Category Archives: Metal Chick of the Month

Metal Chick of the Month – Nova Twins

Posted on by
Reply

Choose your fighter… Amy Love, or Georgia South?

Get ready for double the awesomeness here at The Headbanging Moose with our talented, charismatic and stunning rock and metal ladies of the month of July, turning up the heat even more this summer. Hailing from London, England, this amazing UK duo will rock your world with their fusion of Rock N’ Roll, Punk Rock and Heavy Metal with several other styles, always sounding vibrant, fresh and dynamic and, consequently, getting a bigger and bigger fanbase with each one of their releases. I’m talking about the electrifying English Hard Rock duo Nova Twins, formed of vocalist and guitarist Amy Love, and bassist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Georgia South, two unrelenting women who will kick your ass with their first-class music, wicked videos and incendiary live performances, and I’m sure you’ll become addicted to them after knowing more about their career.

Formed in 2014 in “The Big Smoke” (under the name BRAATS, when they released a song named Bad Bitches that can be seen being performed live HERE), Nova Twins are chaotic and hyperactive, charming and insane, describing their music as “Urban Punk”, and their perfect sync comes from years and years of friendship. Having been close friends since childhood, and having played in bands that were often booked on the same bill, the duo is the perfect example of how a DIY attitude can be extremely beneficial if you love what you do and if you keep working hard to achieve your goals. Sewing their stage outfits from scratch, and filming their music videos using smartphones with the help of Georgia South’s mother, the then teenagers Amy and Georgia quickly gained considerable recognition in the local Southeast London open-mic scene, playing at renowned venues including The Fox & Firkin and Ravensbourne Arms, and releasing their debut single titled Bassline Bitch online back in 2015, leading to the release of their self-titled debut EP in 2016.

Of Iranian and Nigerian descent, vocalist and guitarist Amy Love has always had a love for the electric guitar despite not being able to play it when she first started to make music, always finding guitarists to accompany her on songs, considering very frustrating the fact she couldn’t play the guitar herself, which could cause some hurdles in her creative process; whereas Georgia South, who’s of Jamaican and Australian descent, and whose father is also a musician named William South, first started learning the bass guitar when she went to band school over a summer holiday at 13 years old. They met as teenagers through Georgia’s brother and felt a connection right away “I was introduced to Georgia’s family and we just got on like a house on fire,” said Amy in one of her interviews. “I went to her house one day and we clicked immediately.” They didn’t think about forming a band right away, though, due to Amy’s solo project and Georgia being involved in a local band, but of course, as you already know, it didn’t take long for the duo to get united in the name of Rock N’ Roll.

The duo has already released two full-length albums, those being Who Are the Girls? in 2020 and Supernova in 2022, plus their aforementioned self-titled EP in 2016, the EP Thelma and Louise in 2017, and another EP in 2017 titled Mood Swings, as well as several singles. All their wicked creations can be found on YouTube and on Spotify, including the official videos for Cleopatra, Taxi, Play Fair, K.M.B., and Wave, among others, not to mention all official and unofficial live footage such as Cleopatra live at Rock im Park in 2023, and Bassline Bitch live at Hellfest in 2019, and you can also click HERE for all things Nova Twins.

Having already toured with several amazing bands the likes of Prophets of Rage, Wolf Alice, Skunk Anansie, Bring Me The Horizon and Enter Shikari, Amy and Georgia have also collaborated with Bring Me The Horizon on the song 1×1, from their 2020 album Post Human: Survival Horror, with Koder on the song Vibrations – Remix, from the 2017 EP Vibrations, and with Tsar B on the song Flitch, found in the 2020 EP’s Unpaintable and Flitch. They’ve also performed with Fever 333 during their BBC Radio 1 Maida Vale session, won Best UK Breakthrough Band at the Heavy Music Awards, ranked in NME’s 20 best debut albums of 2020, became the face of Dr. Martens Alternative A/W campaign, and started their own custom clothing line called Bad Stitches.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Highly vocal about the rock and metal scene, and about the musical roots that helped them craft their path to stardom, the duo is influenced by an array of artists and musicians it’s actually hard to list all or even to label them, showing how diverse their taste can be. “We’re influenced by so many different things that I don’t think we’d feel comfortable being stuck to one thing. We enjoy experiencing and being inspired by different genres, whether it’s hip-hop or jazz. Music’s music and it comes in different forms, but makes you feel different things at the right time,” commented the duo. Having Skin (of Skunk Anansie) and Tom Morello (of Rage Against The Machine) as their friends and mentors, Nova Twins strongly believe that having those mentors has been crucial for their growth as musicians, always receiving constructive feedback and technical advice from those seasoned musicians. In addition, the duo also loves to support new bands, mentioning Gully Boys, Pinkshift, Zaria, The OBGMs and HO99O9 as some of the artists they enjoy listening to and seeing live.

Regarding their live performances, Georgia mentioned in one of their interviews that she wants fans to leave their shows feeling “like they’ve released everything, and like they feel seen in the room.” They’ve been touring everywhere, taking their electrifying music to the stages in the UK, Europe and the United States, being the headliners in cities like Toronto, New York and Los Angeles, and even playing at famous European summer festivals the likes of Hellfest and Rock im Park, always taking good care of themselves to be able to perform in full force. “We’re quite disciplined. Drink fucks my vocals and if Georgia was drunk on stage there’s no way she’d be able to tap dance on her pedalboard. You have to go that step further to make sure you’re keeping alright. When we were first on tour we’d have sweets and crisps and shit on our rider, and always be hungry but forever eating and sitting in a van for eight hours all day. Now we’ve taken all the crap off, and on our day off our tour manager will try and find a cool, scenic place or a hot tub where you get a discount cos it’s winter.”

Always serious about representing their communities in the rock and punk scene, the duo believes visibility is a key part of opening the door for other black punk acts. However, in the beginning they felt alienated form the scene due to the fact that punk aesthetics are at the same time innovative but extremely strict, and despite the fact the movement is linked to anti-racism and leftist political ideologies, it’s still a white male-dominated scene. “People didn’t know where to put you on the playlist, or people wouldn’t have you play here because you didn’t ‘look rock’.” That’s one of the main reasons that led Amy and Georgia to start the Voices for the Unheard Instagram series in June 2020, as part of their efforts to further conversations around the Black Lives Matter movement, interviewing renowned artists including Big Joanie, Connie Constance and Oxymorrons, among others, about liberation, anti-racism, personal style and more, plus an exclusive Spotify playlist. Furthermore, the project culminated in a vinyl compilation and a live show on Dr. Martens’ Instagram. “We thought we were in a band just like any other band, but, as we went along, we slowly realized that when we were playing these festivals, we were looking at people that didn’t look like us backstage, and the people playing on stage didn’t look like us either. We would see people in the audience that looked like how we felt growing up, coming to shows like this. So then we were like, ‘We have to do it for them’. We are representing so much more that isn’t supported in the industry, in the mainstream, or anywhere at this point,” commented the duo.

They’ve also started seeing a lot more inclusivity in the alternative music scene, with lots of women, non-binary people and people of color being part of a new wave of rising talent, and having faced several hurdles as black women in rock music they’re more than fine as being role models to those up-and-coming artists. “We don’t shy away from being role models because, whether you like it or not, you are a role model if you have lots of people going to your Instagram every day and checking what you’re saying. We had so much difficulty at the beginning, and we don’t want that to be the case for new bands starting out now so we just like to boost people and make them feel confident and that they can strive to do anything.” And that’s why Amy and Georgia are so awesome, using their music not only to entertain us all, but also to make the whole world a more inclusive and, therefore, much better place to live.

Nova Twins’ Official Facebook page
Nova Twins’ Official Instagram
Nova Twins’ Official YouTube channel
Nova Twins’ Official Twitter

“Own your power. Whether it’s owning who you are, where you’re from. Your power could be your culture, where you’ve come from, what you’ve been through. Own it.” – Amy Love

“The world is limitless to you. There are no limits or ceilings to what you can do. The world is Supernova – you can break through.” – Georgia South

Metal Chick of the Month – Gia Federico

Posted on by
1

Shred it, Gia!

Attention, guitarists and shredders of the world! Summer is just around the corner, and here at The Headbanging Moose it’s time to pay a short and sweet tribute to a metal lady that knows how to extract pure fire and heat from her guitar. She might be currently working as a stock investor and real state agent, even saying she’s a “retired pro guitarist”, but we all know once you let Rock N’ Roll and Heavy Metal run through your veins there’s no turning back, you become a metalhead forever. I’m talking about Gia Federico, also referred to as simply Gia G, a well-known guitarist from the Boston, Massachusetts area who will certainly blow your mind with her undeniable talent and electrifying style. Having said that, are you ready to rock with such talented American guitarist?

Born and raised with her middle-class Italian family in Somerville, a suburban city located directly to the northwest of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States, Gia mentioned in one of her interviews that she started late in the world of rock and metal music, only when she was around 17 years old by listening to her parents’ collection of albums, taking lessons with Boston-based shredder Joe Stump (Alcatrazz, HolyHell, Raven Lord) for three and a half years before continuing on her own and developing her own style, focusing mainly on instrumental rock and metal while also having her Alternative Metal band Devil In The Mist, plus doing studio work for various projects and owning her own commercial home studio. In addition, she mentioned that she bought her first guitar at a music store a long time ago for only 90 US dollars, a remake of a Fender Telecaster, but that she doesn’t have that guitar anymore.

Regarding her solo project Gia G, which is obviously her moniker when playing with that project, Gia explained that her middle initial is actually G (as her legal name is Gia G Federico), and that Gia G sounds and feels catchy. Managing to elevate her sound and show distinction from her prior projects, she has infused “jazz modal and scalar legato” into the mix, adding an extra kick to her instrumental creations while also presenting elements from metal, shred, rock, alternative, experimental, indie, blues, jazz, classical and acoustic pop, among others, representing all her freedom as a musician. With the project’s most recent lineup being formed of Gia on the guitars and keyboards, Mark George on drums, and Paul Angle on bass, and by the way they didn’t know each other before (having met through Gia’s sound engineer), she released the singles The Chase (2013), Interwoven (2015), Spontaneous (2017) and The Ladder (2019), as well as the three-track EP Cosmic Wave (2022), which can be appreciated in full on Spotify, on YouTube and on BandCamp. Furthermore, Cosmic Wave can be considered her most successful release to date, reaching number 1 for one week on KB Radio in Canada on their Top 25 International chart and on Paramount FM 94.5 Radio, number 3 on Radio Guitar One Top 30 Rock, and number 6 on Holy Noise Radio.

Speaking of her Alternative Metal/Grunge band, named Devil In The Mist, despite the fact the band released their debut self-titled EP in 2018 and the full-length album Hidden In Plain Sight in 2022, via Sliptrick Records, the band formed of Gia Federico on the guitars and keyboards, Mark George on drums and Paul Engle on bass seems to be on a hiatus or defunct, as all of their social media doesn’t work anymore, plus the fact that Katy Reign is no longer their vocalist (and therefore Gia decided to focus on her solo project instead). More open to every style including jazz, blues, classical, acoustic, pop, country and so on, the project looked very promising if it wasn’t for the lineup changes (and for Gia’s career change, of course), but you can still enjoy some of their songs on YouTube including Mercy, Far Gone, and Severed Ties. And on a side note, you can also find her lending her guitar abilities to Lakes Region, New Hampshire-based Heavy/Groove Metal band Infinite Sin, playing the guitar solo on the song Temple of Darkness as a guest musician.

