Sigh, the japanese black metal band, wrote, “We are not girls!” on the back of their second album. The band was the first ever non-Scandinavian signing to Euronymous’s Deathlike Silence Productions, and allegedly they got bugged by heaps and heaps of love starved men after the release of their first album, Scorn Defeat. But apart from that the contact between black metal and girls has been sparse. That’s going to change now, since Gallhammer are sure to ignite the dark flame in all black metal girls thinking about joining the war against Christianity by starting a band of their own.
We interview Paul at Peaceville, who just recently signed the band.
So how did you get in touch with Gallhammer?
Paul: Oh, that’s a difficult one. I think it was the previous owner who came across a mentioning of them in a fanzine, like “Punky black metal from Japan” or something like that. He got in touch with them, and the band sent us a few CDs and a DVD with live performances that impressed us a lot.
Why? What are they like live?
They’ve just got this power, and the style of metal is very… It’s noisy and very intense and they’ve got this great drive. It’s very in yer face and balls out. Not your typical female performance, with nice singing and all that. This is proper black metal growling.
Do you know what their beliefs are? Are they Satanists or Odinists or something?
I think Vivian, the main member, said she was brought up Catholic, so I guess there’s a streak of anti-religion in there. There’s definitively a rebellious streak, with songs like “May Our Father Die.”
Any other bands with girls in them that you could recommend?
I haven’t heard that many actually. There are a few keyboardists, Gehenna had a female keyboard player. But Gallhammer’s style is really different too, it’s a really punky type of black metal, which is very exciting.
How do you communicate with the band?
Mainly by e-mail.
Would you say it’s easier or harder to communicate with Gallhammer then it is with regular British girls?
I don’t know, I don’t really communicate with any regular British girls. Kidding. But our work with Gallhammer obviously doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that they’re female. It’s a very professional relationship.
Next Album will be released from Peaceville in 2007.
www.myspace.com/ghammercrust
For The Ladies - Top 5 Black Metal Hunks
1. Fenriz (Darkthrone)
2. King (ex-Gorgoroth)
3. Frost (1349)
4. Mogge (Marduk)
5. Vrangsinn (Carpathian Forest)
