Female-Fronted Friday

Female-Fronted Friday: Velcara

August 7, 2026 — Leave a comment

When: Formed earlier, circa 2024, but didn’t debut their first single until 2026

Where: New York, Maryland, Massachusetts

Genre: Modern metal/Metalcore

FFO: Spiritbox, I Prevail, Poppy

Velcara has existed in some form for a couple of years, yet they did not unleash their debut single, “Fury,” until January 2026. Since then, the band has released two more songs, “Green-Eyed Suicide” and “Lunacy.” The members are vocalist Janel Monique (formerly of Conquer Divide), drummer Luka Stinar, guitarist Nick Palma, and bassist Kenjamin Smiertelny.

Velcara are still writing, gearing up to share new music and eventually bring all their hard work to the stage! Check them out below and be sure to follow their socials so you don’t miss any updates!

“Fury”

“Green-Eyed Suicide”

“Lunacy”

Female-Fronted Friday: CloZure

July 24, 2026 — Leave a comment

When: 2012

Where: Alabama

Genre: Hard rock

FFO: Dorothy, The Pretty Reckless, Lilith Czar

CloZure was originally formed in 2012 by lead guitarist Michael Cordle, aiming to rid southeast Alabama of its lack of original hard rock bands. After years of lending itself to the local scene, in 2019 drummer Michael McCann and rhythm guitarist Matthew Russell were added, and the project really began to aim higher.

In 2024, CloZure underwent more lineup changes, and with new vocalist Nikollaj Lleshi and bassist Zack Taylor, they released a cover of Evanescence’s “Bring Me to Life.” They were then swept up in a whirlwind of touring, sharing the stage with such acts as Tantric, Saliva, and Powerman 5000. This aided in the amassing of followers, views, streams, etc.

CloZure currently consists of Michael, Matthew, Zack, Nikollaj, and drummer Brad Hardin. Their latest single, “Framed,” was released in March, and the band has been touring almost nonstop this summer.

To keep up with CloZure and ensure you don’t miss out, be sure to follow/subscribe to their various socials!

“Framed”

“The Devil Effect”

“Walk in the Sun”

“Relapse”

Female-Fronted Friday: 13 Spiders

July 3, 2026 — Leave a comment

When: 2021

Where: Knoxville, TN.

Genre: Hard rock/Alt-metal

FFO: Flyleaf (early), 3 Pill Morning, 10 Years

13 Spiders was originally founded in 2021 by Alicia Hurst. She was the bassist and planned to put together an all-female act, but that didn’t work out. In order to keep the band alive, Alicia opened the door to any musician who was interested. She managed to find a bassist, guitarist, and drummer, yet the position of vocalist was a difficult one to fill. As the author of the lyrics and the vocal melodies, Alicia was pushed to the forefront of 13 Spiders.

13 Spiders’ current lineup consists of Alicia (vox), Mike (bass), Andrew (guitar), and Scott (drums). Real life has intervened and stalled the release of new music, but the band does have songs in the studio just waiting for their producer to get in with Alicia to lay down the vocal tracks! The most recent single is “You,” which dropped in late 2024. They do have an upcoming track entitled “Scarred Innocence.” The song was written as a voice for child victims of sexual abuse and is based on a real-life case that occurred locally to them.

Make sure you follow 13 Spiders on all their socials, as well as your streaming service of choice, so you don’t miss any news or the studio release of “Scarred Innocence” (they have been performing it live).

“You”

“Scarred Innocence” [Live]

Female-Fronted Friday: Anaria

June 26, 2026 — Leave a comment

When: 2011

Where: New England

Genre: Rock/Symphonic Metal

FFO: Nightwish, Edge of Paradise, Within Temptation

Having existed in some form or fashion since 2011, Anaria currently consists of vocalist Jessica Mercy, guitarists Sergio Salvucci and Dan Spinney, bassist Matt Frotten, and drummer Johnathan Jena. The band is genre-defying, but the most prevalent elements in their music are symphonic metal, modern rock, and cinematic scoring, with a sprinkling of pop.

Anaria has released five full-length albums – Ancestors (2014), Seasons of the Mind, Vol. 1: Inception (2015), Exile (2020), Holding Cell (2024), and Between Loving and Dying (2026). Their latest single, “From the Dark,” hit streaming platforms back in March. All of their audio, video, and photo production is done in-house, as Sergio and Jessica have built their own production company. Jessica also doubles as a freelance singer/songwriter.

To learn more about Anaria, or to simply keep up with their various goings-on, follow them on all the usual socials/streaming services!

“From the Dark”

“Chasing Shadows”

“Awaken”

“Wings of a Butterfly” (HIM cover)

Female-Fronted Friday: Anoxia

June 19, 2026 — Leave a comment

When: Formed in 2004

Where: Maryland

Genre: Hard rock/Metal/Post-industrial

FFO: Evanescence, Lacuna Coil, Collide

Front woman Chrystal James put Anoxia together in 2004, and her haunting siren’s song has been drawing listeners in ever since. The band masterfully crafts a heavy backdrop, weaving together elements of hard rock, metal, and post-industrial music, while Chrystal delivers heartfelt lyrics with her powerhouse vocals.