Highly influenced by guitar heroes such as Eddie Van Halen, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy Rhoads, Allan Holdsworth, Scotty Moore, Ritchie Blackmore, Chuck Berry, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix, as well as renowned rock and metal giants the likes of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Aerosmith, The Beatles, Black Sabbath, The Police, Tool, Metallica, Van Halen, Led Zepplin, Queen and Alter Bridge, just to name a few, Gia writes her music by going over scales and modes, by listening to other artists (including all types of music from pop to blues, from shred guitar to old metal music, and so on), and inspired by things going on in her life, her past, her present, and even her future. In addition, when asked which band in the world she would love to play with, she mentioned some big names including Judas Priest, Ozzy and Dio, also saying she would enjoy doing something like what Nita Strauss did with Alice Cooper, but not forever, as she likes to create her own music. Moreover, when asked to pick three people in history (dead or alive) she would love to sit down and have dinner with, Gia curiously didn’t mention any musicians, but people in business who invented something relevant, such as Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Warren Buffet.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Endorsed by several companies the likes of Seymour Duncan, Fishman, SKB Cases, SIT Strings, Coffin Gear,  FU -Tone Copper Sound Pedals Emperor Cabinets, Revv Amplification, ZT Amplifier, and WB Gear, among others, and known for her tap harmonic style, Gia loves her custom shop Fender Stratocasters, having custom ones from 2005, 2015 and 2022, and also having four custom shop Jacksons, among others, to a total of around 27 guitars. In addition, she also mentioned in one of her interviews that she wants to get a custom shop Les Paul to be able to compare it to the other guitars. When asked about her favorite guitar setup, she said it’s tough to say it exactly because it always depends on which song she’s playing or writing, although she mentioned that during her live performances she was using her custom red Fender Stratocaster with a Marshall JVM. Having played for a very small crowd on her first ever concert in a small club in Somerville, but of course feeling nervous just because it was her first live show, Gia said the best way to overcome stage fright is by pretending you’re jamming in your room when it’s time to hit the stage. Furthermore, she said she would love to play in big festivals like the ones in Europe alongside some of her favorite bands like Metallica; however, due to the significant change in her career now, I guess that, unfortunately, we might not see Gia playing anytime soon in any festival or small venue.

Gia has already won many prizes and was featured in different charts in her career as a guitarist, such as for example being ranked in 4th place in the “Top 15 Hard Rock & Metal Female Guitar Shredders” chart by Metalholic.com in 2014; winning 1st round, being 3rd place in the 2nd round, and advancing to the finals at Emergenza Festival in 2004; seeing her EP Cosmic Wave reaching position #1 for one week on KB Radio in Canada on their Top 25 International chart, position #3 on Radio Guitar One Rock Top 30, and position #6 on Holy Noise Radio (as already mentioned); being ranked #1 in local charts for instrumental artists in Boston, and also on ReverbNation in their national and global charts for instrumental artists many times; among several other awards. That’s not just amazing for her as a guitarist, but also as a woman, as Gia herself mentioned already that female guitarists do not get the same respect as male ones, also saying it can be really hard for a woman who plays the guitar in the United States to have the same support as a man.

Having already reached over 100,000 unique views on YouTube in one month for one of her videos (and that number went up to 500,000 views later), and with around 6 million views in total on her channel plus almost 70,000 subscribers, Gia thinks that at the same time that streaming is great, many musicians can get screwed up with that due to the insignificant amount of money made. In addition, she obviously prefer buying vinyl over digital music, as she believes vinyl has a much more organic (and therefore less mechanical) feel to it. She also mentioned she would certainly sell her back catalog if a big label such as Sony or Universal offered to buy everything, but of course she said she’s not even close to the size or level of the artists managed by those labels.

As aforementioned, Gia considers herself now a “retired pro guitarist”, focusing now on her career in the investing and real state market, something she has actually been doing for quite a while (even when she was still playing the guitar on a professional level). However, our talented guitarist/businesswoman still has some advice to give to young musicians who are just starting to learn how to play the guitar. She said new musicians should look at it as a hobby and with an open mind, playing mainly for their personal enjoyment, and never thinking they’ll become the next big thing in music because that’s not the reality for most people in such competitive market. Wise words by a seasoned guitarist, I might say, and you can find a lot more information about Gia and her work as a musician online, such as this nice interview to ROX TV in the beginning of 2022. Good luck to Gia on her not-so-new endeavors in the business world, but of course we’ll all receive her back to the rock and metal community with open arms anytime her mind, heart and soul feel the need for the riff again.

Gia Federico’s Official Facebook page
Gia Federico’s Official Instagram
Gia Federico’s Official YouTube channel
Gia Federico’s Official Twitter

Metal Chick of the Month – Gogo Melone

Posted on by
1

Forged in this world… Chained to this earth… Forced to stay where I am… Evermore…

If you’re an admirer of the darkest forms of music and arts in general, I’m beyond certain you’ll have an absolute blast knowing more about our multi-talented metal lady of the month of May here on The Headbanging Moose. Not only she owns a powerful and beautiful voice, but she’s also a keyboardist, a songwriter, and an accomplished digital artist and graphic designer who has already worked with countless bands from the metal scene. I’m talking about Gogo Melone, the lead singer and composer for Aeonian Sorrow and Elyzia, and former vocalist for Luna Obscura, with guest appearances to bands such as ISON, Mercury Circle, IANAI, Ghostheart Nebula, As The Sun Falls and others, and having worked as a graphic designer for bands such as Xandria, Insomnium, Wolfheart, Omnium Gatherum and Vintersea, just to name a few. As you can see, Gogo Melone is an unstoppable force in heavy music, embellishing the airwaves with her voice while at the same time captivating our attention with her stunning graphic creations.

Born on July 17, 1985 in Ioannina (often called Yannena), the capital and largest city of the Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus, a region in north-western Greece, but currently residing in Helsinki, Finland, Gogo Melone began her career in music back in 2000 when she founded Greek Atmospheric/Melodic Death/Gothic Metal band Luna Obscura (Latin for “dark moon”) together with guitarist Dimitris Papachristos and vocalist Aris Potonos, inspired by the music by Draconian, Trail of Tears, Tristania, Theatre of Tragedy, Crematory, Paradise Lost, and all other bands with death and gothic elements. Gogo Melone mentioned in one of her interviews that there wasn’t any major plan to create Luna Obscura in the beginning, as it was just a musical experimentation, saying that she simply joined the band during the recordings of their demo Darcanda (released only in 2004). “The idea to have male and female vocals came easily, I guess that we all loved this combination at that time and somehow we felt it was the right direction for our music,” commented our diva, describing their sound as having atmospheric, death and gothic elements with harsh male and clean female vocals. “Our lyrics talk about death, human psychology and our transitions, the mystery, the unknown. All in combination with the music and the beautiful alternations of brutal and ethereal female vocals, create a melancholic yet strong-aggressive effect.”

Although the band was put on hold back in 2017 and has been dormant since then, and with Gogo Melone no longer being part of the band, there’s a lot to enjoy from their past releases, including the aforementioned demo Darcanda (as “Gwgw Melone”), their 2007 EP Evilyn, and their 2008 full-length opus Feltia, and you can enjoy several videos of the band on their official YouTube channel including Oronar, The Burden Of Solitude, and a live version of Dance of Forsaken Souls. Moreover, when asked about the importance of the visual part of the live performances by Luna Obscura, Gogo Melone said that all they cared about was delivering an emotional show to the crowd, focusing not only on the music, but also on the atmosphere surrounding it, as that was what their music was all about.

In another one of her bands, Finnish/Greek Gothic/Doom/Death Metal act Aeonian Sorrow, founded in 2015 by Gogo Melone alongside guitarist Taneli Jämsä, bassist Pyry Hanski, drummer Saku Moilanen, and vocalist Alejandro Lotero, she’s not only their vocalist but also their keyboardist, having released with the band the single Forever Misery, in 2017, the full-length album Into the Eternity a Moment We Are, in 2018, and the EP A Life Without, in 2020, all available on their BandCamp page, containing some fantastic creations including My Solitude, The Endless Fall Of Grief, One Love, and Thanatos Kyrie.

Fast forward to 2021, and there she is, the unrelenting Gogo Melone, starting another amazing band named Elysia (now spelled Elyzia), playing a stunning fusion of classic Black Metal and Experimental/Atmospheric Black Metal with nuances of Gothic and Doom Metal. She’s also the vocalist and keyboardist of the project, alongside vocalist, guitarist, bassist and drummer Jani Berney (of bands like As the Sun Falls, Tenebrae Aeternum and Chotzä, and who’s by the way engaged to Gogo Melone), having released their debut effort, the five-track EP Numinous, in August 2022. There’s an official video for the title-track Numinous, as well as official streams of the songs Veiled Fear and Onism on YouTube, and you can also find the full EP available for streaming on Spotify. Moreover, you can find more details about the band on Instagram,  and purchase their music via BandCamp. Regarding the name change, switching the letter S for Z, the duo posted a short and sweet message on their Instagram explaining everything. “Some disrespectful idiots coming from the deathcore scene are spamming our social media with threats and hate because there is an old band using the name Elysia. Considering the fact that this other band has been inactive since 2008 and ever since they had no new releases or shows, it is a joke and a bit boring to have to read bullshit about a name when there are so many other names that have been used already three and five times. But let’s end this in a positive note. We are currently working on a new single and a new album which we plan to release in the next few months.”

You can also find Gogo Melone as a guest vocalist or keyboardist to several amazing underground bands, metal or non-metal, by the way. “So far I have met so many great musicians and bands and have done amazing collaborations worldwide so I guess the thing that counts the least is the genre of music. Although I would like to experiment more in Gothic Metal, Doom and Death Metal but the most important is to keep making good collaborations and gain more experience,” said our diva, who not only could be seen singing live with Atmospheric Doom/Death Metal band Clouds back in 2018, but she also recorded vocals for the songs In This Empty Room, from their 2017 EP Destin, When I’m Gone, from their 2018 album Dor, and an acoustic version of that same song, from their 2020 compilation Clouds Acoustic; the re-recorded version of Suffer in Darkness, released as a single in 2022 by Finnish Symphonic Death/Doom Metal band Depressed Mode; Underworld, from the 2005 EP Skotos, by Greek Black/Death Metal act Empathy; Ascension Pt. I Cosmic River, from the 2021 album Ascension, by Italian Melodic Doom/Death Metal band Ghostheart Nebula; Scaling the Summit, from the 2023 EP Scaling the Summit, by Greek Symphonic/Melodic Death Metal band Neperia; a partnership with Greek Gothic Metal act Sorrowful Angels in the cover version for Moonspell’s classic Scorpion Flower, from their 2012 EP Reborn: A Tribute to Moonspell; A Light Year Breath, from the 2020 album Empire of the Void, by Italian Death/Doom Metal band Tethra; and Where the Sun Turns to Grey, from the 2021 album Echoes of Winter, by Italian Progressive Doom Metal band Veil of Conspiracy.

Other guest appearances include the songs Drink the Effect, from the 2008 self-titled EP by Greek Industrial Black Metal band Rheinkaos; Scary Place, from the 2014 self-titled album by Vita Nova; and Winter Is Coming, a solo single released in 2014 by Stream of Passion’s Eric Hazebroek. There’s also a solo album that Gogo Melone mentioned she started working in the beginning of 2012, which should be called Black Silent Vision (or something like that), and she even mentioned in one of her interviews that a digital single was almost ready to be released that year in the summer, but so far nothing has been released maybe due to all her responsibilities as a graphic designer, which undoubtedly consumes a lot of her time.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Speaking about her passion for arts in general and her work as a graphic designer and digital illustrator since 2007, Gogo Melone mentioned that her favorite styles are emotional, dark and surreal, nurturing a deep passion for red, black and white, as well as for digital art, photography, music and film. “I can’t be myself without freedom and creativity and with art you can have both at maximum. My work is a mixture of dark digital art and photography, highly influenced by films, dark and gothic fashion, fairytales, the beauty of fragile souls and dreamy places,” said our diva, who’s also worried about the future of album covers and booklets due to the vast majority of physical albums being replaced by their digital formats. She has already worked with countless bands in her career, being responsible for the artwork, design or layout of their albums, including for example the bands Xandria, Ablaze My Sorrow, Lutharo, Red Moon Architect, Stormbound, As the Sun Falls, Delusions of Reality, Eye of Solitude, Gallia, Mythodea, White Empress and Wolfheart, just to name a few, plus of course her own bands Aeonian Sorrow, Luna Obscura and Elyzia. Furthermore, inspired by her favorite types of music or bands, a good movie, a documentary, a walk in nature, her past memories, her fears and her dreams, Gogo Melone said in one of her interviews that it doesn’t matter the quality or technique behind an image if it captures the essence of the message that’s being sent. In addition, she also mentioned that although she can’t be considered a photographer, she finds it very inspiring to see the works of both classic and modern photographers such as Cecil Beaton, Philippe Halsman, Steve McCurry, Allan Amato, Tim Walker, Nicolas Guerin, Winter Kelly and Natalie Shau.

