Valkyries of the Citadel: Ayesha — The Heavy Metal Citadel

Going to get your teeth ripped out of your skull has never been more fun than with Ayesh, our latest Valkyrie of the Citadel. This dental hygienist blasts Metal while working on her patients teeth, so if you guys need a root canal done while listening to Cannibal Corpse you know where to go! Ayesh joined her fellow Metal shield-maidens and this is what she had to say:

Introduce yourself for our readers, Valkyrie

Greetings, and thank you for having me here at The Heavy Metal Citadel! My name is Ayesh and I’m a dental hygiene student, dental nurse, and freelance alternative model. I love glamour, horror, gore, and of course heavy fucking metal.

Does your hometown have an active Metal scene?

Born and bred in the watery depths of West Wales, every gig was a mission to Mordor. Anytime a band came to Wales they usually played Cardiff which entailed a three hour each way train ride. Totally worth it. Now that I live in London my favourite bands regularly play venues on my doorstep and I feel truly blessed to have this luxury.

What was your first Metal album?

I was 14 years old when ‘Evangelion’ was released and Limewire was not going to cut it; I NEEDED a physical copy of this album. I was a skint teenager who jumped the train to Swansea and shoplifted it from HMV (Sorry Adam!). I was obsessed. My GCSE IT project was a homemade music video of ‘Ov Fire and Void’. At my wedding afterparty I squeezed my man-of-honour into my wedding dressed and he walked down the aisle to the iconic track. That entire album has a very special place in my heart.

Could you share some of your favourite sub-genres of Metal, and why you enjoy them?

Growing up power metal was God, and I swore by the sweet symphonic sugar of power metal legends such as Sonata Arctica, Dragonforce and Nightwish. Their awesome melodies, captivating vocals, and fantasy themed lyrics made me feel like a true metal princess. I’ve always enjoyed the obscure and love it when heavy metal bands take influence. I’ll give you some more examples of phenomenal artists throughout this interview. Nowadays I relax after a long day of dental treatment to the sound of technical death metal. I love the intricate riffs and juicy basslines of Nile, Necrophagist, Meshuggah and Decapitated just to name a few.

Who are your top three favourite metal bands/artists at the moment, and what makes them stand out to you?

My favourites are always changing and it’s hard to pick only three, but Bolt Thrower never fail to push me through even the most strenuous workouts. That rumbling bass instantly gets my adrenaline rushing.

Ozzy Osbourne is a timeless treasure, and the raw emotion behind his lyrics never fails to move me. His vocal style is unique and he is a fantastic frontman.

Watain released their latest album just last year and I still haven’t gotten bored of listening to it on repeat. Lawless Darkness is such a fantastic album and every time I hear it, it takes me back to my first every Bloodstock festival.

Tell us about a memorable live metal performance you attended and what made it special for you

I was 16 when I attended Bloodstock 2012 for the first time. I had never heard of Watain but they caught my interest as I walked past their tent and noticed them erecting giant inverted crosses into the stage. I had no idea what to expect and I had never listened to black metal before, but the alure of fire, corpse paint and watching the poor fuckers get drenched in pigs blood had me hooked. I had no idea what it meant to be KVLT, but I knew this was my life now.

Image Credit (from left to right): @rmclarenphotography, @rmclarenphotography, uncredited

Are there any up-and-coming female-fronted metal bands or artists you'd like to highlight and recommend?

My gay bestie recently introduced me to Satanic doo-wop duo Twin Temple and I am OBSESSED. Alexandra James is a phenomenal vocalist and I love that she performs with her guitarist husband. Additionally, I was lucky enough to get tickets to Diablo Swing Orchestra’s 2023 London performance and Kristin Evegard was PHE-NOM-EH-NAL. I was apprehensive because their latest albums are very technical, but their sound was better than I could ever have hoped or imagined. Totally worth the 10 year wait.

What’s your favourite piece of band merchandise or memorabilia?

I had the pleasure of meeting Adam Darski at the ‘I Loved You At Your Darkest’ launch party and he signed my ‘Confessions of a Heretic’. His PA was a cool Welsh chick so I indirectly ended up chilling with them both for most of that afternoon, and my book serves as a reminder of this happy memory.

Who is the best vocalist?

‘Best’? There are so many talented singers that are the best in their own league, but if I had to pick my personal favourite it would have to be ICS Vortex. He is truly exceptional.

Have you got any tattoos or piercings? Any favourite or cool ones you want to share the meaning of?

I’m covered in tattoos, but those with special meaning are the ‘Kill or Become’ lyrics tattooed across my ribcage that pump me up with the bad-bitch energy needed to own every-day. I’ve also got a Baphomet on my upper back who reminds me to live deliciously.

What’s your favourite band shirt?

I’m super petite so it’s rare that I find band merch that fits me properly, but that’s why I get my shit custom-made. My prized possession is an Aborted tank top made by Wicked Lester Clothing. She also made me a super cute stag skull Korpiklanni bodysuit that has seen its fair share of metal gigs.

What is your drink of choice?

Anything whisky. Jack. Jim. Glen. I don’t discriminate.

Finally, Rapid Fire Round. Go!!!

Satanism or Paganism?

Paganism

Slayer or Black Sabbath?

Slayer

Blast beats or guitar solos?

Blast beats

Metal festival or intimate underground show?

Intimate underground show

Any final words for our readers?

Thanks for chillin’ with me guys and I’d like to give a big thank you to Jamie who I have to thank for my ever-growing metal playlists. You are doing God’s work dude, and I am forever in your debt for all the bangers and bops you have given me. I’d also love to give a shoutout to Watford-based hard rock band The Wicked Jackals! These boys are an absolute delight to watch live. Vocalist Ollie and bass-player Lex also tour with W.A.S.P’s former guitarist Chris Holmes so it’s great to hear some familiar bangers amongst their own original material. The whole band give bag and balls to every gig they perform, and their energy is infectious.

We at The Citadel want to thank Ayesh for taking the time to answer our questions, and give us some insight into her favourite bands, and metal experiences. Welcome into the folds of the Valkyries. RIDE INTO THE FRAY!

All Hails, Ayesh!