Not bad

Satisfying shit here... thought it has been done and redone by many before.

Well, I for one had not heard of this band before. The thought of a one-woman black metal band intrigues me.

I'm gonna say something obvious, but if it weren't a chick people would just be "oh, another 1 man BM band playing the same stuff...." and it would get much less attention.

I'll check it out anyway, just coz I'm a fan of the genre.

Written by Vombatus on 10.09.2014 at 16:20

I'm gonna say something obvious, but if it weren't a chick people would just be "oh, another 1 man BM band playing the same stuff...." and it would get much less attention.

Of course. She somehow amassed 3500+ likes on Facebook in less than a couple of months and dozens of interviews and features on some respected underground (and probably otherwise) webzines, all on the basis of one or two songs, neither of which were especially "out there" or unusual. The "female" component seems to be especially high with this band right now. I do like it though, it's some very pleasant and organic black metal, but I think we can safely say this is going to be overrated, or overhyped at least.

It is already, look at the number of people who listened to this and commented in the album thread in the last 24 hours.

Written by Ilham on 10.09.2014 at 16:36

It is already, look at the number of people who listened to this and commented in the album thread in the last 24 hours.

I think the storm is yet to come though. I think when the EP is finally released she's going to get more fans than Jesus.

It's pretty good, I really enjoyed the softer parts and vocals, though the latter were sometimes too high in the mix.

Written by [user id=4365] on 10.09.2014 at 16:24

Of course. She somehow amassed 3500+ likes on Facebook in less than a couple of months and dozens of interviews and features on some respected underground (and probably otherwise) webzines, all on the basis of one or two songs, neither of which were especially "out there" or unusual. The "female" component seems to be especially high with this band right now. I do like it though, it's some very pleasant and organic black metal, but I think we can safely say this is going to be overrated, or overhyped at least.

I guess it will be some nice organic BM, but to make a short two sentences rant, I find it sooo annoying how the gender attribute is brought forth constantly in the metal world ("oh a girl playing metal, so br00talz !" way of thinking haha). What I find quite funny, or ironic, is how people bitch about sexism in this kind of attitude (see Pretty female fronted goth-metal for eye-candy, etc....) yet it's only mentioned in some cases, and not in others (like here).

Written by [user id=4365] on 10.09.2014 at 16:38

I think the storm is yet to come though. I think when the EP is finally released she's going to get more fans than Jesus.

Yep. I can see it coming. Imagine if she shows boob.

Written by Vombatus on 10.09.2014 at 16:41

I guess it will be some nice organic BM, but to make a short two sentences rant, I find it sooo annoying how the gender attribute is brought forth constantly in the metal world ("oh a girl playing metal, so br00talz !" way of thinking haha). What I find quite funny, or ironic, is how people bitch about sexism in this kind of attitude (see Pretty female fronted goth-metal for eye-candy, etc....) yet it's only mentioned in some cases, and not in others (like here).

I admit I was originally drawn to this band as it was advertised as a one-woman black metal band, which is fairly uncommon, but at the same time, so fucking what? It's not like women are totally different animals that would somehow revolutionise black metal because they're wired like aliens to us men. I guess that's marketing though, even if it is somewhat like a positive form of sexism.

Written by Ilham on 10.09.2014 at 16:44

Yep. I can see it coming. Imagine if she shows boob.

I won't be checking out the debut album if flesh is not shown.

Written by Vombatus on 10.09.2014 at 16:41

I guess it will be some nice organic BM, but to make a short two sentences rant, I find it sooo annoying how the gender attribute is brought forth constantly in the metal world ("oh a girl playing metal, so br00talz !" way of thinking haha). What I find quite funny, or ironic, is how people bitch about sexism in this kind of attitude (see Pretty female fronted goth-metal for eye-candy, etc....) yet it's only mentioned in some cases, and not in others (like here).