Regarding her idols and influences, she said that her introduction to the metal scene happened when she bought the Black Album by Metallica, leading her to take some basic non-professional vocal lessons, participating in her school choir, and starting to sing in different bands during her high school years. Among her favorite bands we’ll find some incredible names such as My Dying Bride, Theater of Tragedy, Katatonia, Anathema, Draconian, Novembers Doom, Daylight Dies, Trail of Tears, Swallow The Sun, Shape of Despair, Paradise Lost, Moonspell and many more, being a diehard fan of all things doom, gothic and death. She was also asked to list her top five albums of all time a few years ago, and if her taste hasn’t changed since then her list is formed of The Silent Enigma, by Anathema; The Angel And The Dark River, by My Dying Bride; Viva Emptiness, by Katatonia; Velvet Darkness They Fear, by Theater of Tragedy; and Arcane Rain Fell, by Draconian.

Although Gogo Melone might have never taken professional vocal lessons, she doesn’t encourage people to follow the same path. “Everything is better when you have technical knowledge and when you know how you can use your voice without destroying it,” she said, also mentioning that she warms up her voice with simple techniques and rest it for long periods. “I don’t smoke, I’m not a big alcohol drinker, I drink a lot of water, I work out a bit and I sleep well as much as possible. Thankfully I didn’t do any damage to my voice so far, but after some years, maybe many years, my voice will change anyway so I guess that a few professional lessons will help to maintain it.” She obviously loves to use her voice live, and being onstage is extremely important to her as a musician and as a person. For instance, her most memorable live performances happened during the European tour that Aeonian Sorrow did with Swallow The Sun and Oceans of Slumber in 2019, also saying that one of the best concerts she has ever witnessed was Anathema when they played in Thessaloniki, Greece in 2005.

When asked if she prefers focusing on her career or her family, as several female singers have already mentioned they would rather concentrate in their careers, Gogo Melone said she would never sacrifice her family for her career, saying that there’s no point in spending most of the time away from your family or having kids you won’t see growing up, complementing by saying that not having a family when you’re in your 20’s or 30’s might be fine, but definitely not when you turn 40 or 50. A member of Eve’s Apple, a community (that might not be active anymore) focused on uniting female metal and rock singers to share their experiences, get to know each other, chat about a variety of topics, and promote their music without any sort of competition, Gogo Melone believes that the metal scene is no longer a male-dominated space, with all female-fronted bands showing metalheads they are no different from men, deserving nothing but respect from the scene. Hence, when questioned about her favorite female singers of all time, she listed Vibeke Stene (Tristania), Liv Kristine (Theatre of Tragedy, Leaves Eyes), Anneke Van Giersbergen (The Gathering), Lisa Johansson (Draconian) and Cathrine Paulsen (Trail of Tears) as her top ones, saying that list will never change for her.

Greece has always been an amazing source of metal music, but Gogo Melone believes the scene is even stronger now, with many bands having started to act more professionaly, therefore helping the local scene grow in a healthier way. “Of course the metal music industry has the normal ups and downs but people are always interested to discover new bands and artists,” she commented about the scene in Greece, also saying that due to having lost contact with her homeland in recent years she doesn’t follow a lot of Greek bands, apart of course form renowned acts such as Rotting Christ and Septicflesh, but that she knows all bands in Greece are putting a lot of effort into their music and they definitely need the support and attention from fans worldwide.

She also mentioned in one of her interviews that working as an independent artist is more in line with her goals, as she doesn’t like the standards such has “1 album every 2 years” or “you have to go live”, relying more on the online support she receives and on crowdfunding campaigns. “The internet and especially social networks are obviously the new way of bringing people together from all over the world. So, in regards to work and how you will promote it, I think it’s one of the best and most clever ways which can give you fast results. I like to use it very often, sometimes more than I should and even if it has helped me a lot…. I believe we must be very careful. It’s very easy to fool around instead of doing serious work, so be careful.” Well, we can all agree she’s been using the internet properly, as we’re all very lucky to be able to access her music and her art from anywhere in the world, bringing endless joy to our dark and gothic hearts.

Gogo Melone’s Official Facebook page
Gogo Melone Art’s Official Facebook page
Gogo Melone’s Official Instagram
Elyzia’s Official Facebook page
Elyzia’s Official Instagram
Elyzia’s Official YouTube channel
Aeonian Sorrow’s Official Facebook page
Aeonian Sorrow’s Official Instagram
Aeonian Sorrow’s Official YouTube channel

“Music is an amazing way to express your emotions and have fun all the time when you don’t take things so seriously. I prefer to sing whenever I want to and enjoy it in a way that makes me feel something instead of making albums every year with amazing productions but without soul, which obviously no one will remember after.” – Gogo Melone

Metal Chick of the Month – S Caedes

Posted on by
Reply

Black Metal is the air that she breathes!

If you agree with the statement that humanity is a mistake, you’ll have an absolute blast with our metal lady of this month of April here on The Headbanging Moose, setting fire to our rotten and decaying world with her inhumane gnarls, unique looks and devilish attitude. Known in the underworld of extreme music as the ruthless frontwoman for bands the likes of Lebenssucht, Humanitas Error Est and I Am All Wounds, she’s the perfect depiction of the importance of women in the current Black Metal scene worldwide, inviting us all to her Stygian lair to the sound of her sulfurous and harsh yet mesmerizing music. Her name is Anett Hauzu or Anett Gebauer, but you might know her for her demonic monicker S Caedes, a German Black Metal she-wolf that will crush your damned soul with her undeniable talent and passion for the darkest side of music and arts in general.

Born and raised in Leipzig, the most populous city in the German state of Saxony, S Caedes, which by the way is the combination of “sadist” (S) and “carnage” (Caedes, in Latin), with both words standing for her character, is much more than “just” a Black Metal vocalist, being also a skillful and innovative photographer and model, and according to S Caedes herself, she’s also a “blood fetishista” and a “fucked up mind”. Married to Australian vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Chris Gebauer, of bands such as Deadspace, Humanitas Error Est and I Am All Wounds (and as you might have notice, those two are definitely “partners in crime” in most of their music projects), S Caedes mentioned in one of her interviews that she was discovering different styles of metal music when she was around 12 or 13 years old, getting to know Black Metal and falling in love with it at the age of 14, saying Black Metal was then able to provide her with a special feeling that no other type of music could. “It’s just the feeling of knowing exactly where you stand with yourself. I’m strictly anti-religious and disgusted by humanity. It’s not an empty phrase for me, it’s just… me. Black Metal stands for the hate and aggression I always had and still have inside. I can’t put it better in words. When you’re really into Black Metal, you’ll know what I mean. Either you feel it or not,” commented S Caedes, who also said that after discovering Black Metal she always wanted to be on stage and scream the hell out of her throat, but she didn’t do anything to create a band then.

It was close to the end of 2012 when S Caedes together with drummer Ahephaïm started searching for musicians to finally form a Black Metal band, which was the initial spark for what would become Leipzig, Germany-based Brutal Black Metal entity Humanitas Error Est. One year later, S Caedes and Ahephaïm finally had a complete band lineup and started creating songs for their first album as Humanitas Error Est, resulting in their 2016 eleven-track beast Human Pathomorphism. A project with negative thoughts against any religions and pure misanthropy, Humanitas Erorr Est “is about confronting the world with its own brutality, its own sadism, its own hypocritical statement of liberty. It’s about unleashing indomitability, stir up hatred. It’s a scornful critical examination at mankind itself,” as stated by the band itself, with their name being the idea of Ahephaïm, a very unique, not cliché-ridden name that represents exactly what they stand for, meaning as already mentioned “humanity is a mistake” or “humanity is an error” in Latin.

After the tough decision of disbanding in 2019, S Caedes and Ahephaïm spent the better half of 2019 and early 2020 searching for the right musicians to propel them forward, with their new lineup being comprised of our metal lady and the band’s drummer, of course, together with Basmu (aka Chris Gebauer) on vocals, Arboria and Mictician on the guitars, and Fenrir on bass, turning the band into a multinational horde with members from Germany, Belgium, France and Australia. After the band being reborn like a phoenix, a new song was released back in 2020 entitled An Inexcusable Existence, available for purchase directly from their BandCamp page, following the same misanthropic and anti-human tropes expressed in their earlier work, and you can compare their new sound with their older songs the likes of Raping Religions and Pain Feeder to see their inner fire is still intact. Moreover, the band is currently working on a new album, which I’m sure will be amazingly brutal.

Her other major band, the venomous Depressive Suicidal Black Metal outfit Lebenssucht, is also a multi-national group with most members being the same as from Humanitas Error Est, those being S Caedes on vocals,  Ahephaïm on drums, Arboria on the guitars, Basmu on bass, and the non-Humanitas Error Est member Irleskan, from Austria, on lead guitars. One interesting fact about Lebenssucht is that the band was originally formed by S Caedes and Ahephaïm together with a third member, renowned vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Déhà (from bands like Acathexis, Déhà and Yhdarl, among several others, and who also mastered the debut album by Humanitas Error Est), who left the band in 2019. Despite not being a member of Lebenssucht anymore, Déhà is seen like a brother by S Caedes, showing all respect and admiration they have for each other. Lebenssucht, which means “lust for life” or “life addiction”, don’t have any limits as per S Caedes herself, and although the style played by the band is labeled as Depressive Suicidal Black Metal, the project is not about bringing hatred to the world. “It’s about enjoying your life, no matter what price you have to pay for. It’s about turning negativity into strength. Life is our drug,” commented S Caedes. If you want to properly experience the music by Lebenssucht, you can find their 2016 debut EP Fucking My Knife and their 2020 full-length opus -273​,​15°C (which represents absolute zero, the lowest possible temperature where heat energy is absent in a substance) on Spotify and on BandCamp, and enjoy the officials videos for A Hole in My Heart, Mirrors and Beloved Depression on YouTube, and stay tuned as their next album is going to sound even harsher, according to S Caedes herself.

Apart from her work with Humanitas Error Est and Lebenssucht, the unstoppable S Caedes is also one half of the stunning Black Metal duo  I Am All Wounds, together with her life partner Chris Gebauer, describing their music as “two souls colliding in a frenzied internal storm”, or “a sonic illustration of two beings woven together in fervent longing, an unyielding force,” having recorded the EP Keep Me Breathing in 2020, available on their BandCamp page and which contains the beautiful song You’re The Air That I Breathe. Not only that, she has also participated in a live improvisation recording named XXVI – IX – MMXV together with Ahephaïm and Déhà, recorded on September 26, 2015 (but released only in 2020) at Gate 32 Studios in Sofia, Bulgaria.

If you think all of those bands are projects are enough for S Caedes, you’re absolutely wrong, as our diva of darkness can also be found as a guest vocalist in the song Libido Dominandi, from the 2019 EP of the same name released by Australian Depressive Black/Gothic Metal act Deadspace; and also doing vocals on the songs The Unfair Betrayal, Insomnia and Morbus, from the 2019 album Morbus, and additional vocals on the 2019 live album Live at Brutal Assault 2017, both by Déhà’s Drone/Doom/Black Metal project Yhdarl; plus a couple of other guest appearances with the Black Metal bands Withering Night and Absolutus. Do you want more? What if I told you S Caedes was also the artwork model and was responsible for the editing in Deadspace’s 2019 EP Libido Dominandi; took care of the logo and layout for the 2020 EP Nuclear Sundown, by German Black/Doom Metal one-man project Exitium Sui; did the photography for the 2016 demo Century of the Goat, by German Black/Thrash Metal band Goatfuck; and also took care of the layout for the 2020 EP Keep Me Breathing, by her own project I Am All Wounds?

