Who are Some Of the great ladies of the Goth/Industrial scene today?

Music in general has always been a bit of a boys club. Sadly I feel like ladies have always faced an uphill battle particularly as producers and song writers. The goth/industrial scene has had it’s share of amazing and talented ladies as well as a progressive view, but it has never been a 100% fair shake. Since I have been getting back into the cutting edge of new music I have been overjoyed and amazed at the influx of talented female led performers currently putting out wonderful art that adds to the discussion and furthers the diversity of this scene. So I thought I would take a moment to highlight some of my favorite new artists creating music that places emphasis on the female perspective and makes this genre richer. I can’t add everyone I am listening to but i feel excited that it took me just a few moments to have several amazing artists currently enriching this scene. These will be quick hits, but I have more extensive reviews of many of the ladies featured.

Hante – Hélène de Thoury has an amazing voice and textural songs of beauty and effortless grace. She has such an unspoken coolness to her songs that paint a picture in your mind. I am transported every time i listen to her.

Sunshine Blind – Caroline Blind was an artist I grew up listening to that helped shape and mold me and changed my worldview of music. She has continued to make amazing music with the power and beauty of her voice. I always describe Sunshine Blind as a Steel gauntlet in a velvet glove. This is a cover she did of the Swans “Godamn The Sun”. It’s simple, striped down, and amazing.

Black Nail Cabaret – Emese Arva is a freaking force of nature. Her presence and power remind me of the first time i heard Annie Lennox. Her voice is pure raw energy, strength, and beauty. Wonderful range and a revolutionary song writing style that makes me want to charge up a hill and believe in a better tomorrow. I challenge you to listen to this song and not feel inspired!

S Y Z Y G Y X –  Luna Blanc has a voice that feels like a slow drink of whiskey in a club owned by David Lynch. It’s smokey, immersive, and full of desire. Can’t get enough.

Cliff and Ivy – Ivy Silence is a dear friend and all around wonderful human. Hailing from Alaska with her husband they do a sharp edge stabbing dark goth rock full of punk sensibility. Her voice is raw and unapologetic and as it crashes through you with sultry fierceness.

Kaelan Mikla – From Iceland is an amazing female group that hits on every level. It’s driving, fierce, gorgeous music filled with simmering intensity and textural beauty. They are truly a cutting edge sound for the modern age. Every time i listen to them i get lost in the picture they paint with every song.

Corlyx – Holy shit i love this band. Caitlin Stokes has a clear and fearless beauty and style. She really captures the raw sexuality and intelligence of the modern scene. This new album has a filthy glittering glory reminiscent of the 90s but with modern flare and strength.

Audrey Burne – I always love when i can give props to a fellow Michigan band. Lilith Gates of Audrey Burne is a immensely talented and haunting vocalist that has a lovely Natalie Merchant lilt and wonderful stage presence. I’ve had the honor or sharing a stage with her and they have a wonderful driving dark rock feel that really captures a room.

https://firesngp.bandcamp.com/track/show-me-life

Fires- Aedra is a freaking force of nature. She sings with such intensity and burning passion about her experience and her song writing ability really pushes the boundaries of industrial electronic music. This album really changed the game for me this year.

Angel Metro – Soft, sultry, understated glory. Virginia’s Angel Metro does a wonderful blend of subtle dance beats and lilting tender beauty. She really exposes her inner most feelings for every song and this courage lends the tracks a real power.

Schedule IV – Stephanie Strange again from Michigan is a friend and amazing energy on stage. This is perfect precision post punk glory that blends her high range intense vocals and intelligent lyrics to create an entrancing and intimate experience. One of our favorite bands to play with and wonderful people.

Lorelei Dreaming – Laura Bienz leaves it all on the floor every night. I’m starting to reflect on how many of these amazing ladies i actually got to share a stage with. The energy, stage presence and political savvy combines with the intelligence of the lyrics to create a wondrous and unique experience. Do yourself a favor and bask in the fiery glow of this album.

I Ya Toyah – Chicago based Ania Tarnowska brings a fierce and rocket fueled electronic dance symphony of raw sensual strength to every performance. I love these explosive pop hooks blended with crashing dance rhythms.

Leathers – Is the sultry synth dream darkness of Shannon Hammett of Actors. It’s so great to see when a performer in a band of the quality of Actors finds her own voice and shows the ability to create such staggeringly beautiful music like this with her as the center piece. I love how far this reaches from the sound of Actors to really allow her voice to shine because it is one that deserves to be front and center.

