catch-all for different types of harsh vocals.

That was my point. I know it varies, but I was simplifying because I know people are picky about this Just as something opposed to "clean vocals" you know.

So that was it, ANGEL REAPER. But we can discuss if she growls or not!

no,i was just curious about the term "screaming" ...

Out of these & overall Floor Jansen is the undispute winner for me. I listen to practically everything she does even if it's out of my usual music taste, just for her. Floor Jansen has one of the most powerful, strong voices and her techniques are just superb. And also her passion and devotion to singing is clearly shown through her works. When she switched from operatic to rock style in After Forever I was just blown away. Her screams are the most gracious. Her control over her voice is outstanding. She can deliver grace, serenity, passion, power, strength; anything.

Out of the othes, I really do believe and see (hear) that with age and experience some of the singers are getting better and better. Cristina Scabbia for example (what she does on the DM cover of Enjoy The Silence is just wicked), Ailyn (hear her sining My Lost Lenore live). Also, I am still a great fan of Vibeke Stene, Helena Iren Michaelsen, Cathrine Paulsen, Liv Kristine (especially on old ToT albums) and I'm probably missing some out. But I'm not as keen on the female vocals as I used to be (a decade ago).

And then there's a girl who walked out of the metal world, but still: Anneke Van Giersbergen. I mean, there is a reason why she features on so many project, because her specialty is the soft, jazz oriented approach to singing.

For me the dutch ladies win. Floor & Anneke. They have very different approaches to singin and vocal colours and techniques, so I don't even bother in comparing them and choosing only one. But in the ''metal'' world, the throne goes to Floor.

Written by deadone on 06.01.2014 at 02:47


Note that none are metal singers, though a couple a far more extreme than most female singers in metal bands.

I find a lot of the female singers in Metal bands to be generic and too polished for the style of music they're playing (some exceptions such Angela Gassow from Arch Enemy or Rachel van Mastrigt-Heyzer from Sinister). But too many female fronted bands end up sounding like Eurovision pop songs with guitars.

Try Thorr's Hammer, Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, Sinergy, Holy Moses, Murkrat. Stolen Babies, Witchbreed, Skeletal Spectre, Battle Beast, Mortillery, etc etc.

Written by M C Vice on 06.01.2014 at 08:59

Written by deadone on 06.01.2014 at 02:47


Note that none are metal singers, though a couple a far more extreme than most female singers in metal bands.

I find a lot of the female singers in Metal bands to be generic and too polished for the style of music they're playing (some exceptions such Angela Gassow from Arch Enemy or Rachel van Mastrigt-Heyzer from Sinister). But too many female fronted bands end up sounding like Eurovision pop songs with guitars.

Try Thorr's Hammer, Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, Sinergy, Holy Moses, Murkrat. Stolen Babies, Witchbreed, Skeletal Spectre, Battle Beast, Mortillery, etc etc.

i would add Matriarch to that list ...great voices ,all of singing styles ...
though i could agree that 50% of female vocalists in metal sounds a bit generic and polished...same goes for men aswell...

Written by ANGEL REAPER on 07.01.2014 at 12:23

Written by M C Vice on 06.01.2014 at 08:59

Written by deadone on 06.01.2014 at 02:47

Try Thorr's Hammer, Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, Sinergy, Holy Moses, Murkrat. Stolen Babies, Witchbreed, Skeletal Spectre, Battle Beast, Mortillery, etc etc.

i would add Matriarch to that list ...great voices ,all of singing styles ...

I was just going from what I could think of off hand in my collection. Meant to put Monarch there, too.

From that list, I'd probably pick Floor. She has the pipes and the versatility. Also, say what you will about her band nowadays but Sharon Den Adel has a very warm, inviting and emotional voice (in contrast to, say, Tarja's distant iciness).

Written by deadone on 06.01.2014 at 02:47

But too many female fronted bands end up sounding like Eurovision pop songs with guitars.

This will not stand, sir. I won't sit idly by while you try to besmirch that glorious competetion.

Out of the ones on the list, I'm just gonna go with Christina Scabbia. I love her performance on Unleashed Memories if that means anything.

Lori fuckin' Bravo!



Nuclear Death were probably the most disturbing band in death metal and one of the most unique. I cherish my original Wild Rag pressing of "Carrion for Worm", a masterpiece of sickness that reeks of fetus fertilizer and menstrual blood! The music (and the lyrics) sound like the creation of homicidal schizophrenic necrophiles on acid, and Lori was ringleader of this band. She'll always be the queen of death to me.