Not only that, S Caedes also did lots of videos for different bands (either her own or other unrelated bands), including the videos for the songs Moksha, by Deadspace; Serpent on a Cross, by Spectral Damnation; A Hole In My Heart, by Lebenssucht; An Inexcusable Existence, by Humanitas Error Est; teasers and trailers for Deadspace and Lebenssucht; and just finished the music video for Demenzia Mortis, which is yet to be released. When asked how she’s capable of maintaining a healthy balance between so many bands and projects with diverse sounds, she said that as each band carries a special part of her character and her view of life she needs them all to express herself with all emotions, always remaining true to herself and her principles, and saving enough physical and mental energy for each one of them.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As expected, S Caedes is obviously highly influenced by countless Black Metal bands, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t enjoy other styles such as Dark Ambient, Doom Metal, Martial Industrial, Death Metal and so on, and that she doesn’t own records from completely different artists such as Shakin’ Stevens and Rosenstolz. Among her favorite bands you’ll find great names the likes of Darvaza, Ritual Death, Merrimack, Vortex Of End, Aversio Humanitati, Regarde Les Hommes Tomber, Arkhon Infaustus, Benighted, Ondskapt,  just to name a few; on the Dark Ambient side she likes listening to Slaughter Natives, Gnaw Their Tongues, Triarii and Puissance, among others; and on the Martial Industrial side S Caedes likes groups such as Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, in special their song The Love & Defiance of Being Alive. “People who know me well often call me complicated concerning my taste of music. I don’t agree with that, I just don’t listen to every shit, that’s the point. Music needs to be able to crawl in my head and stay there, squeeze out my inner self, fuck my brain an give me goosebumps or the will to mosh like a psycho,” commented S Caedes about her unique taste in music, always focusing on the importance of Black Metal in her life and career. “Black Metal is my life, as ridiculous as it maybe sounds to some readers, it’s like that. It’s my personal freedom, I can lay down and just be who I really am.”

Regarding her vocal style and technique, S Caedes said in one of her interviews that in the beginning she just tried out what she could do with her voice, with her training songs being Sluts of Hell from Nattefrost and Bleached Bones from Marduk, and her throat was always scratching like hell after. She then started searching online for instructions on how to use her voice properly and found a very helpful video named The Zen Of Screaming, by renowned vocal coach Melissa Cross, also asking other vocalists for their advice. “It’s really great to discover your voice, trying out what is possible,” commented S Caedes, who also said that it’s important to reach a good balance to be able to sing extreme music. Moreover, when asked about her view of touring with a band and playing live, she mentioned that her bands’ audiences should always be ready to engage with them, as the bands always deliver a very emotional and honest performance. “The advantage of being on stage is that you can let out all your emotions in such extreme way, which is simply not possible when you’re at home. On stage I’m completely in rage, it’s like a shot in my head, letting the audience suck what comes out. Blood always brings me to this special state of mind. I’m a heavy blood fetishist (real blood, no fake shit!), it’s a big passion of mine and I just love being covered in it. When the music begins, I’m not thinking anymore, I’m just 100% in the songs and always give my everything. Off stage… well, I fought several years against all of these rule-based behaviors and finally succeed to be able to do in life what satisfies myself. Family and friends call me a bulldozer. Typical Aries. I agree with that. I’m a sadist. I like to torture slaves. I’m not beating around the bush with that. In addition, I’m also working as photographer and model. So, yeah I have quite a lot to do, but it’s exactly what makes me happy. I don’t care about being evil (whatever that means). I only care about my very needs.” She also said that she really doesn’t care if she plays in front of 50 or 5000 people, mentioning their performances at Underground Remains Open Air, Night Of Blasphemy and Boarstream Open Air as really mind-blowing moments.

When asked about the current Black Metal scene worldwide and in her homeland Germany, S Caedes said she sees it as a big family, finding like-minded people who are able to understand her point of view as opposed to the stress and hypocrisy that comes from living in a regular society. “Most people have their daily routine with all these stupid rules (e.g. dress code at work). Black Metal helps (helped me) to break through (social) conventions, finding myself and staying true to myself. Black Metal can help to relieve everyday’s negativity,” said our Black Metal she-demon, who also believes the Black Metal scene in Germany is a bit more elitist than in other countries as the scene is very developed with lots of festivals, labels and bands. “The fact is that I don’t care from which country a band is. It’s all about the music. Nothing more, nothing less.”

S Caedes is also an accomplished photographer and fetish model, usually under the name Anett Gebauer,  having her own website named Anett Gebauer Photo & Film dedicated to that form of art, and stating that her intent is to express various moods and emotions that are sometimes hidden from the naked eye. “Through the visual arts, I work to uncover underlying voices in order to portray alternative perceptions of life without limits. My work is about exposing the beauty of raging desires, unleashing your inner self, and for those who like it the morbid and obscure way, also daring to drown in deep dark waters. I invite you to take a deeper look under the surface. Through my images, I study the unconscious creatures of the collective human existence – pulsating, seductive and also shocking.” She also offers band shootings, CD artwork, music video creation and retouchings, is bookable for events and live photography, and does self-photography and work as a model. “I am a lover of dark arts, spanning from visual arts, film, music and literature. I create art that is rooted in life, with either positive or negative influences. All my work is inspired by bare emotions and the depths of human existence. I am forever excessive, perfervid, dirty-minded and stay always hungry for more.” Furthermore, she has already been part of several exhibitions, including Heart Of Darkness, in 2018 in the United States; Radiant Art Festival, in 2016 in Belgium; Session Noire, in 2011 in Germany and Belgium; and Art-P, in 2009 and 2010 also in Germany, among others.

Last but not least, S Caedes has a peculiar view on different topics, sometimes controversial, sometimes fairly straightforward. For instance, she said that one of the things she wishes the most is that the endless suffering of animals would finally end and that they would be accepted and respected as sentient beings; and also that her mom is her real life childhood hero, as she’s still grateful to her for a lot of things. “Honestly, I didn’t want me as a daughter,” commented S Caedes, who also said that as a wrestling fanatic her biggest heroes in the sport are Triple H and Sabu. “There was just so much blood in their matches, an intoxicating and formatively awesome sight for me.” As you can see, S Caedes is not just an amazing musician and artist, but also a great human being with a lot to offer to the metal community, always carrying the flag of Black Metal, the flag of freedom of expression and the flag of arts in general proudly high, and we’ll always be grateful to her for being so awesome and for creating such inspiring music and imagery.

S Caedes’ Official Facebook page
S Caedes’ Official Instagram
Anett Gebauer Photo & Film’s Official Facebook page
Anett Gebauer Photo & Film’s Official Instagram
Humanitas Error Est’s Official Facebook page
Humanitas Error Est’s Official Instagram
Humanitas Error Est’s Official YouTube channel
Lebenssucht’s Official Facebook page
Lebenssucht’s Official Instagram
Lebenssucht’s Official YouTube channel

“I don’t care about underground or popularity. I want to reach people who understand our music, who are able to feel our music.” – S Caedes

Metal Chick of the Month – Akane Liv

Posted on by
1

Sing with Akane Liv! Be brave! Free your soul!

Do you know what happens when the Land of the Rising Sun, the Land of the Morning Calm, the Land of Fields, and the Elongated Country are combined in the name of heavy music? Well, the result is our metal lady of the month of March, and I’m sure you’ll fall in love with her beautiful vocals, stunning looks and undeniable charisma after knowing more about a woman who perfectly unites Japan, South Korea, Poland and Sweden in her blood. Her real full name is Akane Okamoto-Kaminski, but everyone knows her by her stage name of Akane Liv, the multi-talented frontwoman of Japanese Symphonic Power Metal band Liv Moon, owner of a unique voice that will bring warmth to your soul during the last month of winter in the northern hemisphere without a shadow of a doubt.

Born on August 24, 1978 to a Polish-Swedish father and a Korean-Japanese mother in Gothenburg, a major city in Sweden situated off the Göta älv river on the country’s west coast, Akane Liv was actually raised and educated in the ultramodern yet traditional Japanese capital Tokyo. After graduating high school, she joined Takarazuka Revue, an elite Japanese all-female theatre troupe introduced to her by her aunt who was already a fan of the project (and she took Akane Liv there for the first time when she was still in elementary school), having performed with the company for six years before departing, enrolling at a small international college in Oxford, England. Whilst in England, Akane Liv took lessons in classical singing and performed at the 2004 edition of the Beckenham Music Festival, where she was named the Singer of the Year and, therefore, attracted a lot of attention worldwide. Despite being accepted to the prestigious Royal Academy of Music, she didn’t study there for long. Following a solo recital in Poland, she returned to Japan in 2005, where she continued to perform, graduating from Takarazuka Revue and meting producer Tatsuya Nishiwaki, leading to the founding of Liv Moon in 2009 while also releasing music under her own name, Akane Liv. Furthermore, when questioned about the main reasons why she left Takarazuka Revue the first time, Akane Liv mentioned that after seeing how musicals work in other parts of the world she felt that Takarazuka Revue was a dream world where she had to stay in character and wear makeup and costumes all the time, something very demanding for her.

Needless to say, there’s no Liv Moon without Akane Liv and vice-versa, with our metal lady being the heart and soul of the band since their inception in 2009. Currently formed of our diva Akane Liv together with Tatsuya Nishiwaki on keyboards, Masaki on bass, Kentaro on the guitars, Hideki Harasawa on drums, and Saori Hoshino on the violin, Liv Moon play beautiful Symphonic Power Metal dealing with topics such as tragedy, poetry, love and dark romanticism, having already released the full-length albums Double Moon (2009), Covers – Scream as a Woman (2010), Golden Moon (2011), Symphonic Moon (2012), The End of the Beginning (2012), and more recently Our Stories (2022), as well as a compilation called The Best of Liv Moon (2015), the EP R.E.D (2016), and a series of live albums and videos, those being Liv Moon Club Show Golden Moon (2011), Liv Moon Club Show 2012 “Symphonic Moon” – Black Night (2012), Liv Moon Club Show 2012 “Symphonic Moon” – White Night (2012), Liv Moon Club Show 2012 “Symphonic Moon” – White Night & Black Night (2012), and Liv Moon Live 2012 “The End of the Beginning” (2013). If you want to have a taste of the music by Liv Moon, you can enjoy the official videos for Escape, Never… and El Dorado on YouTube, or simply stream all of their releases on Spotify.

As aforementioned, our beloved diva also has her own solo project since 2013, simply named Akane Liv, having released her debut album titled Liv back in 2014. From that album, you can enjoy Akane Liv’s mesmerizing vocals in songs such as Night Parade, Summer Shadow, and Hikari, where you can easily see how she managed to blend international rock and pop music with Japanese pop. Apart from that, you can find Akane Liv as a guest vocalist in the songs Angel of Salvation, from the 2012 album by the same name by Japanese Neoclassical Power Metal act Galneryus; Incredible Bass Show, from the 2013 album Psycho Daze Bass by Japanese Heavy Metal/Shred project Masaki; Alone, from the 2010 album Crying Stars – Stand Proud!, and Chaotic Reality, from the 2019 album Vorvados, both by Japanese Neoclassical Power Metal project Syu; and Poison Eyes, from the 2013 album Devils in the Dark by Japanese Melodic Power Metal/Shred project Takayoshi Ohmura.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

A huge fan of Queen and Bon Jovi, playing songs such as Livin’ On A Prayer to cheer herself up, our diva mentioned in one of her interviews that she opened her eyes and ears to Symphonic Metal after listening to The Phantom of the Opera on the radio in a taxi while she was studying in England. She said that everyone in that musical showcased a powerful voice, saying she was moved by that, and also mentioning that The Phantom of the Opera has a strong rock vibe even among musicals, with its bass and drums sounding truly heavy. She also said that she doesn’t think Symphonic Metal and Takarazuka Revue are too different, because when she sings Symphonic Metal she also play various characters, sometimes even a different one every four or five minutes when a new song comes up (as opposed to Takarazuka Revue, where she used to play only one character for one hour or two), as Symphonic Metal has a stronger theatrical element than most metal styles. For instance, she mentioned that the role of Madame Red in Black Butler is a character that she couldn’t have created if she hadn’t invested in a darker and heavier world with Liv Moon, as that was a character full of jealousy, passion, affection and all kinds of emotions that are common to most women, whereas on the Liv Moon side, she wants her fans to have a very theatrical experience as if they were watching a theater group like Takarazuka Revue.