Ego Likeness – So Donna Lynch has had a long, successful, and storied career and I could have picked a lot of songs newer than this, but it’s my favorite so I’m going with it. Donna is a hurricane of passion and darkness. She has been taking on intense topics in her art for a decade and creating beautiful songs about the horror which resonates with the feminine experience and having an intimacy of truth for decades.

https://nowherenowrecords.bandcamp.com/track/dragonfly?fbclid=IwAR3QR3MKDGuVWBQoA78u_s_okui5EkkmvAMrpmJBP2_xub88iZ8s3k8ODVo

Bess – Aussie dark alternative rocker Bess Linda is making churning sultry dance beats full of world beat toms and off kilter warm toned vocals to shake a dance floor.

Bones Uk – This recommendation came from Collin Schipper, filthy wide room fresh sounds. It’s pop hook sensible but cutting edge in your face intensity. You aren’t wrong “Beautiful is boring”

Death Loves Veronica – Veronica Campbell is a slow, back beat, sultry drive down a long empty road. It’s effortless tension, and subtle whispers of reality laid barren with brutal honesty.

SINE – I must admit I heard about SINE and Rona Rougeheart  through her collaboration with Curse Mackey. However once i dug into the power of her art for itself I found an intense flurry of disco dance beats underneath powerful vocals and world building soundscapes which captured me and brought me to my knees to beg for more.

VV and The Void – Valentina Veil has a wonderful whispering smoke swirl style. Really great at building tension in her songs to feel like a story.

Dissonance – Cat Hall has such a rich soulful voice with I feel gives a unique flare to her dark dance electronic sound.

Lingua Ignota – Kristin Hayter voice is one of the most intense things I have ever heard. It makes me realize i am not trying hard enough as a singer. Ferocious intensity shot forth like a flame thrower.

Hide – Raw, intelligent, and political. Gabel is a force of nature attacking change through the unnerving unapologetic fury of her art. This band makes me think, it makes me think about why i need to be better.

Wingtips – The duo Wingtips from Chicago features the amazing keyboard stylings of Hannah Avalon. Her stage presence and beautifully blended synths help make up one of the great new bands of the last few years.

Bootblacks – So many of these bands listed are for the vocal stylings. Lets not forget some of the amazing women who play instruments in this scene like Alli Gorman of BootBlacks. A straight up shredding axe master of the highest degree. Her riffs are creative and nuanced and such a big part of what gives this band it’s signature sound. This band has a very bright future and she is a backbone of that sound. New album out this year from Jacknife studios.

Cliff and Ivy – Alaska deathrock due that bring an intensity and punk flavor. Ivy has a poetry and fist first attitude which is captivating as it is rocking. Wonderful human as well that cares about lifting up others.

https://cliffandivy.bandcamp.com/album/the-best-of-cliff-and-ivy

Pilgrims Of Yearning – I think what I love most about Juls and POY are the way they express a wandering sense of displacement that comes through so clearly in their music. It’s rich, flowing, and organic. A lot of organic elements and her voice is in constant motion. I think this speaks to the passion for her heritage and the shadowy soul of her delivery.

https://pilgrimsofyearning.bandcamp.com/

The Blue Hour – Marselle Hodges has a made for coldwave spiritual sirens call from the vein of Dead Can Dance. Their music is the rustling of wind through trees on an autumn day. It’s gentle and powerful at the same time. She is also a frequent collaborator with goth superband Shadow Assembly and does all her own videography work.

https://thebluehour.bandcamp.com/

Normoria – Angel Moonshine is the forceful and silky voice of this industrial dance devastation. Her voice is a laser beam of focused light against crunching guitars and smashing drum beats. I can’t listen to this and not be impressed with the moxie and dripping power.

https://normoria.bandcamp.com/

Eva X – Glorious Canadian dark pop that is sensual and heart pumping dance delirium. I really love the way she changes emotion and delivery within a single phrase. It add so much complexity for a pop style music. The theatrics and emotion help add layers that set it aside from electronic dance beats.

https://eva-x.bandcamp.com/album/a-softer-world

Morgue VVitch – Tara Saavedra has such a fantastical shimmering voice and production style. I always feel transported. The layering and electronic sound crafting are first rate.

https://morguevvitch.bandcamp.com/track/midnight-sun-of-summer

Sarah Graves of HAEX helped put out one of the hardest industrial opus’s of 2021. I love the raw unbridled delivery of every track.

https://haex.bandcamp.com/album/aethyr-abyss-void

Leah Lane of Dallas based RoseGarden Funeral Party is a force both on the guitar and with her sky splitting voice. She puts the rocker edge in gothic rock and continues to establish herself as one of the most prolific names in the modern scene.

https://rosegardenfuneralparty.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-wake-of-fire

BARA HARI LA electro explosion dance artist and designer is an amazing producer that oozes with feminine power and terrifying beauty. Soulful darkpop that is as intricate as it is powerful.

https://barahari.bandcamp.com/album/dark-new-day

I know I have missed so many impressive female artist which drive and push the boundaries of this scene. Just looking through what popped into my head without much through fills me with hope for a brighter, stronger future of diversity of the dark music scene. I hope you find something here you give a try to expand your horizons with.

