The strength and resilience of women in the reality of Brazilian Heavy Metal.
In a world surrounded by sexist comments and attitudes from all areas of society, is the metal scene still a stage for these behaviors? Are there really people who doubt another person's talent based on whether they are male or female? We chatted with 14 women from 12 different bands (in alphabetical order): Darkship, Fenrir's Scar, Final Disaster, Hatefulmurder, Inraza, Losna, Miasthenia, Quintessente, Save Our Souls, Shadowside, Sons Of Rage, and Torture Squad to find out what the reality is like for female musicians in Brazilian Heavy Metal.
From childhood, Angélica Burns, vocalist of the Rio de Janeiro band Hatefulmurder, was interested in music, but it wasn't until she was 16 that she discovered what her voice was capable of. “We've been working hard since the release of the album Red Eyes. Last year, we toured all over Brazil, visiting 26 states. It was a unique experience.”
"Sexist attitudes exist everywhere. Several times on stage I've had to hear snide remarks from the audience like 'hot stuff,' 'take your clothes off.' Unfortunately, we still have to go through situations like that."
More and more girls are realizing that they too can have their own bands, that Heavy Metal is also women's music.”
Dani Nolden – Shadowside
Shadowside emerged in the early 2000s in the city of Santos, São Paulo, and quickly attracted attention with the powerful voice of its vocalist, Dani Nolden.
“In 2001, women in Heavy Metal were largely associated with Symphonic Metal. The more 'conservative' crowd at the time didn't consider that real Heavy Metal, so before our show, one of the bands that was going to play with us was making some jokes, insinuating that we would play a 'light' sound, and they imitated women singing with classical vocals, and they laughed. They laughed until they couldn't anymore. But I laughed too, because we were still doing some covers at the time, and we had Painkiller by Judas Priest on the setlist, and their reaction when we played the song was sensational.”
Some security guards stopped me from entering the dressing room, thinking I wasn't part of the band.”
Mayara Puertas – Torture Squad
Mayara Puertas, vocalist of Torture Squad, has always been a music fan, but it was in Death Metal that she truly found herself. "It was this style that gave voice to my thoughts, in an intense way that I hadn't found in any other musical style ." She began her career in the band Necromesis, and has been a member of Torture Squad since 2015.
"Brazil is one of the countries where you find many women making heavy music, and that's not so common abroad. In fact, Brazil has a very large audience within the Heavy Metal genre, particularly in the extreme subgenres, with women always present and showing great competence. I'm proud to be a part of this and to be able to inspire more women to pursue their dreams!"
“[Sometimes] You're checking the stage and there's some idiot in the audience making snide remarks. I always go to my friends' shows in Nervosa when I can, and at one of them I was outraged by the kind of vulgarity a guy was yelling at the women while they were setting up the stage. (…) I don't think that's headbanger behavior; the guy who disrespects a woman at a show repeats that behavior in his daily life too. But I'm glad that within Metal this comes from a minority, and when it happens at a show you can also see that these attitudes are reprimanded by the audience itself. This shows that the vast majority of metalheads don't agree with sexist or abusive attitudes.”
Around 2003, I was even threatened with death by a Nazi who said he couldn't accept my status as the vocalist in an anti-Nazi Black Metal band.”
Hécate – Miasthenia
“From the beginning, it was strange being a woman, moving around in the Metal scene, and being interested in forming and leading an Extreme Metal band. Some prejudiced men think that your interest is only in sex and dating, that you're just a groupie who hangs out at night. So I had to be very tough and became as rough and aggressive as them, to assert myself and gain respect. In the past, I fought and argued a lot with men because of sexism, and I even got into physical fights at the entrance of shows because of harassment. I haven't forgotten the friends who helped me and ended up with bruised and bleeding faces. But I gained many male friends, I had a very strong group by my side who, in a way, learned to respect women in the scene, including those who played with me in Miasthenia and Afonia, who always respected me, admired me, supported me, and embraced my ideas in Metal. That, for me, is a great achievement.”
All the women in this scene fighting against any kind of prejudice fill me with pride and are always the most honest source of inspiration.”