Having played a male role during a considerable amount of time with Takarazuka Revue, Akane Liv believes that the project’s appeal is that it expresses men and women of all ages as one single gender, with all of its gorgeous costumes making the whole experience of watching it even more compelling. Perhaps the only “issue” she had during her time with Takarazuka Revue was that she often sang only low notes despite being a good soprano, albeit that also helped her build her own layers when singing with Liv Moon. Lastly, despite being an accomplished singer and performer, Akane Liv said she still feels a little shy when she has to speak in front of an audience instead of singing, which by the way happens to several amazing artists out there, as after all is said and done, we’re all humans and we all have our fears, weaknesses and flaws, right? And being not just a great vocalist and artist, but above all that, an amazing person, is what turned Akane Liv into one of the most interesting names of the current Japanese music scene, as well as into our beloved metal lady this month.

Akane Liv’s Official Instagram
Akane Liv’s Official Twitter
Liv Moon’s Official Facebook page
Liv Moon’s Official YouTube channel

Metal Chick of the Month – Elana Justin

Posted on by
Reply

Can’t believe I’m lost inside your eyes… And anything and everything don’t you know I’m up for it tonight…

As the winter might be hitting most of us in the Northern Hemisphere in full force, let’s turn up the heat here on The Headbanging Moose by paying a humble tribute to an up-and-coming lady who definitely knows how to rock, living and breathing old school and modern-day Hard Rock, and always showcasing a deep passion for music and arts in general. Owner of a beautiful voice that matches perfectly with the riffs from her own band Motive Black, our metal lady of the month of February will kick your ass mercilessly and hypnotize you with her looks and music. I’m talking about Elana Justin, a New Yorker who’s making a name for herself in the competitive American market, in special in her current city Los Angeles, California, in the United States. Having said that, are you ready for a Rock N’ Roll ride together with Elana and her Motive Black?

Elana has always been into music, growing up doing musical theatre and singing Hard Rock and Heavy Metal simultaneously. As mentioned by Elana herself, her father had a nightclub while she was growing up, and on Thursdays they would have a singer-songwriter night. “I think watching and listening to everyone during that time really inspired me to want to be a singer/performer,” commented Elana about her beginnings. Graduating from the bar band circuit in New York, Elana seized the opportunity to move to Los Angeles in 2018 to work on new music, suddenly finding herself immersed in the local scene and performing on open mic nights at the iconic Viper Room. That immersion and connections made with members of the local scene eventually led to a collaboration with Grammy-winning guitarist and producer Nick Rowe (Bloodsimple, Vampire Weekend), with the duo reworking a song from Elana’s former New York band, taking the music in a heavier direction. That’s how Motive Black was born.

Regarding the name Motive Black, Elana mentioned in one of her interviews that they had a lot of trouble coming up with a name for the band.  “David Buckner from Papa Roach actually came up with the name, and it fit perfectly. It really paired well with the music and vibe,” commented Elana, who also had a few words to say about the musical direction of Motive Black, venturing through the realms of Alternative Rock and Metal with Hard Rock and Rock N’ Roll nuances. “I think the music both developed naturally and was pushed a little in a certain direction. I’ve always listened to and been a fan of this genre, and when the opportunity arose to create my own new project, I was definitely excited to really delve deep into the music I love.” Furthermore, Elana’s plan is to turn Motive Black into a full-bodied band, both in the interest of touring and future work on new music as they move forward.

Motive black are just about to release their debut opus, entitled Auburn (available on all platforms HERE), with Elena’s electrifying vocals bristling with a dynamic punch and scorching tones infusing all songs with raw, ferocious timbres and searing emotions. Regarding the album title, Elana explained that the album “is named for my sister’s beautiful auburn-colored hair. Losing her forced me to reexamine my life and make significant changes. I went through a huge transitional period which included both ugly and beautiful experiences. The album is a wild ride through that journey of anger, mania, deep love, and self discovery,” complementing by saying that “I lost my sister to her battle with addiction. She was one of the smartest women I will ever know. She was a straight-A student who aspired to be a doctor. Addiction does not discriminate. I am angry that she will never realize her dreams. This song is about loss, struggle, rage, but mostly it’s about missing my sister and all of her potential. I will never laugh with anyone like I did with Mia. We need to end the stigma associated with addiction. People are meant to be loved, not judged. I miss Mia every day, and I will for my whole life.” You can already enjoy songs from Auburn on YouTube, those being Broken, Fight Alone, and the title-track Auburn, as well as stream those songs on Spotify. Elana is extremely excited about not only the launch of Auburn, but also about the upcoming months as she plans to take the music by Motive Black to the stage, and therefore to feel the energy of the crowd reacting to her music.

Inspired by books, poetry, short stories, films and plays, Elana’s musical influences aren’t directly associated with the Motive Black sound, but they provided a solid foundation for the music to flourish. She cites Joan Jett, Alanis Morissette, and Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell as her main vocal inspirations, with bands like Halestorm pushing Motive Black’s music in the direction it has taken. “I’m a huge Halestorm fan; Lzzy Hale is a huge inspiration. I’m also really into Bring Me The Horizon lately.  I really love their creativity. Rival Sons was the last live show I saw before Covid. They were incredible. The vocals and musicianship left a huge impression on me,” commented Elana about some of the bands she enjoys the most. In addition, when asked which musician or celebrity she would date, her answer exhaled pure Rock N’ Roll. “I would have to say, Joan Jett. She oozes sex and power. She so inspires me, and just being around her would expand my consciousness.”

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

One of the songs from Motive Black’s debut album, the thrilling Lift Me Up, featuring the red hot synergy of Elana performing together with Butcher Babies’ one and only Carla Harvey in a street fighting sequence fans will want to view on repeat. “I wanted the video to focus on female strength. The director and I worked together to come up with an idea that spoke to that. It was also fun to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. I’ve never done anything combat related so it seemed like it would be a fun avenue to explore. The director, Dale Resteghini, also directed the video for Broken. I’m a Butcher Babies fan, so when the song was played for Carla and she agreed to perform on it I was super excited. Carla is a great example of a badass woman killing it in the music industry. I think her vibe fits the song perfectly. She really added something special to Lift Me Up. Working together really brought the song up to a new level,” commented Elana, complementing by saying that “I think it’s really important for people to see women working together to create music and art. We keep seeing it more and more and it’s so exciting. It’s essential for women in this industry to stick together and support each other. There is so much more female visibility in this kind of music than there was even just a few years ago.”

When questioned about the differences between the rock and metal scene in New York on the lower east side compared to the music scene on the legendary Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, Elana said that she has felt really embraced by the scene in Los Angeles since moving there, jamming at the Viper Room and meeting tons of talented musicians, as there’s always a lot going on in the city. When asked about how her hometown has influenced her sound, she said that she thinks there is a rawness that runs through every song that may not be present had she been from somewhere else.  “Who knows? I’m pretty laid back in general, I think and love living here in LA now. I save all my angst for the music!”

Elana strongly believes that drawing from experience gives the lyrics legs to stand on. “When something comes from a real place it almost writes itself. People want to connect – so I think songs from experience really resonate with listeners,” commented our diva, also saying that “everything that I write is emotion or experience driven, but sometimes a cool riff inspires lyrics that come out of nowhere and you work backwards to find the truth in them. It doesn’t always work – but there isn’t just one recipe I use. Other times I have something very specific that I want to say or reference and then I work with that to express what I am trying to get across.” She also believes that to be a successful musician or artist, especially in the very competitive landscape of the current music and arts industry, one should never give up, and be willing to persevere when times are tough or when there are too many obstacles that get in one’s way. Elana is indeed a fighter ready for any battle that comes her way, as not only she’s now beginning her path with Motive Black, but she’s also an actress (as you can see in her IMDB profile), having already featured in G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) and The Jim Gaffigan Show (2015).

Although our amazing singer has never been big into social media, she said she’s been adjusting to that as that’s going to play a big part in the way Motive Black connect to their fans and share their music for the foreseeable future. “I believe the more we can connect directly with our fans, the better chance we have not only to survive – but to thrive, long term.  Having loyal fans who are really into what we do – and are directly connected to us – the better chance we have to remain viable long term, no matter what the industry circumstances are,” said Elana, who also said that she wants people to hear her songs and reinterpret them into something that is meaningful to them. She wants us all to “be bold, be brave and always keep moving forward,” exactly like what she’s doing in her promising career in rock and metal music, and I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more from her in a not-so-distant future.

Motive Black’s Official Facebook page
Motive Black’s Official Instagram
Motive Black’s Official YouTube channel
Motive Black’s Official Twitter

“I want people to hear my songs and reinterpret them into something that is meaningful to them. I want them to empower, and be an outlet for whoever is listening.” – Elana Justin

Metal Chick of the Month – Jeanine Grob

Posted on by
Reply

Heavy metal is our way! Loud and fast is what we want!

Happy 2023, my dear metalheads! Are you ready for another year of underground awesomeness here at The Heabanging Moose? I’m sure you are, and in order to properly kick off such promising year for heavy music let’s continue our tradition of honoring a badass bass player as our metal lady of the month of January, just like what we did in all previous years, sounds good? And you better get ready as our ruthless bassist will crush your skull with her rumbling bass and rebellious attitude, helping to put her homeland Switzerland in the map of Heavy and Power Metal together with her also extremely talented bandmates. I’m talking about Jeanine Grob, the red-haired bassist for Switzerland-based all-female Heavy/Power Metal coven Burning Witches. Having said that, it’s time to bang our heads and raise our horns to the sound of the thunderous bass by Jeanine Grob, and let the witches burn in the name of heavy music.

Born on June 4, 1990 in Brugg, a Swiss municipality and a town in the canton of Aargau, the talented Jeanine, or simply Jay as her friends like to call her, considers herself some sort of “novice” in music, as she explained that after meeting Romana Kalkuhl (rhythm guitarist with Atlas & Axis who had been looking for a cast for an all-female metal band for a long time) at a party she actually went to her music school for guitar lessons just for fun, but after a while Romana asked if she could handle the bass guitar. Needless to say, she fell in love with that instrument, and of course Romana asked her if she wanted to be part of her all-female band, leading to the creation of Burning Witches. “Romana is something of the fun factor. She didn’t start the band to be famous or anything like that. She just wants to have fun and see how an all-female band works. For me that was great. I could stand on stage with my best friend and bang my head. Never thought it would develop this far with the band,” commented Jeanine in one of her interviews.

It was during the spring of 2015 when Swiss Heavy/Power Metal act Burning Witches was officially formed by Romana, with Jeanine becoming the band’s first official member, later being joined by vocalist Seraina Telli, drummer Lala Frischknecht and guitarist Alea Wyss. Although there have been a few changes to the band’s lineup since their inception, Romana, Jeanine and Lala have remained as its core, with vocalist Laura Guldemond and guitarist Larissa Ernst being the other two current members of the band. As you all know, Laura is from the Netherlands, which means her mother tongue is Dutch and not German like the rest of the band, but that’s not an issue at all for the band according to Jeanine. “Our band language is now English. Of course, situations can arise from time to time in which you have to ask exactly what that was meant to prevent misunderstandings. But before we quarrel about it, let’s talk about it. But it’s definitely not a problem – and then there’s Google.”