Well this is kind of new, that's why I didn't gather any negative press yet. Give it some time and maybe the novelty thing will wear off. But I agree with you. If this had been a guy, he'd have needed three full lengths to gather as much attention, and probably wouldn't have because it's kind of.. average bm. Not bad, not great. Average.

So far, so decent. Nothing special, and nothing is really grabbing at me. Though I'm a fan of the choir-esque/angelic church vocal thing going on.

As for the whole "ermagerd, woman!" thing, well, I've got a weird view on that, I think. Though I should point out it's when a band is one-woman band or an all female, or majority female, band. Even if the music isn't great or 100% original I think they should be given publicity - purely so that other women see it and think, 'Fantastic, we don't just have to be the lead vocalist who shows a tonne of cleavage!".

Obviously, I'm talking actual publicity, and not pictures of the female members scantily clad or lying naked on an alter or whatnot, because that just defeats the purpose (and it's how female members seem to be publicised quite frequently in mainstream magazines).

tl;dr I like the idea of supporting all female, or majority female, metal bands even if the music isn't great, and giving them 'good' publicity, in the hope it inspires other talented musicians to start up a band with their female metalhead friends.

We can look at it more positively, it's not that common in black metal scene to see a one-woman band, and I think it's now somehow appreciated more by fans ?

@Doge: Isn't that a bit patronising though? =P

Written by [user id=4365] on 10.09.2014 at 16:52

@Doge: Isn't that a bit patronising though? =P

Is it? I dunno. It's more to do with trying to get past the traditional sexism that goes about in the metal communities (I like this post on it - http://trivium-quadrivium.tumblr.com/post/38352805256/sexism-and-bigotry-in-heavy-metal). I'm certainly not meaning it in a patronising way - it's mainly just a little bit of help 'til woman are viewed as 'more than the voice and the boobs of the band" in metal circles.

Written by Doge of Venice on 10.09.2014 at 16:58

Is it? I dunno. It's more to do with trying to get past the traditional sexism that goes about in the metal communities (I like this article on it - http://trivium-quadrivium.tumblr.com/post/38352805256/sexism-and-bigotry-in-heavy-metal). I'm certainly not meaning it in a patronising way - it's mainly just a little bit of help 'til woman are viewed as 'more than the voice and the boobs of the band" in metal circles.

Problem is that you run the risk is falling under the whole "Oh, women can't make it big without a helping hand from us men" sort of thing.

To be honest I don't really care that much. To me women are just things.

I always had this impression that every music made by women is bond to sound better than made by men. Nothing concrete to suport it it just came to grew on me within my experience. Plus the fact that i prefer female vocals the most
Not the case here though. The clean passages are good but the bm itself is very old fashioned for my tastes

Written by [user id=4365] on 10.09.2014 at 17:00

Written by Doge of Venice on 10.09.2014 at 16:58

Is it? I dunno. It's more to do with trying to get past the traditional sexism that goes about in the metal communities (I like this article on it - http://trivium-quadrivium.tumblr.com/post/38352805256/sexism-and-bigotry-in-heavy-metal). I'm certainly not meaning it in a patronising way - it's mainly just a little bit of help 'til woman are viewed as 'more than the voice and the boobs of the band" in metal circles.

Problem is that you run the risk is falling under the whole "Oh, women can't make it big without a helping hand from us men" sort of thing.

To be honest I don't really care that much. To me women are just things so whatevs.

It's not about being 'big'. Black metal bands are never truly going to make it big, per se. It's mainly to help them feel accepted as musicians and less as fap-material for metal teens, and to increase the number of female musicians in metal as a whole. If there were more female musicians, and more females in general, in the community, I would hope that the whole "METAL IS FOR MANLY DUD3Z" would subside a little more. I mean, it has been getting better, but meh. It still annoys me.

Maybe I'm looking at this all wrong though.