Kat Squared was kind enough to put all these bands together on a Spotify playlist

Adria Stembridge (Tears For the Dying) – The amazing and talented old school death rocker is a talented musician and vocalist with a raw old school sound

Eyes Wide Open in the Dark | Tears for ʇhe Dying (bandcamp.com)

Ania – I Ya Toyah – The One Woman Army of Chicago Industrial remains one of the most impressive live shows I have ever witnessed. She does EVERYTHING. Singing, Instruments, Production, Videos, Lighting. She also has a brighter than the sun personality that bursts forth to light up every room she is in. As well as doing so much great charity work for mental health with her music. Also a prominent member of Chicago super band The Joy Thieves

Out Of Order | I Ya Toyah (bandcamp.com)

Tara Saavedra – Morgue VVITCH – Kansas VVitchaus queen with gorgeous vocals and shimmering violet fantasy textures. Amazing underground artist that people need to know about.

LORE | Morgue VVitch (bandcamp.com)

Kim – Bow Ever Down – Incredible vocal talent that has been a part of the underground scene and done a slew of amazing collaborations. We even have guest vocals from her on an upcoming Amaranth song. Powerful dynamic projection dripping with emotion.

UNDERCOVER (the singles) | Bow Ever Down (bandcamp.com)

Mari Kattman – Helix – Amazing song writer, lyricist, singer from Rhode Island who does solo work as well as half of the band Helix with her husband Tom Sheer. Mari is such a shining star for this scene with her music and infectious energy.

Fever Shakes | Mari Kattman (bandcamp.com)

Emileigh Rohn – Chiasm /Rohn Lederman – My fellow Michigan artist and producer who has been putting out amazing electronic dance jams since the early 2000s. Lately collaborating with he legend Jean-Marc Lederman. Emileigh is currently my favorite I need energy work out music. Pure crackling bolts of force direct to your bloodstream.

Disorder (ReIssue) | Chiasm (bandcamp.com)

Lena Machina – Secret Shame – NC band that made our albums of the year in the not sure where to place this category. Exceptional song writing, furious performance, and a blend of 10 great things spun together into hybrid bliss.

Autonomy | Secret Shame (bandcamp.com)

Josie Pace – Detroit ElectroPunk star has been building momentum at an exponential rate the last few years. Fresh off a tour with Aesthetic Perfection in the US. She has a sunburst energy and presence combined with a thunderous sledgehammer voice to make her stand out in the crowd.

IV0X10V5 | Josie Pace (bandcamp.com)

Suzi Sabotage – Finnish digital post punk artist with slashing punk hits like “Nazi Goths Fuk Off” as well as FolkElectro dirges like the new “Oodi surulle” she is getting a lot of attention for her captivating songs and fearless voice.

Oodi surulle | Suzi Sabotage (bandcamp.com)

Emily Kavanaugh – Night Club – LA Industrial Pop that has been setting clubs on fire with their luscious hooks and ground shaking beats. Wonderful dynamic range on vocals that pulls you in and out in the moment. I REALLY need to see them live soon.

Night Club (nightclubband.com)

Karen Righeimer-Schock – Bellhead – Badass bassist/singer/powerlifter of the Chicago two bass duo. Absolute monster on her instrument with a cheeky murder ballad alt rock style.

BELLHEAD (bandcamp.com)

Betty X – Austin Texas producer/singer/legend. Recently I absolutely love the work she has done to boost the signal for friends in the scene going through struggles like Charles Urban. A complete talent as well as all around good human who really cares about lifting everyone around her.

THE DEVIL’S DUE | Betty X (bandcamp.com)

Yvette Winkler – Talented vocalist of Dutch Shadow rock Duo Vaselyne. She has such a unique timber to her voice. Rough velvet full of texture beyond the sound. Getting ready to play Europe with Cassandra Complex.

▶︎ Necromancer | Vaselyne (bandcamp.com)

Sapphira Vee – Smokey electric crooner from Rochester NY with a gorgeous voice and penchant for creating wonderful collaborations. She also runs a great radio program with Melodywhore that highlights the best in new electronic music.

Stand Together | Sapphira Vee (bandcamp.com)

Michelle Perry – Mistress of synths and vocals for California based goth rock band Ashes Fallen. In addition she is also the guardian for the legend of Vampira.

V | Ashes Fallen (bandcamp.com)

Jennifer Wilde – Bass queen and vocalist for California prog goth band Sword tongue. Great snarling wolf energy, I’m really excited to hear the growth and development I have seen from ST lately.

Taming The Night Wolves | Sword Tongue (bandcamp.com)