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<\/p>\nFrom the beginning, Asheville-based atmospheric black metal duo Feminazgul staked out its own unique musical territory. The genre is known for its focus upon punishing riffs, themes of violence and mayhem and growling, bowels-of-Hell vocalizing. And while Feminazgul\u2019s music displays all of those characteristics, its debut album No Dawn for Men<\/i> adds two unusual elements to the mix: a feminist perspective and musical nuance.<\/p>\n
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The album was finished in February, and release was planned for later this year. But in light of the pandemic and quarantines \u2013 vocalist Laura Beach and instrumentalist Margaret Killjoy live miles apart \u2013 Feminzagul decided to release No Dawn for Men<\/i> digitally in March, with a pay-what-you-can policy that acknowledges the financial strain facing potential buyers.<\/p>\n
Beach says that she received \u201cquite the extensive education in metal\u201d during her six years as a radio deejay in Knoxville, Tenn. But she detected some characteristics that didn\u2019t impress her: \u201cI noticed the very male-dominated subculture.\u201d And she found that many black metal artists tended to limit themselves to a fairly short list of topics. Feminzagul aims to move beyond that. \u201cWe do talk about hate a lot,\u201d she says with a chuckle. \u201cBut it\u2019s a different kind of hate.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMetal is so male-dominated that it\u2019s hard to find space for women in it,\u201d says Killjoy. \u201cAnd I see very little active trans-inclusion.\u201d Feminazgul\u2019s very existence represents a departure from that narrow perspective. \u201cIf we sing about goddesses, we\u2019re going to sing about them with a different kind of reverence than men might,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
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Feminzagul\u2019s 2018 debut EP The Age of Men is Over<\/i> was a Killjoy solo instrumental work. But even without Beach\u2019s vocals, the release stood apart from standard-issue black metal. Killjoy laughs as she recalls that one reviewer characterized it dismissively as \u201cthe most effeminate black metal that\u2019s ever been made.\u201d Killjoy took that as a complement.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo as I began writing the music for No Dawn for Men<\/i>, I really decided to just lean into that,\u201d she says. Killjoy challenged herself: \u201cHow can I express this darkness and anger while also still being effeminate?\u201d The album answers that question by combining themes familiar to black metal fans (tracks like \u201cI Pity the Immortal\u201d) with lyrics that celebrate the feminine (\u201cIlla, Mother of Death\u201d).<\/p>\n
Feminazgul\u2019s music also colors well outside black metal\u2019s perceived lines by employing a wide instrumental palette. \u201cI like to call us avant-garde atmospheric black metal,\u201d Killjoy says. \u201cBecause we use all sorts of interesting instruments like accordion and theremin.\u201d Beach says that the resulting sound \u201ccan be a lot more soothing\u201d than other black metal.<\/p>\n
Killjoy concurs. \u201cIt\u2019s the most pleasant version of fast guitars and someone shrieking that you could possibly imagine.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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