Together with the Burning Witches, Jeanine recorded their self-titled debut album in 2017, the 2018 album Hexenhammer, the 2020 album Dance with the Devil, and their 2021 opus The Witch of the North, as well as the EP’s Wings of Steel, in 2019, and Acoustic Sessions, in 2020, the live album Burning Alive, in 2018, and of course their self-titled debut demo in 2016. In addition, Jeanine has also been featured in several compilations alongside the Burning Witches, including Maximum Metal Vol. 243 (Metal Hammer, 2018), Lauschangriff Vol. 67 (Rock Hard, 2018) and Metal Hammer 1/2019 (Metal Hammer, 2019) with the song Executed; Maximum Metal Vol. 254 (Metal Hammer, 2020) and Lauschangriff Vol. 79 (Rock Hard, 2020) with the song Sea of Lies; and Maximum Metal Vol. 264 (Metal Hammer, 2021) and Lauschangriff Vol. 86 (Rock Hard, 2021) with the song Flight of the Valkyries. You can find those and plenty of other amazing songs and videos from the Burning Witches on YouTube, such as The Witch Of The North, Hexenhammer, We Stand As One, Black Widow, and Dance With The Devil, and countless live footage where you can enjoy Jeanine kicking ass armed with her bass, like the band’s performances live at Salzhaus Brugg in Swtizerland in 2018, at Hell Diest in Belgium in 2022, and at New Wave of Heavy Metal Festival in  Germany in 2018.

When asked about how the band managed the transition from Seraina to Laura on vocals, and if there was a lot of pressure to find the right replacement for a much-vaunted frontwoman like Seraina as quickly as possible, Jeanine said that because Romana writes the music to sound like Burning Witches no matter what, there were no issues nor pressure during that period of change, complementing by saying she thinks Laura sounds even more metal than Seraina (although she considers both great vocalists). “And what makes us very happy, of course, is that Laura is very well received by the fans, and that is ultimately what counts. In terms of character, Laura fits perfectly into the band, she’s just as crazy as we are,” said Jeanine, who doesn’t know exactly where the band could go, while also saying the band would never change their style just to be more successful, and that it was never their declared goal to become such popular metal band. “Hey, we were allowed to perform in Wacken – the dream of every musician who is at home in the metal scene. But we kept our feet on the ground and didn’t take off. And I’m not planning where I want to be in five years, for example to tour with Iron Maiden. We take it as it comes and enjoy every single step!”

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

In terms of her idols and influences, Jeanine and the rest of the band are of course inspired by bands the likes of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Manowar, Amon Amarth, and Switzerland’s biggest metal band of all time, Celtic Frost, always listening to a variety of music ranging from Jazz to Extreme Metal. Our dauntless bassist is also a huge fan of Exodus, but of course she said the biggest dream tour for her would be with Iron Maiden or Judas Priest, saying she would probably faint if she could go on tour with Iron Maiden. Furthermore, as their musical roots are definitely in the 80’s, Jeanine said there are many parents who attend their concerts and take their kids with them, which certainly has a positive impact on the future of heavy music. Speaking about touring and the life on the road, Jeanine mentioned that playing at Bang Your Head, one of the biggest festivals in Germany, was a fantastic experience to the band and a moment that will be remembered by them. And when asked about the band’s cover version for Manowar’s classic Battle Hymn, Jeanine said that “we’re all Manowar fans and Romana had the brilliant idea of ​​asking Ross The Boss to play on our cover version. And to our delight, he absolutely loved the idea. His bassist Michael Lepond (Symphony X) also found the suggestion exciting, and that’s how the whole thing got rolling.”

Jeanine also has an interesting view on the use of Spotify, YouTube and other streaming services today, and how they impact her music. “Everything is more fast-moving today, especially with all the media platforms that are now available. But I think the real fans who are interested in our music will listen to everything online as well. What was certainly better for us musicians in the past, when everything was still released on disk or CD, is that there were no platforms from which you could simply download music for free. A lot of people are not even aware that we musicians are not doing us any favors because we don’t get anything for our work. On the other hand, these new technologies also offer completely new possibilities. Nowadays it’s much easier to reach people and make them aware of us and our music. If you used to walk into a record store and see a CD from a band you’ve never heard of in your life, you probably hesitated rather than grabbing it spontaneously. Today you’re online, just listen to one or the other song, and if you like it, then you buy it. Everything has its pros and cons.”

In one of her interviews, Jeanine said she likes the fact that the Burning Witches are known as an all-girls group, complementing by pointing out to the importance of having more women in a male-dominated scene. “As a woman, it takes a lot of courage to stand up and fight to be taken seriously. When it all started for us back then, we had to fight against the prejudice that we didn’t set it all up ourselves. It was rumored that we first got a record deal and only then gave concerts, which of course is nonsense. And you really have to want success, because the music business isn’t always a bed of roses. What I can also imagine is that female bands quickly get in each other’s hair and then the whole thing falls apart quite quickly. Luckily, that’s not a risk for us, because we’re all very direct and open when dealing with each other and discuss differences of opinion straight away,” also saying that being called “witches” makes total sense for them, as in metal music no woman wants to be a “princess”. By the way, although Jeanine said the band doesn’t have any male groupies, there’s a fun video on YouTube from when the band played in St. Louis, a major city in Missouri along the Mississippi River in the United States, where one of the guys told Jeanine he loves her, and of course the band played along to make the experience even more fun.

As it happens to many, many bands and musicians out there, the girls from the Burning Witches have what can be called regular jobs, including of course Jeanine, but she said that luckily they all have great bosses who support them, saying that if they’re absent for several weeks then they take unpaid leave. “I work in sales, where it wasn’t always easy for the last three years – a lot was promised, but when it came down to it, they suddenly said I was here to work and you couldn’t make money with music anyway. But I was lucky enough to find a new job where I am now really supported. The whole thing is always based on reciprocity. I’m willing to give a lot, but I expect something in return. But this flexibility is not a matter of course, especially in sales, so I was really lucky.” Moreover, on the music side of business, Jeanine is very happy with all the support the band gets behind the scenes from VO Pulver (Poltergeist, Gurd), Marcel “Schmier” Schirmer (Destruction) and Damir Eskic (Destruction). “It’s definitely not the case that Schmier dictates anything to us, like getting involved in the songwriting or something like that, we really enjoy total freedom there. But of course we are also extremely happy about his input, after all he has been in the scene for over 30 years and brings a lot of experience with him. In the end we design the songs the way we want them to, but we also have an open ear for tips and ideas.”

There are several interviews with Jeanine and her bandmates online, such as this one in 2019 with Metal Underground when the Burning Witches performed in the UK for the first time supporting Brujeria and Cryptopsy, talking about the origin of their name, the role of women in modern metal and much more; this one to Bloodstream TV in 2022; this one right before their show at Hell Diest in Belgium in 2022; these five question by Rockers Den Magazine in 2022; or this simple but fun backstage footage from Dortmund, Germany when they were touring with Destruction in 2020. There’s no escape from Jeanine and her rumbling bass, as you can see, because you know, our red-haired diva is a witch of heavy music, and that’s all that she needs to hypnotize us all and drag us to their metal coven for all eternity.

Jeanine Grob’s Official Facebook page
Jeanine Grob’s Official Instagram
Burning Witches’ Official Facebook page
Burning Witches’ Official Instagram
Burning Witches’ Official YouTube channel
Burning Witches’ Official Twitter

Metal Chick of the Month – Luana Dametto

Posted on by
1

I curse at their holy symbols… I laugh as they pray…

As we’re reaching the end of 2022, let’s all make a lot of noise together with our last metal lady of the year in the name of rock and metal music, sounds good? And when I say a lot of noise, I mean A LOT OF noise, because our metallic diva this month of December is undoubtedly one of the most talented drummers of the current Death and Thrash Metal scene, hammering her drums mercilessly for our total delight wherever she goes. I’m talking about the talented and charismatic Luana Dametto, the unrelenting drummer for Brazilian Death/Thrash Metal horde Crypta, and also known for her work with the bands Nervosa, Chaos Rising and Apophizys. Having said that, are you ready to know more about such unstoppable lady of the extreme music scene?

Born on November 22, 1996 in Tapejara, a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Luana started her path in the world of music at the young age of 12 when she already began to play drums, later joining her very first band, Passo Fundo, Brazil-based Death Metal act Apophizys, at the age of 16. That’s exactly when she discovered her passion for Death Metal, and from there it was just a matter of time until she joined Brazilian Thrash Metal ladies Nervosa back in 2016. However, before becoming part of Nervosa, Luana studied Graphic Design at UPF – Universidade de Passo Fundo in Brazil in order to build a career in this field while still working as a musician in her spare time until the age of 19, which turned out to be very useful for her as she actually applied her studies into her passion for heavy music, being responsible for the artwork for the first (and only) full-length album by Apophizys.

Speaking about Apophizys, our metal lady was part of the band between 2012 and 2017, when the band split up, having recorded with them the album Into the Chaos back in 2015, which included some excellent songs such as Fear of the Unknown and Carnage (and you can enjoy a nice drum cam recorded by Luana herself for this song by clicking HERE). In one of her interviews, Luana explained exactly how she made it to  Apophizys, saying that in the city of Passo Fundo there were two Death Metal bands, one formed by brothers who wouldn’t allow her to join the band, and the aforementioned Apophizys. She said Apophizys already had a drummer at that time, but Luana didn’t give up and stayed tuned to them hoping their drummer would leave the band, opening the so much needed spot for her. As you might already know, that worked, and Luana kicked some ass behind her drums with Apophizys for six years before joining Nervosa.

Luana was still in college when Nervosa’s founder and guitarist Prika Amaral added her on Facebook and contacted her for an audition (being referred by Brazilian drummer Eduardo Lane of NervoChaos, who had already toured with Apophizys before), as at that time Nervosa had just lost their previous drummer Pitchu Ferraz. She then travelled to the city of São Paulo, passed the test, and went on to start playing live with the band that same year and to record the band’s 2018 opus Downfall of Mankind. From such intense album, you can enjoy amazing songs the likes of Kill The Silence and Never Forget, Never Repeat (and there’s also a kick-ass drum cam for this song HERE). After the album release, she traveled and toured a lot around the world, playing at several big festivals and, therefore, turning music into her main occupation.  In addition, Luana also recorded with Nervosa the single Freakshow, originally released on the Adult Swim metal compilation 2 in 2019. It was in 2020 when Luana parted ways with Nervosa, saying that the main reason for her departure was the fact that the three girls at that time felt there was no more passion for doing music together. There wasn’t any type of fighting or arguing, and she said they could have even continued with the band as is, but they all agreed they had to change something to reignite that passion and love for extreme music.

The seed for what’s known today as Crypta had already been planted before she left Nervosa, more specifically in June 2019, as a new musical project by Luana together with Fernanda Lira, also from Nervosa. As the co-founder of the band, she said the focus would be on playing Death Metal in a way that could not be done with Nervosa, inviting Dutch guitarist Sonia Anubis (of Burning Witches) to the band and later also adding Brazilian guitarist Tainá Bergamaschi (of Hagbard) to their lineup. After consolidating the band members, they started working on their debut effort Echoes of the Soul, released in 2021, and you can have an absolute blast to the sound of such incendiary album to the sound of songs such as From The Ashes, Dark Night Of The Soul and Kali (check out another awesome drum cam for this song HERE). Furthermore, earlier this year the band released the single I Resign (which also has a really cool drum cam video that can be watched HERE), once again presenting the visceral and heavy elements that are characteristic of their sound. Moreover, if live concerts are your cup of tea, you can find Luana pounding her drums in great fashion in several live videos of the band including From The Ashes live at Wacken Open Air 2022, and a 30-minute performance at Espaço Som studio in São Paulo, Brazil in November 2021.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Apart from Crypta, Nervosa and Apophizys, you can also find Luana smashing her drums since 2021 with Chaos Rising, a collaborative international project focused on different subgenres of heavy music open to every female artist interested in metal that includes members from Brazil, France, Germany, England, Sweden, Hungary, Russia, Iran and Argentina, among others. She recorded with Chaos Rising in 2021 the single Cost of Inaction alongside Swiss vocalist Alessia Mercado (Burning Flesh, Murge), French guitarist Stéphanie Nolf (Unsafe), Italian guitarist Francesca Mancini (Sudden Death), and German bassist Tina Gruschwitz (Demorphed, Cryoblood), and the final result is a bestial Death and Thrash Metal attack that will please all fans of extreme music. In addition, Luana was also a guest drummer in the 2016 EP Souls Dragged into the Abyss of Torment, by Brazilian Melodic Black/Death Metal act Isfet,  also working in the recording of the album. If you want to listen to Luana playing a more demonic, blackened style of music, you can enjoy for example what’s perhaps the best song of the album, Perennial Pain Domain.

