Heavy Metal Cover Girls: Standing On The Shore

  Day Three of this week's Cover Girl extravaganza and I've managed to come up with another brand new theme to explore.
 Now my original plan was to continue the "Colours" theme and do ladies wearing Black dresses but while I was pulling pics from my stash I got distracted, and frankly this seemed a much more interesting idea.

  So tonight I'm going to share a collection of  album covers where women are hanging about at the seaside.

Not having summertime fun, oh no, no.  This lot are doing some proper moping and gazing sadly out at the waves.

 I am rather surprised at how many of these I turned out to have. 

But as I always say;"If an idea is worth doing, it's worth somebody else nicking." 

Narwhal Tusk - Widow's Walk EP (Russia 2009)

   By this point she'd lost all hope of his ship coming home. The Grey Widowmaker had claimed another husband.

 But every night she comes here and watches the sea with saltwater in her eyes.

Narwhal Tusk are Symphonic Metal.
Digging the little keyboard solo. 

 Just for a change I thought I'd try flexing my narrative muscles rather than taking the piss. Don't expect it to last.

The Eternal Sea  - S/T (NZ 2015)

She take a moment to listen to the waves and the call of the seabirds one last time...

And then walks away from the ocean forever, bare feet leaving tracks in the sand.

I was expecting moody Gothic Metal but this lot are..I dunno... groovy Hard Rock. 

Gallows Pole: And Time Stood Still (Austria 2013)

Afterwards the onlookers all agreed on one thing.
When the girl in white reached the end of the pier, she took one last step and was gone.
The weird part was, when she walked off the pier to vanish, she was climbing up ...

Gallows Pole are a veteran outfit that have drifted into Melodic Hard Rock


This is turning out to be quite an international selection isn't it?

Selene - Still Dreaming Single (UK 2014)

Nobody knows why her occasional sleepwalking always bring her to the quay as the sun rises.
Maybe she's hoping to finally meet somebody again.

Selene - Paradise Over EP (UK 2014)

The sad lady from the big house liked to stand on the rocks and watch the tall ships come by.
Wishing she was sailing with them to warm lands and happiness.

Selene are Symphonic Metal.
Since they have a liking for sad women on their album covers you can expect them to pop up in future installments of HMCG.
I also wouldn't mind hearing more of them.

Diabulus In Musica -Argia (Spain 2014)

"What anchor? This anchor? 

I found it.

Yes it was underwater at the time. What's your point?

What shipwreck would that be then? "

Don't mess with Sirens folks.

This band are Symphonic Metal and not bad at all. 

Dotma - Sleep Paralyses  (Finland 20110

Is it just me or is she trailing blood?
Might explain why she seems to be begging for help.

I think that's my cue to pack it in for the night so I'll leave with one last song.

That's all folks. 

Heavy Metal Cover Girls: Nights In White Satin

Hello and welcome to the promised second instalment of this week's Cover Girl marathon.

  I thought I might as well continue the theme of Colours if only because one particular folder was looking especially well-stuffed. So for today we're looking at album covers that share the common element of...

Women Wearing White Dresses.

   In particular, long, floaty white dresses that must be a sod to keep clean considering how much time these ladies spend wandering around in forests and moping about on castle floors.

   I've got white t-shirts that I spilt tea on once and the stain never came out. How the hell do this lot keep their white silk gowns looking so spotless? You never see anybody wearing faded grey gowns do you?

So here for your delight are a selection of lovely ladies wearing pretty dresses - who have the best laundry service in the entire Multiverse!

  Delozier - Battle Of Forevermore  (USA 2016)

  I think we all feel the same way about alarm clocks. 

The only track I can find from this CD is a slow ballad which doesn't seem representative of  Ric Delozier's work.

He's a pretty nifty guitarist though. Check this out.

Shiver Of Frontier - Memory of Destiny. (Japan 2016)

A dress that's so floaty it's airborne and so big that you could fit a bear under there with her.

Aha! That's how she gets it so voluminous!
Specially trained bears hiding under the fabric making it ripple!

Instead of the Gothic/Symphonic crew I was expecting, Shiver of Frontier are a very Japanese style of Power Metal.

 Sea of Despair - Море отчаяния (Russia 2015)

as it turns out, standing in a field waving a cage and shouting "Please get in" is a terrible way to catch a bird.

But it is a great way to catch a nasty chill. 

Sea of Despair describe themselves as "Romantic Metal" 

Can I take a moment to marvel again at how broad the term "Metal" covers?
You've got stuff like this which is rather pretty and then you've got the Black & Death Metal
I come across on the Metal Project which is deliberately ugly and brutal. 

