The year of 2024 saw an enormous metal music revival, with many bands and artists within the alternative industry coming to the forefront of the music scene all around the world. It’s impossible to deny that metal music has absolutely been thriving, with numerous new artists making breakthroughs in an industry that was once polarizing. From metal subgenres like progressive metal to more commercial styles like alternative metal, the modern metal scene has provided many different stylistic avenues for artists and bands to explore, with its fanbase only growing in size over the last number of decades.
The modern metal scene has gradually evolved over the last decade, with women in the industry coming to the forefront and inspiring generations of aspiring artists who would like to follow suit. With the ability to deliver extraordinarily harsh vocals as well as clean singing in a way that perfectly complements a bed of heavy music, women in the metal scene have been reshaping metal as it is today, whether they are in a band or exploring their own solo projects. Below or just some of the many women in the modern metal scene who are making an impact.
10
Vana
Rising Star of Metal
Vana is an artist who exploded onto the metal scene in 2024 with her metalcore/popmetal sound. The American-born, New Zealand-based singer’s breakthrough single, “Beg”, quickly put the artist on the map with her sugary-sweet vocals and signature heavy sound after it generated a successful social media response online. Following a string of hits, Vana recently released her latest EP, Trial and Terror, in November 2024, which features her hit song, “Beg”, along with five other heavy-hitting songs, including a collaboration with fellow alternative artist, Sophie Powers, called “PLAYBOi”.
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One of the many features of Vana’s music that makes her sound and style so unique in the modern metal scene is just how accessible her songs actually are. The production of her tracks features heavy breakdowns and riffs that travel through a variety of pop elements throughout each song, while her crystal-clear vocals and fry screams dominate each mix in a way that matches commercial pop tracks today. Vana’s breakthrough success has landed her a dedicated following on social media as fans enjoy her music and eagerly await more.
9
Cassyette
Industrial Metal Queen
In 2021, British artist Cassyette gained significant attention with her breakthrough single release, “Dear Goth”. The track demonstrated the singer’s powerful, metal-style vocals, which led to Cassyette rapidly gaining an audience of dedicated fans.
In 2024 she released her latest album, This World F****** Sucks, which further established her prominence in the modern metal scene.
Cassyette’s “nu-gen” sound has allowed her to curate heavy – yet relatively commercially appealing – songs with honest lyrics that resonate with her audience. In addition to Cassyette’s thriving solo live shows, she has supported bands like My Chemical Romance and Bring Me The Horizon. In 2024 she released her latest album, This World F****** Sucks, which further established her prominence in the modern metal scene.
8
Scene Queen
Punk and Metal Fusion
Plastic, fantastic, and unapologetically loud, Scene Queen is an artist who should be on everyone’s radar right now. Her debut album, Hot Singles In Your Area, was released in 2024 and features a collection of metal-infused Y2K-inspired songs. 2024 also saw the artist win “Best International Breakthrough Artist” at the Heavy Music Awards 2024, after a successful string of prolific live shows, including performances at Download Festival, Rock Am Ring, and opening for Babymetal. Scene Queen’s signature sound stands out in the metal scene due to the raunchy lyrics in her songs as well as the themes of self-love and discovery.
7
Nova Twins
Alternative Metal Duo
Breaking into the metal scene in 2020 with their genre-defying sound and debut album Who Are The Girls?, Nova Twins are a dynamic duo who have been challenging the music industry and paving the way for many aspiring artists. Blending together many elements of heavy metal, hip-hop, and punk, Nova Twins challenge their listeners with empowering lyrics that tackle important topics, which have appealed to the fanbase the band has accumulated over the last couple of years.
The duo know how to make modern metal songs that appeal to different listeners who listen for different reasons.
Nova Twins as a duo consists of Amy Love on vocals and guitar and Georgia South on bass, who both deliver an incredibly impressive stage show with their dynamic instrumentation. Their use of a variety of different pedals, effects, and their raw instrumental skills showcase Nova Twins’ brilliant talent as musicians, while their energy on stage is just as good – if not better – than their energy in the band’s records. Their 2022 album Supernova received a Mercury Prize nomination to reward the impact Nova Twins has had on the metal music scene.