📸 Blake Noelle Photography

Anoxia has released two full-length albums (plus an anniversary edition of their self-titled debut). Recently, they appeared at Zen West in Towson, Maryland, opening for Stitched Up Heart and Infected Rain. Anoxia will also be paying tribute to Evanescence at My Phase Days in August, a night celebrating breakout bands of the early 2000s.

To catch up – and keep up – with Anoxia and their various activities and live shows, follow their socials! And if you aren’t already familiar with them, check out the four songs I shared below.

“Earthbound”

“Relinquish the Quiet”

“Not Alone”

“Justify” (Piano Version)

Female-Fronted Friday: Lilakk

June 12, 2026 — Leave a comment

When: 2018

Where: Savannah, GA

Genre: Alt-rock/grunge

FFO: Alice in Chains, Hole, Pixies

Lilakk is a band raised on early 90’s music, and their sound reflects that, an eclectic blend of old-school alternative rock, grunge, and shades of punk.

The project actually started with the vocalists, Calli and Kirk, as an acoustic duo. They then grew into a four-piece in 2018, but have since been through some changes and, as stated by Kirk, “growing pains.” Their current lineup consists of Calli (vox/bass), Kirk (vox/guitar), and Zach (drums). Lead vocal responsibilities are shared by Calli and Kirk.

Lilakk recently released the single “RobberMan.” They have a show on June 20th at The Wormhole in Savannah. Be sure to check out their socials to see what the band is up to!

“RobberMan”

“Basement”

“Rain”

“Prep Rally”

Female-Fronted Friday: No More Sun

May 29, 2026 — Leave a comment

When: Founded in 2015

Where: Hudson Valley, NY

Genre: Alt. Metal/Hard Rock

FFO: Spiritbox, Jinjer, New Years Day

Formerly known as No Worries, No More Sun is the modern face of alternative metal and rock. The band hails from New York and consists of vocalist/bassist Julia Foreman, drummer Andrew Gauzza IV, and guitarists Alex Hicks and Charles Apollo. Over the past couple of years, No More Sun has been dropping singles regularly, and in February 2023, they released a full-length album entitled No Worries.

You can check out their latest single, “Unspoken Mind,” below, along with a few other choice songs. Be sure to follow their socials for updates, music news, and details on upcoming shows – they have a few June dates lined up that you don’t wanna miss!

“Unspoken Mind”

“Sick of You”

“Leech”

“Odd One Out”

Female-Fronted Friday: Allie Riot

May 22, 2026 — 1 Comment

When: 2024

Where: California

Genre: Punk/Metal/Shock

FFO: Joan Jett, Wednesday 13, Poppy

Allie Riot blazed onto the scene in late 2024 with her rendition of The Runaways’ classic “Cherry Bomb.” Soon after, she released a rather spicy video, produced and directed by Society 1’s Matt Zane, to accompany the single, and her place as a shock punk princess was cemented. Allie followed “Cherry Bomb” with a G.G. Allin cover (“Gimme Some Head”), which was also paired with an appropriately risqué video.

However, in early 2026, she showcased her metal chops with the release of “Say Your Name,” offering a glimpse of her versatility. I am excited to see what’s next from Allie Riot!

You can check out “Say Your Name” and her other videos below. Be sure to follow her socials for updates and more music!

“Say Your Name”

“Gimme Some Head”

“Cherry Bomb”

Female-Fronted Friday: Purple Grace

May 1, 2026 — Leave a comment

When: Formed in 2020

Where: Didcot, South Oxfordshire, England

Genre: Indie rock

FFO: Dorothy, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Patti Smith

Originally formed in 2020, Purple Grace underwent a few changes before settling into their current lineup of Emily (vocals), Lewis (drums), Luke (guitar), Ed (guitar), and Ben (bass). The band recently released “Narcissist,” and their next single – “Just 19” – will be available May 8th!

Purple Grace has been hitting the stage quite frequently, with two upcoming gigs of note May 31st at FaceBar Reading and August 30th on the second stage at Wokingham Festival 2026. For more show dates, plus new music and general band shenanigans, follow Purple Grace’s various socials.

“Narcissist”

“Illogical”

“Turbulence” (Live)

“What’s Wrong With Me?”

Female-Fronted Friday: Little Evil

April 24, 2026 — Leave a comment

When: Founded January 2023

Where: Iowa

Genre: Hard rock

FFO: The Pretenders, No Doubt, Garbage

Little Evil consists of vocalist Nico Merschman, bassist Alexxx Bentzinger, guitarist Bryer Meierotto, and drummer Tim Wardlow. This dynamic quartet classifies themselves as “hard rock” or “river rock,” but they do not limit themselves to those labels. Listening to them, you will find yourself moved by a ballad, pumped by a punk-tinged anthem, swaying to a bluesy track with a haunting atmosphere, or headbanging to a raw rock song!

You can listen to their latest single, “Graveyard Kisses,” along with a few other releases, down below. Make sure you check out their socials for upcoming live shows, music news, and much more!

“Graveyard Kisses”

“Little Devil”

“Riverview”

“Fortify”