Women have long been excluded from the heavy metal genre, despite some of the first metal bands being helmed by women. As you delve into the heavier genres of metal, it becomes increasingly hard to find a lead singer who is not a man.
This has been especially prevalent in prior decades. Women who did perform in metal were often sexualized and mistreated, and their music was often eclipsed by this.
Enter Angela Gossow, the now-legendary voice who cemented Arch Enemy as a titan of the death metal industry.
Gossow fronted the German extreme metal goliaths from 2000 to 2014, propelling them from dark corners of the underground death metal scene to headlining status within this timeframe. The first album Gossow graced with her vocals, “Wages of Sin,” is one of Arch Enemy’s best-received albums, and Gossow’s vocals have been highly praised.
Despite battling nodules, eating disorders and asthma, Gossow roared as the leader of Arch Enemy for longer than any women of her time, paving the way for future female vocalists. In 2014, her departure from the band gave audiences the uber-talented Alissa White-Gluz era of the band.
Gossow never technically left the world of metal. Since 2014, she has been Arch Enemy’s manager, as well as the manager of bands Spiritual Beggars, Amaranthe and Obscura. However, she has been teasing a new project for years now, and the metal scene desperately needs her.
First and foremost, she is one of the greatest death metal vocalists of all time. This is an undisputed fact of the genre. Her staple vocal growl stands as one of the most prominent and recognizable vocal styles, and her mezzo-soprano vocal range is incredible.
Secondly, Gossow knows the business world of heavy metal very well and can lead a band into stardom. Although popularity is not the ultimate goal for many extreme metal groups, it is an added bonus. The bands Gossow manages have a combined total of around 2.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify — an impressive number for a relatively underground genre of music. In extreme metal, knowing how to navigate a relatively cash-strapped genre is indispensable.
Ultimately, Gossow is the solution to many of extreme metal’s largest social problems. Her presence as a politically active leftist woman in a male-dominated genre with a reputation for Nazism is indispensable. She has broken many barriers, and a return to the genre would only break more.
Gossow’s influence can be seen in today’s modern death metal scene. I have previously written about bands like Escuela Grind and Venom Prison, two contemporary death metal groups formed by women and nonbinary people who would not be in the scene without Gossow. Additionally, bands like Konvent, The Agonist and Aephanemer all take inspiration from the godmother of death metal.
A couple of years ago, a Gossow comeback seemed imminent, but now it is becoming increasingly questionable. No matter why she is not at the forefront of metal, she needs to come back. The genre is not in disarray without her, but her absence certainly leaves a void that can only be filled by the incredible talents she brings to the table.
Jackson McCoy is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to share your thoughts? Let Jackson know by emailing or tweeting him at jm049122@ohio.edu or @_jackson_mccoy_.