Verona Septima - What Is Dead May Never Die Single (Finland 2013)

 Technically correct but I still feel there's a logical flaw there somewhere. 

I also fail to see how roses, teddy bears and a wedding dress fit that title.

It's a nice pic and all but where's the connection?

The band are, to nobody's great surprise, Symphonic Metal

Ariadna Project - Novus Mundis (Argentina 2016)

Let me take a stab in the dark and suggest that this album cover is all about The Illuminati
with the heroine in teh foreground standing in for Liberty and stuff.

Or she could have just found her front door key.
In a minute she'll turn around and realise that getting back into the flat in
time to catch "Bargain Hunt" is the least of her current worries.

Ariadna Project are Power Metal

Since it's getting a bit late I think I'll call it a night so sweet dreams to you all and see you tomorrow.

That's All folks. 

Heavy Metal Cover Girls: Ladies In Red

Heavy Metal Cover Girls: Album covers featuring women who may be gorgeous, fierce or just plain terrifying. 

 Evening all. 

  Sorry I haven't been posting much lately but life has this unfortunate tendency to get in the way of things I want to be doing. 

 To make up for it, I'm going  to try and do a new HMCG every day this week, if only because my album art folder is starting to overflow.   

 Today's topic is one of those that sound simple but a good artist can make it work hard for them. 

Women Wearing Red.   

  Not only is red a very eyecatching colour but we're programmed to respond to it in a way that most other colours can't match. Red makes us pay attention and gets the old instincts kicking in. Run...defend...assist...attack..

 And of course sometimes red just makes us want to buy overpriced drinks and lie about having a Porsche...

  Liv Moon - R.E.D.  EP (Japan 2016)

  Japan's Queen of Symphonic Metal goes for an album cover that's about as Red as you can get.

I'm going to hurriedly move on because her eyes are staring into my soul and I don't think she'll like what's in there.

I couldn't find any songs of this EP so have an older vid instead.
Akane Liv is wearing a nice red dress though. 

Spitfire - Fuel To Burn (Norway 2015)

   I don't know if she's trying to be seductive but if she isn't careful, our rock 'n' roller lady is going to get a faceful of unleaded.

Spitfire are energetic Hard Rock.

Last Prophecy - Sin Mirar Atras (Spain 2005)

Not so much "railing against the heavens" as asking the heaven "Really? You're doing this now?"

Last Prophecy are rather interesting Power Metal.

This song's ff another album (again.) Hope y'all don't mind. 

  Do you see what I mean about Red making an impact and catching the eye? In all three covers so far it's been used to make a contrast with the other cover elements. The paleness of Akane' Liv's face, the plain black background, the snowy landscape - all set against the bright red.

  I wish I was smart enough to take that train of thought further.  Oh well. Let's look at some more pictures.

 Leah - Kings & Queens (Canada 2015)

Leah McHenry looking all regal and stuff.

I don't like the look of those clouds behind you, love. Best get yourself inside before it pisses down.

Leah mix Metal with all sorts of folk influences and there's some nice Gregorian chant on this track. 

FFO of the more emotional side of metal.

Cradle of Filth  - Darkly, Darkly Venus Aversa (UK 2010)

You don't want to know how she got her dress that colour.
You just don't.

Cradle of Filth should need no introduction but here#'s a video anyway.
The album is a concept about Lilith - Adam's first wife who the church doesn't want to talk about.

 Vantage Point - High Maintenance Girlfriend EP (UK 2012)

Basically the sort of girl who thinks "Material Girl" is an anthem.  

Can't see the guy with flowers getting a date, frankly.

Vantage Point are classic melodic British Metal with some nifty use of Keyboards 

Wishmasters - Beatrice (Cz. Rep 2014)

What an unfeasibly large candlestick.
How exactly do these slinky dresses stay up anyway? Is it just surface tension or is there tape involved?

Wishmasters have a definite touch of the Nightwish about them, one album in particular.
I would be interested in seeing where they go for album #2.

Lureaway - Saviour (Latvia 2016)

Some people might disagree but I'm a bloke and as far as I'm concerned, this dress is Red. 

Reddish-Pink anyway. 

Either way, she's quite dressed up for an evening at home. Expecting company perhaps?  

If that's him on the Crystal ball with some bollocks about needing to work overtime, somebody is getting a
whole load of flower petals glued to their car in the shape of a dick. 

Lureaway are Symphonic metal. with operatic vocals. See what you think.

