Tag Archives: female-fronted doom

TOP 10 FEMALE-FRONTED STONER/DOOM BANDS GOING TODAY: 1. Blood Ceremony

Posted by gruesomegreg on

Witch Mountain, Blood Ceremony and Castle are playing the Hard Luck bar TONITE!!!, which brings me to the conclusion of this list.

10. Castle

9. Cauchemar

8. Alunah

7. Rituals of the Oak

6. Reino Ermitaño

5. Kylesa

4. Witch Mountain

3. Mares of Thrace

2. Acid King

1. Blood Ceremony

Blame the Toronto media bias if you must, but Blood Ceremony are number one in my books.  They may not be the most proficient or technically gifted band on this list–but they’re the only one I’ve seen more times than I can remember.  I caught ‘em for the first time back in August ’06, and was immediately floored by their morbid take on traditional doom.  The mistress of ceremonies is one Alia O’Brien, who provides flute trills and organ shrills while also adding her haunting voice to the proceedings.  To this day, their self-titled debut is a personal favourite, and while followup effort Living with the Ancients saw the band move slightly away from Sabbathian doom towards more progressive territory, it has grown on me as well.  There are few local bands whose every gig I mark on my calendar nowadays, but BC is definitely one of them–when they’re not off touring Europe, that is.  For the record, I’ve also seen ‘em play Montreal and Ottawa; in fact, here are some pics I took of their recent performance at All That’s Heavy II in the nation’s capital.

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TOP 10 FEMALE-FRONTED STONER/DOOM BANDS GOING TODAY: 2. Acid King

Posted by gruesomegreg on

On June 13th, Portland doomsters Witch Mountain are coming to town, playing the Hard Luck Bar on Dundas.  I’ve been dying to see ‘em ever since I first heard South of Salem, their comeback album, which ended up topping my year-end list last year.  The sultry, soulful, otherworldly vocals of Uta Plotkin really give the songs a big boost.  And on this occasion, her band will be joined by another pair of female-fronted doom units in Blood Ceremony and Castle–a Toronto exclusive for both acts.  Thus, in anticipation of this estrogen-laced triple bill, I figured it was time to count down my Top 10 Female-Fronted Stoner/Doom Bands Going Today.

10. Castle

9. Cauchemar

8. Alunah

7. Rituals of the Oak

6. Reino Ermitaño

5. Kylesa

4. Witch Mountain

3. Mares of Thrace

2. Acid King

Acid King has been going strong for almost 20 years–over which time they’ve released just three albums and a fistful of EPs on the likes of Small Stone, Man’s Ruin, and Sympathy for the Record Industry.  But this is certainly a case of quality over quantity, and when putting together this list, the long-running Bay Area trio was the first band that came to mind.  Fronted by the legendary Lori S, queen of the stoner scene, who lends both her airy vocals and heavy guitar riffs to the band’s back catalogue, they’ve certainly left their mark.  Hey, so you like that sludge band from Georgia, Zoroaster?  That was the name of Acid King’s debut album–all the way back in ’95.  And while they haven’t put out anything since Leaf Hound (and later Small Stone) unearthed their first few recordings on The Early Years back in ’06, they can still show the newer acts a thing or two.  Check out this clip of their classic “Silent Circle” offa Busse Woods from last year’s Roadburn fest.

TOP 10 FEMALE-FRONTED STONER/DOOM BANDS GOING TODAY: 3. Mares of Thrace

Posted by gruesomegreg on

On June 13th, Portland doomsters Witch Mountain are coming to town, playing the Hard Luck Bar on Dundas.  I’ve been dying to see ‘em ever since I first heard South of Salem, their comeback album, which ended up topping my year-end list last year.  The sultry, soulful, otherworldly vocals of Uta Plotkin really give the songs a big boost.  And on this occasion, her band will be joined by another pair of female-fronted doom units in Blood Ceremony and Castle–a Toronto exclusive for both acts.  Thus, in anticipation of this estrogen-laced triple bill, I figured it was time to count down my Top 10 Female-Fronted Stoner/Doom Bands Going Today.

