Sisters Of Suffocation (Death Metal, The Netherlands)
Another death metal formation, because who said it was a man’s sport? Sisters Of Suffocation is a Dutch death metal outfit that started their death-metal-with-a-twist in 2014. Their musical skills, honed in the Eindhoven School of Metal, is first displayed on their 2016 Brutal Queen EP, which was an immense showcase of two things: huge technical quality in a raw production sound and the sheer talent of vocalist Els Prins. Their lyrical content, consisting of a rich blend of the ‘conventional slaughterhouse songs’ and the – so aptly put forward in the first track of the EP and on their Facebook page – écriture feminine to death metal, But all their musical and lyrical prowess put aside, Sisters Of Suffocation is at their best when playing live!
Band-Maid (Hard Rock, Japan)
While the more familiar Babymetal may be Japan’s most famous metal export product to date, Band-Maid is certain to stand out as both unique and all but a product. Writing all music and lyrics themselves, the quintet tapped into a double goldmine by one, acquiring a hard rock sound that has now been properly grounded in their style over the course of three mini-albums, and by, two, adopting Tokyo’s maid café culture – donning the artistic black-and-white uniforms in all press and stage work. These two choices have seen Band-Maid make a good name for themselves, with a full-length debut on the way in 2017. Get served!
Mystica Girls (Heavy Metal, Mexico)
One needs only to take a look at the likes of Attila Csihar and Wes Borland to realise that the right look matches the right music – and that is exactly what Mexico’s Mystica Girls have done as well. But do the clothes outmatch the music? On the contrary: take their 2014 sophomore, Gates of Hell, and you will find a tight 37 minutes wrecking ball of heavy metal bliss, and it seems that Mystica Girls knows not of slowing. Though affected by line-up changes, the Mexican ladies have not held back, releasing their third full-length, Veronica, la cortesana del infierno (all lyrics written in their native tongue!), last year.
Blair Witch (Black Metal, Taiwan)
So far, the Taiwanese black metal quartet has seen one release: the incredibly atmospheric and elusive Imprecation EP. Addressing misanthropy and greed, Blair Witch delves into a peculiar sound that shapes heavier guitar around the traditional approach of stylised raw black metal, swiftly making the comparison to early Darkthrone and Carach Angren recordings. Unfortunately, these witches have officially been on hold since 2011, thus halting any potential of further releases – but that does not detract the fact that their Imprecation EP is an eternal victory that invites many relistens.