I did have some more CD covers but decided to stick to red dresses and save the red swimsuits and suchlike for another time.

See you tomorrow night.

That's All Folks. 

The Metal Project: V is For Vault

Welcome to the first Metal Project post of 2017. 

Today we're going to be covering the letter "U"...

What do you mean we only have one? Did you look in the back?

Well that's bloody brilliant isn't it?

Ahem. 

Today we are going to be covering the letters "U" and "V" and as ever, 

I hope you find something to like. Enjoy. 

Unleashed - Metalheads (Sweden 2004)

(Furious, Thrashy DM) 

Honour to: Smokii SixtyNine

Vault - Metal of Death (Malaysia 2009)

(Punky Thrash)

Honour to: 666Speedhell

Villainizer - I Wanna Play Metal All Night (Canada 2013)

(Thrash. Anybody else get a bit of a Kreator vibe?)

Honour to: Villainizer Official

Vow Wow - Beat of Metal Motion (Japan 1984)

(Melodic, Classy HM with explosive lead guitar)

Honour to: JagPanzer68

Vetala -Satanic Morbid Metal (Portugal 2010)

(Black Metal with lots of screams)

Honour to: Kenneth Parker

Venereal Baptism - A Freaky European Black Metal Madness Cliche (USA 2016)

Honour to: Bestial Slaughter

Virgin Killer - Next To The Metal Gods (Colombia 2010)

(Buzzsaw Thrash)

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Honour to: Ultracaverna

Vuil - Metal Claw (UK 2016)

(Underground Thrash)

Honour to:  Vlad Death

Band homepage here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vuil

Please checkout the channels I listed above and give them some support.
You can tell them I said Hi, if you like.

That's all Folks. 

This has been another edition of The Metal Project. 
Collecting Metal Songs about Metal since 2012

Even More British Lady Wrestlers

   Since I seem to be creatively bankrupt at the moment and since I had some pics left over from teh alst post, how about I drop another load of UK grappling gals on you all?

  Some of these may have already appeared on Sabreblade's blog: http://womensprowrestling.blogspot.co.uk/

  Nicky Monroe gets her arms stretched by Tina Starr. 

I have a soft spot for "Naughty Nicky" because she was the first lady wrestler I ever got to see in action.

Nicky was also adept at switching between Face and Heel depending on the audience.

Tina Starr was always a face and with her slim, athletic figure might have done well in the USA. 

I say "Might" because for some reason British girls don't seem to have done well over the Atlantic-

 although some got to work in Japan, Europe and Nigeria. 

Kathy "Busty" Keegan twists her prone opponent's arm while Nicky Monroe has a go at refereeing. 

I remember that TV:Am once had Mitzi Mueller and Busty Keegan (in leotards) on to demonstrate some moves. 

Sadly neither of them kicked the shit out of Roland Rat although Brian Glover came close to 

gettting a punch in the gob when he decided to have some fun at Mitzi's expense. The look on her face... 

I wonder why they used to bill Kathy as "Busty Keegan"? 

Oh. Right. I get it now.

That's Mitzi Mueller looking ferocious as she tries to squeeze Busty's guts out of her nose.   

 Mitzi Mueller was easily the biggest name in British women's wrestling all through the 1970s & 1980s

I think that's Lolita Loren really wanting to be somewhere else right now. 

Meanwhile the referee is politely explaining that whatever she's planning is probably illegal. 

I do love the grandad in the front row looking at the camera as if to say "This beats darts, hey?"

Actually let's take a moment to talk about the guys in the front row.  With one possible exception they are all blokes, 

not the kids and grannies that became associated with UK wrestling towards the end of the World of Sport days. 

 I wonder why that happened and how I can blame Big Daddy for it? 

Mitzi didn't always have it her own way. At the moment her immediate future looks 

unpleasant courtesy of  the she-colossus that was Hellcat Haggerty. 

Hmm. Naughty Nicky...Mitzi Mueller..Klondyke Kate..Hellcat Haggerty..

British women wrestlers seem inordinately fond of alliterative names. 

Angel McManus (No relation to Mick) throttles Klondyke Kate.

By this point Kate would have spent the entire bout battering Angel and winding up the crowd 

so when the babyface snapped and openend a can of woopass I guarantee the punters would have gone utterly nuts.  

Technically breaking the rules but *shrugs* anybody that bothered? 

I think the villain in white is the UK version of Lady Satan. (Sue Brittain under a mask IIRC)

No idea who the girl in blue is. It is entirely possible this caused her to have some doubts about her career in wrestling. 

