Within Temptation Covering ... everything?

To celebrate their 15th anniversary Within Temptation decided to do something a little different and released a new cover every week leading up to their celebratory live 15th anniversary performance in Antwerp in November 2012.

I am a big fan of metal bands covering more generic popular music and making them awesome and these covers are just genius.  Take a listen to a sample of them below and see what you think?















Will we be seeing an album of these released in 2013?  Here's hoping. ;)

Anette Olzon - Solo Project

Recently Nightwish parted company with singer Anette Olzon.  Soon after I went to see Nightwish in Manchester with the awesome Floor Jansen.  I have to say it was a treat.  However, Anette has been working hard since the split and it seems that she recently posted this to her official blog:

"I just finished writing my new song that I've been working on for some weeks... This time I am doing the lyrics in Swedish and it was a bit hard but also challenging to do that, and now I've just sent it to my friend Fredrik Bergh to see how it will sound after the music is added. Since I don't play instruments so well, I always need help with recording. That, and Fredrik is fast and really good at what he does.


"The way we work is that I sing the song and record it directly in toGarage Band and set the tempo I want it to have. Then I write down the lyrics and also add little comments to Fredrik how I have thought the song should be 'built.' Then I send the song to iTunes and email lyrics and the song file to Fredrik and voila! — his magic can start working.


"I love the technology of today, making it so easy to create music, even when we live far apart in the country!"


So it seems we may be hearing a solo album from her very soon?

Floating is a demo Anette recorded back in 2009 and is yet to be released.

New Releases - October 2012

So I have been a little quiet of late for which I am very sorry.  I have been working with a fantastic charity, The Long Well Walk, assisting with their social media strategy and it has taken up a lot more of my time than I had imagined.  Still, there are a couple of days left of October and so if you haven't managed to come across these releases by yourself here is a quick summary of what October has had to offer.

The Birthday Massacre - Hide and Seek
Vocals - Chibi

With yet more awesome purple, bunny rabbit album art, The Birthday Massacre have released Hide and Seek.  This is their fifth studio album and is another epic masterpiece.  I am a huge Birthday Massacre fan and am desperate for them to announce UK dates.  They have been touring the US promoting the new album, and all being well they will head in the UK's direction very soon.

My favourite track from the album is Down and thanks to the power of the Internet you can have a little listen here:



Sister Sin - Now and Forever
Vocals - Liv Jagrell

Traditional heavy metal is alive and well in the shape of Sister Sin.  Formed in 2002, this female fronted band are releasing their fourth studio album; Now and Forever in October.  With traditional riffs, brash female vocals and epic guitar solo's this album is bound to impress.  End of the Line is taken from the album and is very catchy indeed.



I:Scintilla - Marrow 1 EP
Vocals - Brittany Bindrim

Following on from high profile acoustic sets with Lacuna Coil, I:Scintilla have been experimenting and moving away from their traditional post-industrial style.  The result is the first of what will be a series of acoustic EP releases; Marrow 1.

Available for immediate download from Bandcamp, I:Scintilla showcase their immense talents, none more so than lead singer Brittany Bindrim's vocals.  In addition, her father has provided some of the acoustic guitar and vocals on a number of the tracks.

Grab the EP here ...


... or take a listen to Swimmers Can Drown from their 2010 album Dying and Falling.




A fabulous month of femet music I think you will agree and with November so close I should probably start writing the November update now, while I have a few minutes to myself. \m/

Sylosis - Monolith

Sylosis release their third studio album Monolith this month and I am currently waiting for it to arrive.  I have had a listen to the free stream that was available through Soundcloud recently and am really excited.  There is something about their music.  There are so many layers, so much to listen to.  They sends chills down my spine and always clear my often scrambled head.

I have been lucky enough to see them live twice over the last couple of years.  Once supporting Cavalera Conspiracy in Sheffield and once headlining in Manchester.  They were just incredible, the atmosphere was completely breathtaking and I have never seen such amazing circle pits!  I don't tend to get involved in the circle pits but I do love to watch them!

In January 2012, Sylosis are headlining a short UK tour:

Wednesday 23rd Jan 2013 – The Fleece – Bristol, UK
Thursday 24th Jan 2013 – 02 Islington Academy – London, UK
Friday 25th Jan 2013 – o2 Academy 2 – Birmingham, UK
Saturday 26th Jan 2013 – Ivory Blacks – Glasgow, UK
Sunday 27th Jan 2013 – Academy 3 – Manchester, UK

New Releases - September 2012

September sees another collection of femet releases hitting the shelves!  I should be spending this evening seeing Firewind and Leaves' Eyes playing Corporation in Sheffield, but am instead catching up with the September new releases post for your viewing pleasure.

Kittie - Not So ... Safe
Vocals & Guitar - Morgan Lander
Drums, Vocal & Piano - Mercedes Lander
Guitar - Tara LcLeod
Trish Doan - Bass Guitar

All female extreme metallers Kittie release their compilation album Not So ... Safe this month.  The album features a mixture of songs spanning the bands 13 year history.  I can't say I've really listened to a great deal of Kitties music in the past, but I have been aware of the bands presence in the metal music scene for some time and the successfulness of their careers as female metal musicians.   Morgan Lander, one of the founding members of the band combines growls with clean vocals.  She also manages bands as well as running a clothing line and a management company with her family.