Written by Doge of Venice on 10.09.2014 at 17:06

It's not about being 'big'. Black metal bands are never truly going to make it big, per se. It's mainly to help them feel accepted as musicians and less as fap-material for metal teens, and to increase the number of female musicians in metal as a whole. If there were more female musicians, and more females in general, in the community, I would hope that the whole "METAL IS FOR MANLY DUD3Z" would subside a little more. I mean, it has been getting better, but meh. It still annoys me.

I was just playing devil's advocate really. I agree with you, though I think the modern climate is far better for women than it was so onwards and upwards etc. and other platitudes.

Written by Doge of Venice on 10.09.2014 at 17:08

Maybe I'm looking at this all wrong though.

In feminism there is no "right way to look at things. You'll be boned by one side of it if not the other

I would like her to be judged the same way a man would be judged. If that doesn't happen, there's no way good female musicians will make it because they're good at what they do.

Written by [user id=4365] on 10.09.2014 at 17:09

Written by Doge of Venice on 10.09.2014 at 17:06

It's not about being 'big'. Black metal bands are never truly going to make it big, per se. It's mainly to help them feel accepted as musicians and less as fap-material for metal teens, and to increase the number of female musicians in metal as a whole. If there were more female musicians, and more females in general, in the community, I would hope that the whole "METAL IS FOR MANLY DUD3Z" would subside a little more. I mean, it has been getting better, but meh. It still annoys me.

I was just playing devil's advocate really. I agree with you, though I think the modern climate is far better for women than it was so onwards and upwards etc. and other platitudes.

Ah, ok. I agree with that. It has definitely been getting better, and I think that is why we are seeing more female only/majority bands in metal. Which is good!

Written by Ilham on 10.09.2014 at 17:12

I would like her to be judged the same way a man would be judged. If that doesn't happen, there's no way good female musicians will make it because they're good at what they do.

I have judged her as I would a man. It's decent music and I like the clean, ethereal vocals. But without giving publicity to the current bands, how does on inspire other aspiring musicians, whether worse or better musicians than Myrkur, to start a band? I mean, if all-female bands don't do all that well, either because they aren't great at what they do or because 'they aren't pretty enough to make it big' or any other reason, then how will some people see it as a viable means of making a living? I mean, sure, unless they are super talented one-person bands won't make a living out of their music (though I may be wrong here too), but when it comes to bands with more than member.

I have yet to see an all-female metal band that has convinced me, who aren't a cover band. If you know of (m)any, please link me! That's not to say women aren't as good as men or whatever, just that there aren't as many female as male bands and that I can only presume that some musicians get put off forming a band. The closest I've come to find one that I may enjoy is Blackthorn, but the vocals put me off - both the cleans and the growls.

Written by [user id=4365] on 10.09.2014 at 17:10

Written by Doge of Venice on 10.09.2014 at 17:08

Maybe I'm looking at this all wrong though.

In feminism there is no "right way to look at things. You'll be boned by one side of it if not the other

But... but... I'm just trying to be reasonable.

Written by Doge of Venice on 10.09.2014 at 17:35

I have judged her as I would a man. It's decent music and I like the clean, ethereal vocals. But without giving publicity to the current bands, how does on inspire other aspiring musicians, whether worse or better musicians than Myrkur, to start a band? I mean, if all-female bands don't do all that well, either because they aren't great at what they do or because 'they aren't pretty enough to make it big' or any other reason, then how will some people see it as a viable means of making a living? I mean, sure, unless they are super talented one-person bands won't make a living out of their music (though I may be wrong here too), but when it comes to bands with more than member.

I have yet to see an all-female metal band that has convinced me, who aren't a cover band. If you know of (m)any, please link me! That's not to say women aren't as good as men or whatever, just that there aren't as many female as male bands and that I can only presume that some musicians get put off forming a band. The closest I've come to find one that I may enjoy is Blackthorn, but the vocals put me off - both the cleans and the growls.