Laura Giorgi – Final Disaster
“At work, in music, and even playing video games, people underestimate my abilities. What happens most often, and what I find disgusting, is when I go to talk to a male musician, just to chat about music, and he assumes I have ulterior motives. Or when beauty comes before talent and effort. These are small, everyday cases among so many other big ones.
Today, the women who are an example for me are our national pride: the girls from Nervosa. They broke down many barriers and faced everything that we women in the Brazilian Metal scene go through every day.”
I've had several all-female bands, and on many occasions it was noticeable that many people in the audience were there to see if "those women can actually play," and some were more concerned with the image than with the music.
Cristina Müller – Quintessente
“Fortunately, I've noticed an improvement in this scenario over the years. Since Quintessente's return (in 2015), I've seen a greater appreciation for women, including more and more women competing in lists of best musicians of the year, and that's wonderful! When I started playing, my band was the only one with women in the Rio de Janeiro underground scene, and nowadays there are many more female musicians, meaning that respect makes more and more women have the courage to show their music!”
"A guy decided to attack me on the band's page, insulting me, saying that because I'm a woman, I couldn't sing in a metal band, and he said it in several unpleasant ways."
Melissa Ironn – Save Our Souls
"In the past, I thought it was better not to talk about it, in an attempt to stifle this kind of attitude. Today I see that's not the case! That we must and can fight this head-on and for everyone to see."
I think everyone can have their own opinions, but there's always a limit to everything.”
Graziely Maria – Fenrir's ScarThey criticize my appearance, as if a woman could only sing in a band if she fit within a certain aesthetic standard.
Desireé Rezende – Fenrir's Scar
“What struck me the most was on an online radio program where several national bands were playing and some commentators were giving their opinions on the songs. Right after our song played, a guy said: 'I'm not a misogynist, but I don't like women singing metal.' He has every right not to like the style, my voice… But to reduce the female gender in that way… I found it quite absurd. With so many talented women on the national and international scene.”
Believe it or not, the sexism and prejudice come from women themselves. I've heard many of them say things like, "He sounds like a man playing," or "He puts many grown men to shame," which is totally absurd! People need to understand that an artist transcends gender."
Débora Gomes – Losna
“Music is my fuel for life. I needed an instrument that could translate my revolt and restlessness towards this hypocritical and narrow-minded world. So I turned to the guitar, and it remains my main instrument to this day! I can't live without music. Without it, I experience withdrawal symptoms.”
If they look at me sideways, I'll look back sideways"
Fernanda Gomes – Losna
"This issue of being looked at with suspicion by other people often makes it difficult to distinguish whether or not it's related to my gender. It can also often be racism, a dislike of underground culture, or a dislike of poor people; there are many variables, so it's a very complex analysis."
It's quite common to see bands with women these days, but a while back, when I started playing and singing, it was very different; it was considered a man's thing. Today I can play and sing however I want within Metal, and I'm being well-received.”
Silvia Cristina – Darkship
“Unfortunately, there is still some prejudice in our country, not only within the Brazilian Metal scene, but in various areas of society, including prejudice against women themselves. (…) The moment you believe in what you do, believe in your work, defend your ideas and goals, and don't care about the judgments others will make, you end up being respected for who you really are.”
Things aren't going to change by us asking 'please' –
Stephany Nusch – Inraza
“Nowadays I’m still bothered by some behaviors, but I believe it has improved a lot. We have to stand up for ourselves and make our presence felt in our space (…) We are socialized not to react and guys relax around us in that way. We can’t let that happen!”
"It used to be tougher, but I've always been very confrontational, and when that happens, every excuse is 'it was just a joke,' but deep down there's that hidden sexism."
Fabi Azevedo – Sons Of Rage
If you're interested in discovering more Brazilian bands with female members, be sure to listen to: Nervosa, Luxúria de Lillith, Hellarise, No Way, Valhalla, Volkana, Flammea, Pandora, Semblant, Corporate Death, Cauterization, Ecliptyka, Ocultan, Sinaya, Midnightmare, Vandroya, and Arandu Arakuaa. Most of them were mentioned by the interviewees!
Any suggestions for more bands? Leave them in the comments! 😉
