hmv Metal Week was a BLAST! And with that in mind, I thought it would be the perfect time to share some great albums by bands with awesome female vocalists.
Halestorm: Back From The Dead (2022)
Lzzy Hale is one of my favourite vocalists of all time, she has such a strong powerful voice, she can sing and she can scream! 'Back From The Dead' is the perfect showcase of her talent. Arguably this is the band’s most personal album with a lot of the songs inspired by Hale’s experience of a musician feeling a disconnection from her fans and bandmates during the pandemic. For me, the personal experiences add a depth to the lyrics, it gives them more power and emotion which really strengthen the album. Musically this is one of the bands strongest albums as well. The band arguably found their sound on their third album, ‘Into The Wild Life’ but for me, ‘Back From The Dead’ is where they sound the most confident in their music. It may be the most recent album, but if anyone asks me where to start with Halestorm, this is the album I would 100% recommend.
Evanescence: Fallen (2003)
It feels almost illegal to have a discussion about female metal vocalists and not include Amy Lee. She is iconic. So is Evanescence’s debut album ‘Fallen’. You’re lying if you say you never tried to sing both parts in ‘Bring Me To Life.’ Evanescence take symphonic metal to the next level and let’s be honest, that’s mainly down to Amy Lee and her amazing voice. ‘Fallen’ is the perfect example of this. Every single song is a hit, it is a ‘no skip’ album. For me, the songs that stick with me are ‘Going Under’, ‘Haunted’, and ‘Tourniquet’. I think these are the songs where Lee's vocal prowess shine the most. As an added bonus, ‘Fallen’ is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year which means we get treated to a special expanded edition of the album!
New Year's Day: Unbreakable (2019)
With their most empowering album yet, New Year's Day blessed us with 'Unbreakable' in 2019. After a four year break in-between albums, the band returned to a heavier sound which definitely suits lead singer Ash Costello. Her voice has definitely matured throughout her career and gets stronger with each album but for me, 'Unbreakable' is where she shines the brightest. 'MissUnderstood' is perhaps the best example, it showcases Costello's singing and screaming and how she effortlessly switches between the two. It's probably one of my favourite songs on the album, though it is hard to decide! The album as a whole is a bit more experimental than past albums but it works. Lyrically and musically, this is their best album yet and hopefully this is the direction they decide to keep going on!
Lacuna Coil: Delirium (2016)
Lacuna Coil are another band with a powerhouse of a lead singer, two of them to be exact. Andrea Ferro and Christina Scabbia work perfectly together. The heavy screaming of Ferro is matched so well by the almost operatic Scabbia. For me personally, it is Scabbia's singing that takes Lacuna Coil to the next level. She is almost hypnotic, it is so easy to just lose yourself listening to her. Another great thing about 'Lacuna Coil' is that their albums are themed. 'Delirium' is no different, focusing on the idea of insanity. The thing that stands out for me is that the band researched the mental health issues they are singing about. Each song is a room of a sanitorium where the patients are suffering from a different mental illness. The album is good when you listen without that context but when you listen to the lyrics knowing there is that depth to them, it really adds something to the listening experience.
Burning Witches: Dance With The Devil (2020)
With a sound that is described as reminiscent of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, why would you not want to give Burning Witches a try? The Swiss band may not have been around for as long but they have certainly staked their claim as one of the best power metal bands going. Everything about this album is exciting. 'Dance With The Devil' is the first album featuring Laura Guldemond as lead vocalist and the moment she starts singing, you know the album is going to be as good, if not better, than their first two albums. It is song after song of metal greatness. The band manages to seamlessly integrate features of classic German thrash metal and euphoric metal anthems, what's not to like?