10. Castle

9. Cauchemar

8. Alunah

7. Rituals of the Oak

6. Reino Ermitaño

5. Kylesa

4. Witch Mountain

3. Mares of Thrace

When it comes to an outfit that made leaps and bounds from their debut to their sophomore release, looks no further than the Mares, the heaviest thing to come outta Cowtown since Hypnopilot in their heyday.  The Pilgrimage takes things up a notch for this female sludge/doom duo, Thérèse Lanz unleashing some blood-curdling guttural screams alongside her downtuned guitar work.  Hard to believe that both she and drummer Stefani MacKichan got their start in indie-rock outfit Kilbourne–their new band simply kills.  That said, their music video for “The Perpetrator” shouldn’t be watched while eating dinner.  Unless, of course, you like eating bugs…

TOP 10 FEMALE-FRONTED STONER/DOOM BANDS GOING TODAY: 4. Witch Mountain

Posted by gruesomegreg on

On June 13th, Portland doomsters Witch Mountain are coming to town, playing the Hard Luck Bar on Dundas.  I’ve been dying to see ‘em ever since I first heard South of Salem, their comeback album, which ended up topping my year-end list last year.  The sultry, soulful, otherworldly vocals of Uta Plotkin really give the songs a big boost.  And on this occasion, her band will be joined by another pair of female-fronted doom units in Blood Ceremony and Castle–a Toronto exclusive for both acts.  Thus, in anticipation of this estrogen-laced triple bill, I figured it was time to count down my Top 10 Female-Fronted Stoner/Doom Bands Going Today.

10. Castle

9. Cauchemar

8. Alunah

7. Rituals of the Oak

6. Reino Ermitaño

5. Kylesa

4. Witch Mountain

Perhaps the hardest choice I had to make while putting together this list was where to place Witch Mountain.  South of Salem was an amazing album, but it was also the first one they did that could be filed under “female fronted doom.”  The band formed as a three-piece in the late 90′s, and put out a pair of releases in 2000-’01 before calling it a day for oh, about a decade or so.  Upon their return, they added Uta Plotkin to the mix, and her emotive singing really took South of Salem to the next level.  I have yet to hear their follow-up effort, Cauldron of the Wild, which officially drops next week–right before they hit TO.  Should it deliver as strongly as its predecessor, well, I might hafta bump this band up a couple spots.  I’ll be picking it up next Wednesday, but in the meantime, here’s a preview of what’s to come–a clip of their performance at last weekend’s Scion Rock Fest in Tampa:

(So far, so good!)

On that note, this list will be taking a three-day break as I’m heading west this weekend to see Church of Misery (amongst other activities).  I’ll leave you to ponder which three bands could be better than Witch Mountain, and return with the upper tier starting on Monday.

TOP 10 FEMALE-FRONTED STONER/DOOM BANDS GOING TODAY: 5. Kylesa

Posted by gruesomegreg on

On June 13th, Portland doomsters Witch Mountain are coming to town, playing the Hard Luck Bar on Dundas.  I’ve been dying to see ‘em ever since I first heard South of Salem, their comeback album, which ended up topping my year-end list last year.  The sultry, soulful, otherworldly vocals of Uta Plotkin really give the songs a big boost.  And on this occasion, her band will be joined by another pair of female-fronted doom units in Blood Ceremony and Castle–a Toronto exclusive for both acts.  Thus, in anticipation of this estrogen-laced triple bill, I figured it was time to count down my Top 10 Female-Fronted Stoner/Doom Bands Going Today.

