Metalcore as a whole is a dauntingly male-dominated subgenre where it seems women fear to tread. Frequently connected to their contemporaries Motörhead in both stage manner and offstage antics, collaborating on countless occasions under the name Headgirl, including an unforgettable cover of Johnny Kidd & The Pirates ’ “ Please Don’t Touch.” Outstanding drummers such as Denise Dufort were few and far between in Girlschool’s heyday, when the new wave of British heavy metal reigned supreme, but that minor gender setback never seemed to impede the band’s success or their ability to secure hotly contested appearances on Top Of The Pops. Denise Dufort – Girlschoolīands don’t get much more infectious than London’s Girlschool, founded in 1978 and still going strong to this day. Make no mistake, this scarily talented lady can also turn her hand to vocals when the occasion calls for it, providing her chops to Arcane Reality and Dragonhammer in the past. Who said women can’t be terrifyingly heavy too? Japanese lead guitarist Mio Jäger, formerly of Ice Age, arms herself with a Flying V and a relentless pace that could give anyone else a dose of whiplash. Swedish melodic death metallers Frantic Amber are a breath of fresh air in a genre so saturated with all-male outfits. Is there anything she can’t do? Mio Jäger – Frantic Amber , producing solo records since 1983 and still performing to the same standard to this day. From those young punk roots grew a heavy metal goddess who has worked alongside Ozzy Osbourne, Twisted Sister, Queensrÿche and W.A.S.P. Ford provided her slick work on the strings alongside Cherie Currie and Joan Jett. But let’s not forget this guitarist started out in the short-lived but never forgotten Runaways. More recent fans will remember Lita Ford for her glittering solo career. Aside from her prolific solo career with four albums under her belt, Orianthi provided her axewomanship to a duo act RSO, combining forces with ex- Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora. And even though her solo material shows off her vocals too, she’s a guitar wiz first and foremost.
Orianthi’s slick approach lets her licks do the talking.
Armed with their continuing relevance, Baroness’ true sparkle lies at the heart of Gleason’s classic rock-esque solos.Ī guitar legend in her own right, Australian face-melter Orianthi has a vibrant history of collaborations and guest stars, from rehearsing for Michael Jackson ’s farewell London shows This Is It just before his death to shredding for Alice Cooper’s touring band. Take away her contagious contribution to the likes of “ Take My Bones Away” and “ Shock Me” and you lose a staggering amount of the band’s infectious character. Seventeen years into their glittering metal career, Baroness remain one of the hottest properties in metal, and with very good reason-at the heart of every track lies the electric mastery of guitarist Gina Gleason. Her addition to the Alice Cooper group in 2014 brought Strauss the opportunity to show off her chops on Cooper’s classics, both on tour and on record for 2017’s Paranormal, while also pulling together her own storming solo album in 2018. One of the genre’s most prolific ladies, Strauss has provided her riffability to the likes of Consume The Fire, Critical Hit, Femme Fatale, rock guitar royalty Kane Roberts ’ 2019 solo album and the supergroup Metal Allegiance. The axelady-in-chief of Alice Cooper ’s current band, Nita Strauss has been showing the metal world who’s boss since 2003.