The Gathering - Disclosure
Vocals - Silje Wergeland
Bass - Marjolein Kooijman

Formed in 1989 by brothers Hans and Rene Rutten, The Gathering has seen a variety of vocalists take the helm, including most famously Anneke Van Giersbergen .  Most recently Silje Wergeland took over as lead singer and joined bassist Marjolein Kooijman as female members of The Gathering ranks. Disclosure is the bands 10th studio album and the second with Silje as lead vocalist.

Therion - Les Fleurs du Mal
Vocals - Lori Lewis

Swedish symphonic metallers, Therion release Les Fleurs du Mal (The Flowers of Evil) in September; the bands 15th album release.  The album is based on the famous poems of the same name by French poet, Charles Baudelaire and has been in the pipeline for a number of years.  The band finally decided to both finance and release this piece of work themselves to celebrate their 25th anniversary and is apparently only available from the band directly.  They hope to release it after their current Flowers of Evil tour, but in the meantime is only available from the merch stall at the gigs or direct from the bands website - Pre-Order Les Fleur Du Mal

2012 is really moving on a pace, I can't believe we are already in September.  There have been some awesome albums released so far and I know that the year is going to keep on getting better.  If you know of any femet releases coming up (perhaps from lesser known bands) please let me know via Twitter (@femetalism) or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Femetalism), while remembering to follow and like! Until next month ... \m/

New Releases - August 2012

Having recovered from a fantastic weekend at Bloodstock last week I have finally found time to summarise the releases for August 2012.  Strictly speaking one of them is a live album and one is a re-release of older material but all of them are released this month and all of them have been added to my music collection.

Eluveitie - The Early Years
Vocals, Flute & Hurdygurdy - Anna Murphy

Vocals & Fiddle - Meri Tadic

The Early Years incorporates the bands debut album Spirit along with a completely re-recorded version of their first EP.  I have not heard either of these releases previously so this will be a real treat for me.  The release marks the bands 10 year anniversary and builds from the release of their 5th album release, Helvetios early this year. I recently discovered that the band are supporting Sabaton on tour in the UK during November and have of course purchased tickets for the event.  I am stupidly excited about seeing Eluveitie live.



Tarja Turunen - Act I : Live in Rosario

This album is the first live audio/video release from Tarja and was filmed in March 2012 at the El Circulo Theatre in Rosario, Argentina.  The track listing is particularly impressive with a choice of DVD or Audio CD (or indeed both) to choose from to keep most Tarja fans very happy indeed.



Saturnian - Dimensions
Soprano Vocals: Lydia Bateman

Saturnian are an extreme symphonic metal band from the UK.  They release their debut album Dimensions this month; an album release certainly long awaited by me.  I first saw them live last August on the New Blood Stage at BOA11 and saw them again at BOA12 opening the festival on the Sophie Lancaster stage on the Thursday evening.

Build up to Bloodstock 2012

With Bloodstock just a week away now it seems an appropriate time to start thinking about what there is to look forward to and which bands I am really looking forward to seeing.

Obviously I am looking forward to many mugs of tea at Mr Tea's, posh nosh from Deli Kates and a whole weekend with the most awesome of people, listening to the most awesome of live music!  I am not even concerned about the forecasted rain.  But what femet bands am I really excited about?  Who have I already earmarked as *must see* femet bands for the weekend?

First off, and opening the Sophie Lancaster on the Thursday night is Saturnian. I discovered Saturnian at BOA 2011 where they played the New Blood Stage. They are a fantastic live extreme symphonic metal band and have recently signed to Indie Records. Their new album is due out on 24 August this year and the first single from that album is available to listen to here. Saturnian move up from their relative unknown status to the Sophie Lancaster stage as well as releasing their album. August must feel like be a pretty awesome month for the band!

Another band I am looking forward to seeing on the Sophie Lancaster Stage are Pythia who take the stage on the Friday.  Pythia are a UK heavy metal band with classical influences from lead singer Emily Ovenden of Medieaval Baebes fame.  Their latest album, The Serpents Curse, was released earlier this year and combines power, heavy and classical metal.  I am really looking forward to seeing the band perform live after following Emily on Twitter for some time and playing the album considerably since its release.

Last year the New Blood Stage was filled with awesome new music from around the country - this year looks to be no different with dark melodic power metallers, Gone Til Winter performing on the Saturday.  I am certainly feeling the power metal at the moment and when these guys were announced I was intrigued.  With a couple of self released recordings already out, Gone Til Winter will release a new album, Hiding from the Sun, later this year.

Last, but by no means least are Andraste, folk metallers from Manchester.  I came across this band thanks to a message from one of the members asking me to check their stuff out.  Within a few weeks I had their album, which I adore and they had been announced for Bloodstock.  All I need now is the announcement that they will play a gig in Sheffield with Northern Oak and my life will be complete! Andraste are playing semi-acoustically on the Jagermeister Stage on the Friday afternoon.

So all that remains is 3 days of work, a frantic packing and checking of tent session and a short drive to Catton Hall.  Then a frantic check of the line up times (to ensure there are no clashes) and then the kicking back, ale, metal, friends and good times can begin.  \m/