Posting this here because the metal community seems to be entirely links to tracks and I’m not sure how well received this would be there. Also, I’m open to anything that goes more on the punk rock side of things. I like a little punk in my metal and a little metal in my punk (which is very subjective anyway).
Basically as the title says. I’m bored of my current selection of heavy music and looking for new stuff. To per-emptively get ahead of these answers: yes, I’ve heard Kittie, Nightwish and Arch Enemy before (actually haven’t listened to Kittie since the nu metal days and maybe I should check them out again).
Two bands that I have found in recent years that I absolutely love are:
In This Moment. They started out as pretty much straight metalcore but have a noticeable evolution with each album, to the point that the most recent album sounds like this. Evolution is something I appreciate in a band.
Butcher Babies. Just straight up chaotic. And good shit. And they’re even named after an old school punk song. Chaos and attitude is something I also appreciate in a band. Pity that one of the vocalists left though, having two vocalists was something that really set them apart.
Any other suggestions?
Edit: wasn’t expecting so many great suggestions here. I promise I’ll make my way through each post and suggestion here but it’s going to take time. In the mean time, thanks everyone. At this rate I’m going to have more than enough new (to me) stuff to listen to.
So female fronted metal is my jam. Your examples have a solid range, but here’s some of my picks:
- After Forever
- Beyond the Black
- Ad Infinitum
- Delain
- Within Temptation
- Unsun
- Cellar Darling (and earlier Eluveitie if you don’t mind male and female singers mixing)
- Amaranthe
- Stream of Passion
- Illumishade
- Lacuna Coil
- Leaves’ Eyes
- The Murder of My Sweet
You’ll find a ton of female fronted bands in what (I think) is referred to as "scandi-metal) (Sacndinavian Metal).
Brutus. Stefanie Mannaerts is the lead Singer and drummer. Simultaneously! She is absolutely amazing and has so much power in her Voice. My favorite Band of 2025.
Jinjer, Arch Enemy, Unleash the Archers, spiritbox (and iwabo), Devil Electric
Female fronted, Halestorm
All female, Kittie
Entheos!
Vana The Pretty Wild Enemy Inside Not Enough Space Poppy Foie Gras (gothy music)
If you like death and a more extreme sound you have to listen to Crypta. All female band and they are honestly one of the best out there. Impeccable riffs, drums and singing.
No one mentioned iwrestledabearonce yet, so a toss out if that. Rad metalcore band from when metalcore was rad. For (much) less metal/more punk or riot grrl vibes check out Amyl and the Sniffers and Be Your Own PET. Don’t come at me if I used genre names wrong with those.
Spiritbox has been mentioned elsewhere in the comments, but I’m not sure how common knowledge it is that they were started by former iwrestledabearonce members.
Not sure about the genre but I recently discovered Blackwater Holylight and I quite like them
Animal Alpha - Bundy is a favorite I return to every now and then. I don’t know the rest of their music
Loved this song on while playing burnout
I only have a passing interest in metal, but I heard about this Indonesian Muslim all-female metal trio (Voice of Baceprot) a while back and was impressed when I watched the videos of them playing. It’s trippy to see them wearing hijabs and all while kicking ass playing metal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v4728NJ7B8
- L7
- Lunachicks
- Veruca Salt
- Bikini Kill
- The Muffs
- Cibbo Mato
- Blonde Redhead
- The Evens
- Shonen Knife
Some of this is more punk or pop-punk.
To add to this already awesome list
- The Gits
- Bad Cop Bad Cop
- Amyl and the Sniffers
Missing babes in Toyland here
Have you tried hard techno? Check out Cassie Raptor