10. Castle

9. Cauchemar

8. Alunah

7. Rituals of the Oak

6. Reino Ermitaño

5. Kylesa

Definitely more sludge than doom, and not entirely female-fronted either, I’d still be remiss not to include this Georgia quintet on the list.  Kylesa blew up with the release of 2010′s Spiral Shadow, playing to the largest crowd I’ve ever seen at the Annex Wreckroom last year–and I’ll be damned if they weren’t the best band on the 2011 Metalliance tour not named Saint Vitus or Crowbar.  Singer/guitarist/co-founder Laura Pleasants provides both the spacey drawls and the deep growls to offset Phil Cope’s high-pitched cries in their dual-vocal attack, potently displayed in tunes such as “Tired Climb.”  Check out the tripped-out music video below:

TOP 10 FEMALE-FRONTED STONER/DOOM BANDS GOING TODAY: 6. Reino Ermitaño

Posted by gruesomegreg on

On June 13th, Portland doomsters Witch Mountain are coming to town, playing the Hard Luck Bar on Dundas.  I’ve been dying to see ‘em ever since I first heard South of Salem, their comeback album, which ended up topping my year-end list last year.  The sultry, soulful, otherworldly vocals of Uta Plotkin really give the songs a big boost.  And on this occasion, her band will be joined by another pair of female-fronted doom units in Blood Ceremony and Castle–a Toronto exclusive for both acts.  Thus, in anticipation of this estrogen-laced triple bill, I figured it was time to count down my Top 10 Female-Fronted Stoner/Doom Bands Going Today.

10. Castle

9. Cauchemar

8. Alunah

7. Rituals of the Oak

6. Reino Ermitaño

Their I Hate labelmates Jex Thoth may get all the hype, but gimme this Peruvian foursome any day!  Reino Ermitaño has been going strong for about a decade, and they just issued their fourth full-length via the Swedish label in April.  Their sludgy, Sabbathian stomp is often interspersed with classical guitar interludes–they were even adding flute to their doom as far back as 2006′s Brujas del Mar (Witches of the Sea) album.  Mouthpiece Tania Duarte may not be a classically trained singer, but her eerie sneer (en español, ¡por supuesto!) adds a certain air to the proceedings.  Incidentally, the band’s name translates to Hermit Kingdom, a term that’s been often used to describe North Korea.  Look out for their evil weapons of DOOMstruction in this recent live clip:

TOP 10 FEMALE-FRONTED STONER/DOOM BANDS GOING TODAY: 7. Rituals of the Oak

Posted by gruesomegreg on

On June 13th, Portland doomsters Witch Mountain are coming to town, playing the Hard Luck Bar on Dundas.  I’ve been dying to see ‘em ever since I first heard South of Salem, their comeback album, which ended up topping my year-end list last year.  The sultry, soulful, otherworldly vocals of Uta Plotkin really give the songs a big boost.  And on this occasion, her band will be joined by another pair of female-fronted doom units in Blood Ceremony and Castle–a Toronto exclusive for both acts.  Thus, in anticipation of this estrogen-laced triple bill, I figured it was time to count down my Top 10 Female-Fronted Stoner/Doom Bands Going Today.

10. Castle

9. Cauchemar

8. Alunah

7. Rituals of the Oak

Whereas most heavy bands that make it outta Australia owe a great deal of their sonic appeal to AC/DC, Rituals of the Oak is definitely an exception.  Let’s face it, if you can name more than three doom metal bands from the land down under, you’re either Australian–or perhaps from neighbouring New Zealand.  That said, these guys eschew AC/DC for a more Candlemassian style, a solid take on traditional doom fronted by the Lebanon-born Sabine Hamad-Linfoot.  With a couple albums out on German imprint Eyes Like Snow and a split with the mighty Apostle of Solitude, they’ve started to make a name for themselves in Europe.  Bummer that their intended excursion to Wisconsin’s Days of the Doomed fest fell through, though.  Check out this clip from their past major festival appearance, at Doom Shall Rise VII in Germany.

TOP 10 FEMALE-FRONTED STONER/DOOM BANDS GOING TODAY: 8. Alunah

Posted by gruesomegreg on

On June 13th, Portland doomsters Witch Mountain are coming to town, playing the Hard Luck Bar on Dundas.  I’ve been dying to see ‘em ever since I first heard South of Salem, their comeback album, which ended up topping my year-end list last year.  The sultry, soulful, otherworldly vocals of Uta Plotkin really give the songs a big boost.  And on this occasion, her band will be joined by another pair of female-fronted doom units in Blood Ceremony and Castle–a Toronto exclusive for both acts.  Thus, in anticipation of this estrogen-laced triple bill, I figured it was time to count down my Top 10 Female-Fronted Stoner/Doom Bands Going Today.