Regarding her idols and influences, Luana mentioned that she’s a huge fan of Thrash, Black and in special Death Metal, and that she began playing drums influenced by Joey Jordison (RIP) of Slipknot and Vinnie Paul (RIP) of Pantera, learning a lot about double bass and groove by listening to and watching them. She also mentioned Kerim “Krimh” Lechner of Decapitated and Derek Roddy of Hate Eternal as influences on the way she does her blast beats, complementing by saying that playing drums was actually a random thing that happened to her, as she was only 11 years old when she got in touch with a friend who played drums who led her to get her own set and begin playing. Not sure if her setup is still the same, but a few years ago she was using a 14″ Color Sound 900 Black Heavy Hi-Hat, a 16″ Color Sound 900 Black Heavy Crash, a 17″ Color Sound 900 Black Heavy Crash, a 18″ 2002 Giga Bell Ride “Psychoctopus”, and a 16″ Color Sound 900 Black China.

Speaking about her life on the road, although Luana might still be a very young drummer, she has already been to several different parts of the world including of course most regions in Brazil, the United States, Colombia, many countries across Europe and Asia (even recommending Singaporean Grindcore act Wormrot as one of her favorite bands of the region), and even the United Arab Emirates together with Nervosa and now Crypta. She mentioned Rock in Rio in Brazil and Altavoz Fest in Colombia as the most memorable concerts so far in her career, saying that Altavoz Fest is some sort of “Rock in Rio Colombia” where she played in front of over 30,000 people. Moreover, when asked which bands she enjoyed the most to play alongside, our dauntless drummer mentioned Havok (Brazil), Warbringer (United States) and Venom Inc. (England) as her favorite bands to tour together. There are some very interesting interviews with Luana on YouTube (most of them in Portuguese, though) where she talks about not only her touring experience but also about what’s next for Crypta, their music and so on, such as this one to a podcast named TUPFS, this one to Revista Freak, and this one to Hedflow.

There’s also another excellent interview to a podcast named Music Hero where she talks about being a woman in the extreme metal scene, and that’s how we’ll conclude this humble tribute to her. As a prominent female drummer in the world of heavy music, Luana thinks the scene is still ruled by men and that there’s a lot of sexism everywhere, saying she feels extremely disappointed when people treat her as if she knows less about her instrument than guys just because she’s a woman. Her advice to other women who are starting their careers in music is to focus on your work and ignore all the negativity that might come from some people, only doing what you truly feel comfortable doing. When asked about her favorite female metal musicians, Luana listed Canadian drummer Justine Éthier (Karkaos, Blackguard), Dutch vocalist Simone “Som” Pluijmers (Your Chance to Die, Lacerated, Cerebral Bore), and American vocalist Reba Meyers (Pray for Teeth) as the best for her, and just by mentioning only names from the underground scene we can see how much Luana is passionate about it. Hence, if you also love the underground extreme scene, you must go check what Luana and the other girls from Crypta are doing and, of course, stay tuned for when the band takes your city by storm with their pulverizing live performance, with Luana proving that you don’t need to be a big guy to powerfully smash your drums in the name of extreme music.

Luana Dametto’s Official Facebook page
Luana Dametto’s Official Instagram
Luana Dametto’s Official Linktree
Luana Dametto’s Official YouTube channel
Crypta’s Official Facebook page
Crypta’s Official Instagram
Crypta’s Official YouTube channel
Crypta’s Official Linktree

Metal Chick of the Month – Haruka Morikawa

Posted on by
2

A beautiful Japanese nightmare!

As we’re getting closer and closer to the end of another year of pure fuckin’ metal, let’s keep banging our heads nonstop to another extremely talented woman from the underground scene, this time hailing from Japan, or as several people like to call it, the “Land of the Rising Sun”. Easily switching between deep, demonic growls and an angelic, operatic voice, our metal lady of the month of November has been making a strong impact not only on the underground scene in her homeland, but her voice has been echoing all over the world and, therefore, attracting the attention of a wide variety of headbangers worldwide. I’m talking about Haruka Morikawa, also simply known as Haruka, the lead singer for Japanese Melodic/Symphonic Electro Death/Thrash Metal band Heterogeneous Andead, and just by the name of the band and the type of music they play you know you’re in for a treat in our humble tribute to such unique vocalist.

Born and raised in Japan, the skillful Haruka has been the voice of Tokyo’s own Heterogeneous Andead since April 2014, when the band’s current style reached its desired shape and form. However, the band was formed a little before that, though, starting as a project named Andead by founder and multi-instrumentalist Yusuke Kiyama in 2012, changing its name to Heterogeneous Andead in 2013 when they started playing some live concerts. Singing about caustic topics such as sorrow, grief and despair, Heterogeneous Andead have already released one EP and two full-length albums in their career, those being their 2015 debut EP Undead, the 2017 album Deus Ex Machina, and now in 2022 the album Chaotic Fragments, which will be reviewed by The Headbanging Moose sooner than you can say “Japan” and is already available for purchasing HERE. In addition to those, the band was also featured in the compilations Fear Candy 150 (Terrorizer Magazine, 2015), 嘘。(BM Records, 2015), Bad Wish (BM Records, 2015), Halloween – Trick Or Treat (BM Records, 2015), Imperative Music Compilation DVD Vol. 14 (Imperative Music, 2017), and Metal Japan Heavy Chains Vol.5 TieUp ConneXion #2 (Metal Japan Records, 2019).

Heterogeneous Andead have been suffering with several lineup changes lately, with guitarist Sho and bassist Takashi Onitake leaving the band in December 2021 and drummer Tomoyuki Nakano also leaving the band in July this year, which means Yusuke and Haruka are currently searching for a guitarist, a bassist and a drummer to join them in their quest for heavy music. I’m sure they’ll find some talented musicians to be part of the band soon, and until then you can enjoy Haruka’s unique vocals in the official videos for the amazing songs Denied, Automaton and Fission, as well as live recordings of the songs Demise of Reign, Flash of Calamity and Denied live at WildSideTokyo on September 16, 2019, and Unleashed live on February 11, 2017 at Shinjuku Head Power. Furthermore, you can always stream all of the band’s creations on Spotify as well.

An admirer of Classical Music, Jazz, Electronic Pop, Brutal Death Metal and Grindcore, the stunning Haruka doesn’t only mesmerize us all with her mezzo-soprano vocals, singing like an angel, and with her guttural growls and screeches, sounding like a devil, but she also makes sure her looks on stage are in sync with the music being played. According to her bandmate Yusuke, the concept of costumes is basically darkness or gorgeousness influenced by Japanese visual kei, a movement among Japanese musicians that is characterized by the use of varying levels of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics, similar to Western Glam Rock. Simply watch the aforementioned videos of the band, as well as their live performances, and you’ll see the incredible fusion of music and visuals in their creations.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Owner of a natural Anime voice (according to the band itself), when asked about how she manages to go from her growls to her mezzo-soprano voice (and back) in seconds without having any sort of vocal issues, Haruka said she has already found the perfect way to switch from one style to another, complementing she has never lost her voice due to that extreme change. In one of her interviews our beloved vocalist said that although she didn’t feel her voice was the most remarkable piece of her identity in the beginning, she now understands and feels the power of her voice as part of her character, saying that it was Yusuke who inspired her to sing both harsh and clean vocals when she first joined the band. It was a challenge for her at first, of course, but Yusuke made sure he adapted part of the band’s style to match with her abilities, resulting in a win-win situation for both him and Haruka as the music by Heterogeneous Andead sounds fantastic nowadays. If you’re in Japan you might be lucky enough to witness them playing live, which occurs only once or twice a month, and despite not filling up big venues yet they certainly have a decent amount of followers that always attend their concerts.

Regarding the metal scene in Japan and how well their unique type of Extreme Metal is accepted in the country, Haruka mentioned during an interview that she can see metal bands having issues playing in countries or regions where the catholic church is very strong, but that’s not a problem in Japan as most of the Japanese population doesn’t follow any religion (or at least they don’t follow it blindly, I might say). What’s interesting is that Haruka is a Protestant Christian herself (and she mentioned only 1% of the country is Christian, by the way), but fortunately music and religion are not connected in any particular way in Japan. She also said that because she follows a Christian way of living she believes she can better express herself when singing with Heterogeneous Andead, externalizing all the sorrow and grief from the lyrics in great fashion.

You can watch a few fun and informative interviews on YouTube with Haruka, who’s by the way a big fan of our beloved monster Godzilla. For example, you can enjoy this nice interview to Antichrist Magazine in 2018 where Haruka and Yusuke talk about their previous album Deus Ex Machina; and this one to the Argentinian webzine Territorio Rock, also in 2018. And last but not least, anytime you watch a live performance by Haruka with Heterogeneous Andead you’ll certainly notice her movements are very theatrical, adding an extra touch of finesse to the overall result. The reason for that is that not only Haruka was part of plays and musicals when she was a student, but she also practiced Aikido, a modern Japanese martial art that is split into many different styles, during her childhood, allowing her to improve the visual effects of her personal performance while singing at the same time. In other words, don’t mess with Haruka or you’ll get your ass kicked, got it? Simply relax and enjoy her unique vocals to the fullest, proving how much Japan is and will always be one of the most creative countries in the world when the music in question is Heavy Metal.

Haruka Morikawa’s Official Twitter
Heterogeneous Andead’s Official Facebook page
Heterogeneous Andead’s Official YouTube channel
Heterogeneous Andead’s Official Twitter

Metal Chick of the Month – Tatiana Shmayluk

Posted on by
4

Booyakah, Tatiana!

As The Headbanging Moose is celebrating nine years of existence this month of October, there’s nothing better than offering the first slice of our cake to a woman who’s undoubtedly the most important name of all time from the Ukrainian rock and metal scene, and I would dare to say even from the entire music scene in Ukraine. Born on March 15, 1987 in Horlivka, or Gorlovka, a city located in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, she’s a singer and songwriter better known as the frontwoman for Groove Metal/Metalcore act Jinjer since 2010, kicking some serious ass wherever she goes armed with both her furious roars and mesmerizing clean vocals. I’m talking about the one and only Tatiana Shmayluk, a multi-talented and humble woman who’s also a role model to countless girls out there who want to find in heavy music a way to express all of their feelings, hopes and frustrations, and I’m sure you’ll get addicted to her vocals and her music after reading this tribute to her.

Long before becoming the face of Jinjer, Tatiana was already singing and screaming according to her own mother, always listening to Russian and Ukrainian pop songs she heard on the radio. “My mother told me I started screaming when I was a very little girl. I screamed so loud I had a hernia in my belly.” Furthermore, one of her favorite songs from her childhood was the 1989 dance song Lambada, by French-Brazilian group Kaoma, which she mentioned she still sings along to it with great joy, although she doesn’t know Portuguese. She then began singing more seriously at the age of eight, taking vocal lessons for a couple of months and making her onstage debut that year in a concert hall with a choir. “The songs were accompanied with dancing. I was very nervous, and of course I screwed it up because of the dancing. So I said, ‘Never again.’ I cannot do synchronic dancing with someone else. I need to do it alone so I can control the whole thing,” commented Tatiana, who also said that it was her older brother, who was a guitar player to a Doom Metal band, who introduced her to metal music, more specifically to Aria, the long-running Moscow metal outfit hailed as the “Iron Maiden of Russia.”