6
Sharon Den Adel (Within Temptation)
Symphonic Metal Icon
Take symphonic metal and mix it with angelic vocals, and you’ve got the sound of Sharon den Adel. The Dutch singer has been the vocalist for Within Temptation since the band was founded in 1996.
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Her sweet, clean and melodic vocals elegantly soar above the band’s signature symphonic sound, adding a layer of accessibility to Within Temptation that many fans have gotten behind over the past few decades. Touring internationally with the likes of Evanescence and more, Den Adel has also collaborated with other notable and iconic artists in the scene, including Tarja Turunen and Delain.
5
Fleur Jansen (Nightwish)
Operatic Metal Voice
The current and third lead vocalist for the Finnish symphonic metal band, Nightwish, Fleur Jansen, is a powerful and talented vocalist with a prominent presence within the metal scene. Nightwish originally saw Tarja Turunen lead the band’s vocals with her signature operatic singing style, which was followed by Anette Olzon’s more commercial vocal sound – but Jansen’s vocals with Nightwish today somehow create a sweet spot between both of the previous singer’s styles. Jansen has released 3 studio albums with the band and continues to be a force on stage during Nightwish’s impressive live shows.
4
Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy)
Aggressive Metal Vocals
Alissa White-Gluz, the lead vocalist of Arch Enemy, is one of the most prominent vocalists in the melodic death metal world today. In 2014, White-Gluz was recommended by Arch Enemy’s original vocalist, Angela Gossow, when she left the band and subsequently became their manager.
Her energy during live performances is unmatched, while she utilizes her platform and online presence to promote her work in animal rights activism.
White-Gluz’s vocals are some of the most impressive metal vocals in the industry, showcasing her ability to swap between a variety of growls, clean, and harsh vocals. Her energy during live performances is unmatched, while she utilizes her platform and online presence to promote her work in animal rights activism.
Kawaii Metal Pioneers
Active in the music scene since 2010, Babymetal have been one of the most monumental women-fronted bands in metal history. The band’s unique concoction of J-Pop with thrash and heavy metal is what rose the band to prominence, while their live show production has been nothing short of spectacular.
With an intricately choreographed stage performance and vocals that are distinct to the band, Babymetal is currently one of the leading forces in the modern metal scene. In recent years, the band have seen some notable collaborations, including songs with Bring Me The Horizon, Electric Callboy, and Bloodywood.
2
Courtney LaPlante (Spiritbox)
Modern Metal Powerhouse
The lead vocalist of alternative metal band Spiritbox, Courtney LaPlante is paving the way for many aspiring metal vocalists. Her unique and signature ability to switch between the delivery of crystal-clear melodic vocals and a variety of dynamic harsh screams is what has raised LaPlante atop a pedestal in modern metal.
Hit songs from Spiritbox like “Holy Roller”, “Rotoscope”, and “The Void” all each showcase LaPlante’s impressive vocal range in a way that is inspiring to many. What makes LaPlante truly stand out is simply how talented a vocalist she is, boasting vocal skills that many aspire to achieve.
1
Poppy
Pop-Surrealist Metal Star
Over the last number of years, Poppy has proven to be a force to be reckoned with. Honing songwriting skills in several different genres, from commercial pop to punk to metal. Poppy continuously proves that her sound knows no bounds, with her playful lyrics and dynamics becoming her signature sonic attribute. Her latest album release, Negative Spaces, was released in 2024 and was eagerly anticipated among fans as the artist’s heaviest work to date. Poppy’s work continues to be impressive and, engaging in even more live shows than before, she has been rapidly growing her database of dedicated fans.
The modern metal music scene is a very exciting space at the moment, with its fanbase driving the success of the genre. Each of the vocalists mentioned in this article are only some of the broad collective of talented and inspiring vocalists who are at the forefront of the metal music industry at the moment, with many more aspiring vocalists to follow suit due to the influential status that many of these acts have provided their audiences with. One thing that is unique about metal vocalists is that being able to perform in any area of this genre vocally is a skill in itself, and the influence that each of the artists mentioned here has right now, and surely in years to come, is invaluable to the world of metal.
