Hot Tears EP

Hot Tears is a one person band whose one member is Molly Fisher of Songs for Moms. If you are a Songs For Moms fan, you need to expect something less like pop punk and more like pop doom. Hot tears happens to be more my style. Walking around by yourself music, rainy day music, Confident but low mood music. Some of the guitar parts seem borrowed from olympian black metal, and some seem surf rocky but both very subtly. Molly uses effects pedels, jingle bells and a bass drum to do the work of an entire band as only one person. Its singer songwriter music but fuller and more complex. Its folk music but a little spookier, spicier and confident. Molly is lucky to have such a beautiful voice.

RAGANA- Olympian "experimental" Black Metal

Ragana (Latvian for witch) is a two piece "experimental" black metal band that formed in Olympia WA.

The word experimental looses me sometimes and its definitely fair to call this two piece band experimental, but only in the best of ways and only because they distort, break some black metal taboos, sing lyrics you don't want to miss audibly and make space to do things a little differently.

Wolves in the throne room is the most obvious influence of Ragana that band member Nicole sites but Mount Eerie, Cat Power, Weakling, and A Silver Mount Zion were also ingredients in the musical genius of this band. The two members switch back and fourth between the drums and guitar and both sing. The music is prone to blast beats and minor style switching  when other black metals have trained you to not expect it but it works.  You can't help but describe it as brutal or black metal, but it could not be mistaken for any other band.

You're gonna want to be the first to show your friends this band but you better hurry up because Ragana has been busy with two releases in barely a year. All's lost in 2012 and Unbecoming in 2013 and two west coast tours one last summer and one just recently in January. They are on brief hiatus but are expected to release a comp of both All's Lost and Unbecoming on a German record label this spring. 

I'm so attached to both albums it's hard to say which I prefer but there is definite musical growth on Unbecoming and personally Invocation gives me chills, literally chills, every time I listen to it, which is pretty much everyday.

False (untitled) - Minnesota black metal

Last spring i went to Gilead music festival in Oshkosh WI with some friends from Chicago. It was the most worthwhile fest i've EVER been to, but there was a serious shortage of non-dudes. Day two of the fest brought tons of awesome bands i was totally stoked to see but not a single non-male performer. i was sulking outside about it when my friend Justin came out to get me...  "You might want to see the band that's setting up now."  Holy shit. i'm glad that i did.

False is from Minneapolis MN and their stage presence would be noteworthy enough on its own, their vocalist is witchy, dark, has a wonderfully emotional and spooky voice and seemed to be making eye contact with everyone in the crowd at the same time - a natural performer, one of those bands you've got to see live.
Besides ruling on stage, their 12 minute recorded "the key to passive suffering" is my soundtrack to re-charging crystals or hexing that guy that was an asshole on the bus. By far the best band i saw that weekend or have seen in a long time.  i can't tell you how hard they rule. Bryan Funck of Thou is on board co-releasing them on his own label and this August they released a split with Barghest “Heavy As A Church Tower.” Check out their "untitled" release which i humbly prefer and find out how sick they are for yourself here.
i'm excited to see what this band will do. Thank you False!

Are you ready to listen?

On a recent  search for "female crust music" all i could find was recipes for pie.

Further searching found a forum where female musicians were discussed for a few posts before completely digressing into who was hot and stories about "The one time I dated this crust chick."

Searching "female" in my favorite music blogs searching found phrases like this…
"They have a brilliant female vocalist in their ranks. Don't let that put you off as She can sing with the best of them." or "So good are the vocals I didn't realize she was female when I first heard their outstanding new album".

Its been said that women have to work twice as hard to be (considered) half as good. I've come to expect that phrase to be true in dominant culture, but I refuse to give up on having a place in punk.


This blog features bands with a female or queer presence i think are the shit.

This blog was started to inspire and remind you  that women are here and making music that thrashes.

This blog was started so no one else has to sort through misogynistic bullshit to find music they like.

This blog was started because there shouldn't need to be a blog like this but we're not there yet.

This blog was started because ladies is punks too.

I hope that others are as encouraged and inspired as I am by women in the punk and metal scene.

If you have an awesome band you think would fit here send me a link to the music.
If any of the content of this blog offends please contact me immediately.
I will do my best to not mis-gender anyone and appreciate correction.
I would like to make space for all identities and am open to ideas about what that looks like.
I would like to be productively called out on my shit.
If you have a similar blog lets link each other.
Tell me if you know something i don't know.


Welcome to Twice as Hard. If you're ready to listen you've come to the right place.