I am sure you did, you have sounded reasonable so far. I personally hate ethereal vocals and most female vocals in metal or otherwise, but that's just my tastes, and we'll leave them where they are for the sake of the discussion.
I think that giving publicity to female fronted bands just because they are female-fronted is what actually promoted that gotho-hoe thing we see everywhere. Because at no point in time they were judged for what they did, which is 90% shitty operatic vocals. I actually flee anything female fronted: I developed some kind of trauma because most the time it's just less interesting than an all man band that tried hard to put out great albums.
Ironically, I think females have it TOO EASY in metal, because of that "hey let's help this girl get famous" mentality. They don't have to strive has much as men to get recognized, and that's why there are so few that actually are here for the music. If we had judged them for what they do in the first place, maybe we'd actually see more talented female vocalists/musicians in metal.

I kinda repeated myself three times. Nevermind.

Written by Ilham on 10.09.2014 at 17:51

I think that giving publicity to female fronted bands just because they are female fronted band is what actually promoted that gotho-hoe thing we see everywhere. Because at no point in time they were judged for what they did, which is 90% shitty operatic vocals. I actually flee anything female fronted: I developed some kind of trauma because most the time it's just less interesting than an all man band that tried hard to put out great albums.

I agree. I think in most female fronted bands, they female tends to be judged on a mixture of appearance and vocal talent. Which is why I think, say, Ann-louice (or however you spell her name, can't remember) from Diablo Swing Orchestra never made it as big as she, or the band, could have, because she didn't have what most would consider a 'marketable' appearance. And she is arguably better than all those pseudo-operatic vocalists - she recently left the band because of a career in opera.

But anyway, my point was less about female fronted (there is a billion of them) and more about all-female or majority-female bands, such as Blackthorn or Dreadnought or Myrkur. Female fronted bands tend to be all male musicians with the added 'sex appeal' of a super attractive gotho-hoe, as you call them. The ones who don't have a super attractive front lady don't tend to make it as big.

The one variable I haven't been taken into account are bands that have a minority of female members who aren't vocalists. I don't know enough about them, really.

Quote:

Ironically, I think females have it TOO EASY in metal, because of that "hey let's help this girl get famous" mentality. They don't have to strive has much as men to get recognized, and that's why there are so few that actually are here for the music. If we had judged them for what they do in the first place, maybe we'd actually see more talented female vocalists/musicians in metal.

True. Just a shame that "in the first place" was like, 40/50 years ago. Difficult to "fix" the problem when it is so rooted in the culture.

Written by Doge of Venice on 10.09.2014 at 18:17


But anyway, my point was less about female fronted (there is a billion of them) and more about all-female or majority-female bands, such as Blackthorn or Dreadnought or Myrkur. Female fronted bands tend to be all male musicians with the added 'sex appeal' of a super attractive gotho-hoe, as you call them. The ones who don't have a super attractive front lady don't tend to make it as big.

oh wait but the girl who is playing in Dreadnought is really talented, she's multi-instrumentalist and has different styles of vocals and also as far I know she's one of the main songwriter in the band, I have never noticed that she promoted her music by her appearance.

Written by angel. on 10.09.2014 at 18:25

Written by Doge of Venice on 10.09.2014 at 18:17


But anyway, my point was less about female fronted (there is a billion of them) and more about all-female or majority-female bands, such as Blackthorn or Dreadnought or Myrkur. Female fronted bands tend to be all male musicians with the added 'sex appeal' of a super attractive gotho-hoe, as you call them. The ones who don't have a super attractive front lady don't tend to make it as big.

oh wait but the girl who is playing in Dreadnought is really talented, she's multi-instrumentalist and has different styles of vocals and also as far I know she's one of the main songwriter in the band, I have never noticed that she promoted her music by her appearance.

I never said that. Or I didn't mean to say that. I might have fucked up my wording. My original point, way back yonder in the thread, was related to all-female or majority-female bands, such as those listed there, but it wasn't to do with promoting music using their appearance. That was a point Ilham brought up about female-fronted bands (I'm assuming such as Nightwish, Amaranthe, Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil etc). I may have made a mistake going back to my original point there. So, my bad.