10 Best New Heavy Metal Bands Of 2018
6. Pagan
Black metal. Hardcore punk. Rock ‘n’ roll. Disco. All four are musical genres that – even though one or two share some similarities – seem like they would never be able to all blend into one coherent whole.
It’s a fair preconception. But it’s also one that makes Australia’s anarchic Pagan the intense mouth slap that they are. Nikki Brumen and her merry cohorts gleefully abandon both pretence and clichés with their rowdy anthems, stitching chord-driven guitars and acerbic screams with funky, stompin’ rhythms. Through this methodology, their debut album, Black Wash, turned heads internationally back in July.
Pagan’s uniqueness is only upped if you’re lucky enough to catch them live. With her whole band clothed in white from head to toe, frontwoman Nikki dances her way through an otherwise intense set. It’s a subversive, happy-go-lucky and involving display that will probably put off black metal elitists, but who the hell cares? Pagan certainly don’t.
In the end, this group are just fun and heavy – simple! Don’t think they’re “KVLT” enough? Don’t like the look? Think they’re too peppy? Good for you. You can stay in the corner while the rest of us jive the night away to some black-funk-punk-‘n’ roll.