British wrestlers could be quite hard on newcomers. William Regal spent the early part of his career 

getting battered by the old guard who wanted to establish their place in the pecking order. 

If you survived that, they might start respecting you. 

  I doubt the UK girls were much different. 

  "Leather" Lena makes a young Paula Valdez howl.  

I'm so used to seeing the late, great Princess Paula as this arrogant heel that I was

astonished to discover that she spent the early part of her career as a babyface. 

Going by the beerbottles on display, this may very well have been taking part in a Working Man's Club.

Have a few beers with the missus, have a game of darts with your mates, watch two girls try to maim each other then finish with the Meat Raffle!

Bygone days indeed. 

Lena with a scary face and a scarier haircut tries to rip her opponent's head off.

Even the ref looks horrified.

Lena Blair is now an artist and by all accounts quite a good one.  

That's all folks. 

Some British Ladywrestlers For You.

  I rather enjoyed the World of Sport wrestling revival the other night. I used to sit and watch the old programme religiously every Saturday afternoon so it was nice to be able to see British wrestlers on British TV working for a British company.  Thankfully nobody involved in the godawful Celebrity Wrestling was allowed anywhere near World of Sport so the result was pretty good. There were a few snags that could do with being worked out - cutting away to the crowd just as a big spot happened was a bit dumb - but I liked the matches and the variety on offer.

It would be nice if WOS Wrestling became a regular thing but ITV can't make money off it through phonelines so I won't hold my breath.

 Congratulations are in order for the two young ladies who had the very first women's match on World Of Sport.

  Alexis Rose

 Viper

  Sadly British women wrestlers were banned from TV and although the ban was lifted in the Mid-80s that was only in Wales.  S4C used the likes of Nicky Monroe and Klondyke Kate on their Reslo programme while the rest of us got the odd valet appearance from Princess Paula. 

   Or to put it another way, I think you could put every single bit of existing 1970s/80s footage on to one Youtube playlist and watch it while waiting for the Sunday joint to cook.  Depressing or what?

  Luckily there are slightly more photos around so I thought I'd share some that I found  over the years.

I don't remember where I got them all, so if I don't cite references it's more incompetence than deliberate malice.  I'm pretty certain I found some on Sabreblade's various sites so if you want to see more, go check out his blog  which is very, very cool.

 http://womensprowrestling.blogspot.co.uk/

   Jean Hackenschmidt - probably no relation to the more famous George - toured the UK with a troupe of Lady Wrestlers in the 1930s.  This may have been one of the reasons why so many town councils banned Pro Wrestling. (British wrestling was always a lot more rowdy than World of Sport would have you believe.) The GLC didn't allow women wrestlers to perform again until decades later.

 Sue Brittain twists her unknown opponents foot (1970s) 

British girl grapplers were lumbered with some horrible, horrible outfits over the years.

Baggy leotards, unflattering tights and generally looking like something a middleaged housewife would wear  to keep-fit. Ugh.

There were a few exceptions. Step forward  "Leather" Lena Blair. 

That actually looks like something American or Japanese  wrestlers would wear but then again, Lena did work in both countries. I wonder if somebody puller her aside on her first day on tour and told her to ditch the granny gear?  That's Rusty Blair hurriedly moving out of the way.

Fun fact: If you watch early trailers for women's wrestling movie All The Marbles Rusty can briefly be spotted in one shot.
Apparently her and Mitzi Mueller filmed some stuff which was cut out of the final movie. 

That's a young Nicky Monroe getting choked by a young Leather Lena. 

Viv Martell was one of British wrestling's great pinups in the 1970s.

This pic is from her interview in Mayfair magazine. 

I have this forlorn hope that there's a small stack of film cannisters somewhere that has action footage of Viv,
 Mitzi Mueller, Akala Jan, Leather Lena and Blackfoot Sue.  There's plenty of footage around for American and Japanese women
so wouldn't it be nice if the Brits had the same archive?

It was nice to see Klondyke Kate getting some respect on the World Of Sport Special.

I got to see her in action a few times and she was a fantastic heel. 

  Two British legends get ready to duke it out. Rusty Blair and Mitzi Mueller were both champions at the time: Rusty the World champ and Mitzi was British & European champion.
  I can remember Mitzi doing a few TV programmes back in the day  - quiz & talk shows - but I never got to see her wrestle.

  What the hell. Let's finish with a brace of  clips.  

Mitzi on a TV talk show. 

 And four of the top women stars in a tag match. 

That's all folks.