10. Castle

9. Cauchemar

8. Alunah

Birmingham was the birthplace of Black Sabbath, and thus, by extension, the doom metal genre.  But the English industrial city has also spawned some of the founding fathers of speed metal (Judas Priest) and grindcore (Napalm Death), so it’s not necessarily known as the doom capital of the world.  One band of Brummies that has chosen to follow in Sabbath’s footsteps, however, is Alunah.  After their Fall to Earth (2008) EP and Call of Avernus (2010) album, the band is preparing the release of their second full-length on PsycheDOOMelic records this summer.  And while they may hail from the same hometown, rest assured that frontwoman Soph Day doesn’t sing like Ozzy.  Here’s a clip of ‘em performing at DesertFest back in April:

TOP 10 FEMALE-FRONTED STONER/DOOM BANDS GOING TODAY: 9. Cauchemar

Posted by gruesomegreg on

On June 13th, Portland doomsters Witch Mountain are coming to town, playing the Hard Luck Bar on Dundas.  I’ve been dying to see ‘em ever since I first heard South of Salem, their comeback album, which ended up topping my year-end list last year.  The sultry, soulful, otherworldly vocals of Uta Plotkin really give the songs a big boost.  And on this occasion, her band will be joined by another pair of female-fronted doom units in Blood Ceremony and Castle–a Toronto exclusive for both acts.  Thus, in anticipation of this estrogen-laced triple bill, I figured it was time to count down my Top 10 Female-Fronted Stoner/Doom Bands Going Today.

10. Castle

9. Cauchemar

Another power trio–at least on record, though they’ve primarily played live as a four-piece.  Like the 10th band on this list, Cauchemar isn’t strictly a doom band, per se; their La Vierge Noire EP shows them at various tempos, mixing the doom with the cult 80′s trad metal of Angel Witch and Witchfinder General.  What makes singer Annick Giroux unique is that she sings exclusively in French, making Cauchemar one of the only bands on earth to combine la langue de Molière with the riffs of Black Sabbath.  I think there are a couple in France, but Cauchemar is the only Franco-Canadian doom band I’m aware of.  Mind you, they haven’t been based out of Canada in a while, as Giroux and guitarist François Patry have been traveling the world for the past 18 months and keeping an online diary of their trip.  Unfortunately, it hasn’t been updated in several weeks–it seems the band is in the midst of a European tour right now.  Check out this clip of them performing “Magie rouge” at the Keep It True festival:

TOP 10 FEMALE-FRONTED STONER/DOOM BANDS GOING TODAY: 10. Castle

Posted by gruesomegreg on

On June 13th, Portland doomsters Witch Mountain are coming to town, playing the Hard Luck Bar on Dundas.  I’ve been dying to see ‘em ever since I first heard South of Salem, their comeback album, which ended up topping my year-end list last year.  The sultry, soulful, otherworldly vocals of Uta Plotkin really give the songs a big boost.  And on this occasion, her band will be joined by another pair of female-fronted doom units in Blood Ceremony and Castle–a Toronto exclusive for both acts.  Thus, in anticipation of this estrogen-laced triple bill, I figured it was time to count down my Top 10 Female-Fronted Stoner/Doom Bands Going Today.

Here we go…

10. Castle

Unbeknownst to me at the time, I actually caught this band’s first-ever gig at the Smiling Buddha in August of last year.  Althought based out of San Francisco, their guitarist has Toronto ties, which have led them back to town again this summertime.  But it’s vocalist/bassist Elizabeth Blackwell who earns them a spot on this list, her droning, hypnotic voice crooning pagan hymns over a solid backbeat.  They don’t always play slow, but their music certainly captures that evil, occult vibe.  Check ‘em out in the video for the title track off their just-released second album, Blacklands.