Proudly carrying the flag of modern-day metal music to all four corner of the earth, Jinjer were formed back in 2008 in Donetsk, but the band considers their official start with the addition of Tatiana and guitarist Roman Ibramkhalilov in 2010. None of the founding members remain with the band, with the current lineup being comprised of the aforementioned Tatiana on vocals and Roman on the guitars, together with Eugene Abdukhanov on bass and Vladislav Ulasevish on drums. Influenced by countless renewned acts the likes of Opeth, Guano Apes, Slayer, Death, Pantera, Anathema, Lamb of God, Gojira and Twelve Foot Ninja, as well as groups across the spectrum of R&B, soul, funk, jazz, reggae, and hip-hop, such as Cypress Hill and House of Pain, the band has already released four studio albums in their career, those being their 2014 debut Cloud Factory, their 2016 sophomore album King of Everything, and more recently their 2019 opus Macro and their 2021 critically acclaimed album Wallflowers, all of which have reached number one in their native Ukraine, while also seeing a total of 16 singles, six of which reached the top of the Ukrainian charts and one of which, Pisces, became a global hit and has to date sold over 20 million copies. In addition, they’ve also released three EP’s, those being Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear (2009), Inhale, Do Not Breathe (2012) and Micro (2019), and the 2020 live album Alive in Melbourne. You can enjoy several of their best compositions on YouTube, such as Vortex, Judgement (& Punishment), Wallflower, Home Back, Sit Stay Roll Over, and Who Is Gonna Be The One, as well as their full ass-kicking performance live at Resurrection Fest in Viveiro, Spain, in 2018, among many, many other awesome videos, and don’t forget to also stream their full discography on Spotify.

Unfortunately, not long after the ongoing conflict between the Ukrainian military, anti-government protestors and pro-Russian rebels began in 2014, Tatiana and her bandmates had to escape Donetsk, moving to a suburb near the city of Lviv around 800 miles away, not far from the Polish border. “”But we got bored there because it’s a city for tourists,” explained Tatiana. “We rented a house but it was impossible to live there because there were problems with water, with electricity, heating. So that’s why we moved to a more civilized place.” Furthermore, when asked about what makes Jinjer uniquely Ukrainian, she said that because the band comes from a land where kindness equals weakness, a tough country for everyone including their parents, especially in the 90’s, the band members became really grind and tough. For instance, she mentioned that Ukrainians don’t go to a doctor if something hurts, for example, enduring the pain until the end. That’s one of the reasons why the band tries to never cancel any of their concerts and tours, even if it’s impossible to play, showing how strong and determined they are.

Apart from her undisputed career with Jinjer, you can also find Tatiana as a guest vocalist in an array of distinct albums and songs, including the songs Through the Never (I Will Return) and Horror of Daniel Wagner, from the 2022 album Horror of Daniel Wagner, by Ukrainian Heavy/Power Metal band Morton; the song Find My Way, released in 2022 by American Modern Metal band Lions At The Gate; the song Over and Out, released in 2021 by Australian Heavy Rock band Twelve Foot Ninja; and my favorite of all those tracks, the pulverizing Hello Death, from the 2022 album Cancer Culture, released by Polish Death/Groove Metal act Decapitated. Not only that, if you pay good attention to Jinjer’s song Judgment (& Punishment) you’ll notice several elements from reggae added to the band’s extreme music, and that’s something that comes from Tatiana as she was a part of a band that played reggae, ska, ska-punk and funk before Jinjer, playing several cover songs and singing in Ukrainian, Russian and English. “I was a huge fan of reggae. I wore dreadlocks and I was all about Rastafari,” commented Tatiana, who also said that, even being a huge reggae fan, she doesn’t smoke weed simply because she doesn’t like it.

Currently living in Los Angeles, California and spending as much time as possible on tour, having closed 2021 with over 70 concerts including many summer festivals, a short tour of mainland Europe and a two-month North American tour, Tatiana obviously misses her homeland, her family and friends, although she finds the region’s lingering Soviet attitudes unappealing, with the remnants of hardline communism surrounding everyone there. While she was still living in Ukraine, she said that “I was too young to remember life in Soviet Union, but the spirit of Soviet Union is still here. I’m living in an apartment built maybe 40 years ago, and my parents live in such an apartment, as well. All our shops and supermarkets are situated in buildings built then. So it is still like Soviet Union. And there are a lot of people who still have Soviet Union in their heads and their minds.” However, Tatiana mentioned she doesn’t feel safe when on tour it doesn’t matter which country she’s visiting, not only in Ukraine, saying she’s always afraid of going anywhere by herself.

In one of her interviews, Tatiana said it’s a surprise to her that people are still impressed that women can scream, mentioning for example female-fronted German thrash metallers Holy Moses, who she got to know when she was an 18-year old girl in Ukraine, and saying that despite the fact bands like Jinjer might impress the younger generations, the older generations have always known what women can do in rock and metal music. “Sometimes I’m annoyed, but then you say, ‘OK, well, I didn’t see a hummingbird until I was 35 years old.’ It’s always a right time to discover new stuff. It’s great that screaming women are a phenomenon.” She also said it’s incredible to know she’s an inspiration for many young women mainly because they don’t know she’s in fact a very shy person, also sensitive, fragile and easy to be offended, or in her own words, she’s not better than anyone, complementing by saying she’s just a performer when she’s on stage. “Of course there is some true shit, but I don’t move my head 24/7 and I don’t scream all the time. Well, I scream every night. But not every morning.” Furthermore, you can learn a little more about how Tatiana learned to scream by clicking HERE, from first hearing Otep to screaming Mudvayne lyrics, to the dominant force she is today.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As any other metalhead in the world, Tatiana has a lot of idols and influences in her life, in her vocal style, in the way she writes the music for Jinjer and so on, but following those artists wasn’t easy at all when she was a young girl due to the aforementioned impact of the Soviet Union over Ukraine at that time. “Metal wasn’t accessible for me. Where I grew up in Donetsk, not many worldwide metal artists would come. They’d go to the capital, and it was 700km and 12 hours on the train. I didn’t have money because I was a teenager and my mom was strict; she didn’t give me much pocket money, although that stimulated me to earn it myself, for which I’m really grateful to her. My parents wouldn’t have let me out of the town, but that was for the best too. It made me want to play my own music and form my own band.” As mentioned, her brother was the one who got her into metal (although he stopped listening to heavy music when he grew up), but before that she used to listen to a lot of rock music, grunge and punk especially after the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991, as MTV hit the Ukrainian airwaves and she began listening to bands like Nirvana and The Offspring. She then found the music by Otep, and got addicted to the vocals by the iconic Otep Shamaya. “I think I was 15 when I heard Otep the first time,” said Tatiana in one of her interviews. “I said, ‘This dude is so cool!’ And my friend said, ‘This is a girl!’ I was like, ‘Jesus fucking Christ!’ This is the first girl I am hearing do this. I was shocked, and I wanted to shock people like her.”

Being a rock and metal artist in Ukraine wasn’t easy at all, taking Tatiana and the rest of the band around five years just to cross the Ukrainian border and play in Romania, and even longer to reach other European countries and the United States, but fortunately everything seems to be working for Jinjer now, with the band organically growing in the worldwide scene and gaining more and more respect from fans from all four corners of the earth. As expected, Tatiana has some important complaints about the Ukrainian metal scene, saying that most Ukrainian bands stick to playing in Ukraine or Russia, and that they don’t usually sing in English, the main reason why they just play in their motherland. “I was always inspired by western music culture in jazz, blues and then metal. I always had this love for English speaking music, even pop music; Britney Spears is one of my biggest idols! People can understand it easily and for me, it was always about spreading my own message through a language that is more available for people all around the world of different countries. That’s why we chose to sing in English and that’s how we made our own path.” Another major issue in Ukraine according to her is the post-U.S.S.R. thinking and mindset, where you’re not accepted if you’re different, as for example tattoos (and we all know she has plenty) are not acceptable for men nor women in her homeland.

However, as you might probably know, Ukraine is suffering with the Russian invasion that started back in February this year, and that has been hitting the band hard in their hearts and minds since then. In March 2022, it was reported that Jinjer had “paused” their career to focus on relief efforts in Ukraine after the war began. Right after that, in June 2022, Jinjer announced that they received permission from the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture to leave Ukraine and tour as ambassadors of the nation to raise funds and awareness. “We are very thankful to our Ministry Of Culture for the Ukraine who gave us this opportunity to do what we love to do, and play all the festivals we have announced. We’re using every festival to raise funds and spread awareness about the real war that is happening in the 21st century, which is crazy. It’s hard to believe, but this is the harsh reality. It’s heartbreaking, but at the same time we are also full of hope that soon it is all going be over. We are spreading positivity and hope, and we are dreaming about peace. I hope that no other European or world country ever experiences the same as the Ukraine,” commented Tatiana, also saying she has no idea when Jinjer will be able to play in Ukraine again, and that the band will never stop fighting. Moreover, in their most recent releases there are lyrics addressing the war in Donbas and its effects on their home region of Donetsk, and you can also find tons of amazing interviews with Tatiana and the boys talking about the war in Ukraine, just like this one conducted by Loudwire.

Regarding her relationship with social media, Tatiana said that due to her explosive nature she usually replies back to anyone that messages her, it doesn’t matter if it’s a positive or negative comment, saying she “enjoys” replying back to internet trolls because she’s easy to piss off. “Sometimes it’s just overwhelming. I feel like if I let it go, I will let them continue to do this shit again and again. It’s like I give them unspoken permission,” commented our stunning diva, also saying most of the feedback she gets online is actually positive. In addition, one of her favorite ways of interacting with her fans is to customize shirts she receives from them before a show and wear them onstage the same night. “Most of the time, these shirts are very personal. For example, yesterday I was given a shirt — it has a huge ape giving a middle finger and it says something like, ‘Humans destroy everything.’ It’s so related to our song Ape. They will see me wear it on the stage and it is a huge pleaser. They get double joy. I love all the things they bring to me at meet and greet. They are so sweet,” said Tatiana, complementing by saying that some of those fans are very shy and don’t want to talk a lot, being very happy with just an autograph and a photo.

Our unstoppable frontwoman also said that, in an effort to improve her own standing with Mother Nature, she tried to be a vegan for three years, but she went back to eating meat in the middle of a tour because she was starving. She said she still tries to be moderate in consuming meat, and that she doesn’t drink milk, though, revealing her own inner conflict. “I still try being vegan, but it’s really hard for me because I was raised in a family that was not very rich,” she explained. “We could not afford eating meat very often. So when I stopped eating meat, I realized that I loved meat a lot. When I smell meat, it drives me crazy. Something inside of me forgets about animals, suffering, health, environment, and I just want a good piece of meat.” You can get to know more about Tatiana by listening to our growler answering 10 questions asked by Metalshop TV (volume 1 and volume 2), as well as other interviews online such as Tatiana and her bandmates answering the most asked questions on the Internet about Jinjer. Lastly, just like several people out there (including myself), Tatiana also believes something went wrong in our evolution, saying mankind went wrong, and that although we are so small on this earth we act like we are gods, which makes her really sad. She’s trying to learn how to be happy, how to find the happiness inside, and to appreciate her life. “That’s my biggest ambition, to be happy and find inner peace, and for there to be justice for Ukraine.”

Tatiana Shmayluk’s Official Facebook page
Tatiana Shmayluk’s Official Instagram
Tatiana Shmayluk’s Official Twitter
Jinjer’s Official Facebook page
Jinjer’s Official VKontakte
Jinjer’s Official Instagram
Jinjer’s Official YouTube channel
Jinjer’s Official Twitter

“You know what, I’m losing my faith in music. I don’t feel like I can express myself enough to say what I really feel because there are no words to explain. So, I feel like I should give up… but then something makes me go further.” – Tatiana Shmayluk