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🩸 Metal Maiden of the Month: August 2025
Featuring: Shelley Crawford 🇦🇺
Say g’day to August’s Metal Maiden, the fierce, passionate, and all-around badass Shelley Crawford—hailing straight from Melbourne, Australia! Whether she’s headbanging at gigs, championing underground metal bands, or repping her favorite corpse-painted threads, Shelley brings the fire of the Aussie metal scene with style, heart, and a killer playlist. She’s not just a fan—she’s part of the lifeblood of the community, and one of our very own here at The Metal Pit.
🔗 Social Links
- Instagram: @shell_dahlia
- Facebook: @shell_dahlia
🎤 Interview with Shelley
1. How did you first get into metal music, and what was the first band or album that hooked you?
My Dad and Brother influenced my music taste heavily and the gateway band for me was Metallica.
2. What was the most memorable concert you’ve ever attended, and why did it stand out?
Metallica was my first metal concert ever and I was very young. I was in a sea of large, sweaty men and couldn’t see a thing but metal heads being the legends they are, lifted me up every so often so I could see the band and the stage. It was the first time I witnessed metal head heroism.
3. Favorite metal memory?
Besides the Metallica concert, my most memorable moment was hanging out with Steel Panther after one of their shows with a whole bunch of fans and we partied all night into the AM. It was a night of nights where I made lifetime friends. Metal is a true instrument of human bonding.
4. Favorite subgenre?
It’s close to an even first with death metal and sleaze metal. I love pelvic thrusting at a sleazy 80’s style glam gig.
5. Go-to metal anthem?
If I need an album to pump me up before a gig my go to is usually All Shall Perish ‘The Price of Existence’ just pure pump up energy that never gets old.
6. Dream concert from any era?
I would have to say original line-up Pantera, besides Metallica, they were one of the bands that really got me into metal.
7. How has being a female metal fan shaped your experience within the metal community?
Honestly, there’s one standout difference being a female metal fan, most of the time, especially in the extreme metal scene, there’s no toilet line. I have noticed a significant increase in the number of female artists and attendees which has been incredible to witness but the numbers are still pretty low in the extreme metal scene. Always live seeing females releasing their metal beast on stage, makes me so proud.
8. Have you ever met any of your metal idols? If so, what was that experience like?
I have, my idol was Trevor Strnad from The Black Dahlia Murder and he came up to me at a show and said ‘you’re Shelley.’ I died a thousand deaths then got to hang out with him and pound beers. After that we caught up every time he came to Australia. He was the sweetest most knowledgeable metal head I have ever met. I will hold in my heart as long as I live.
9. What’s a metal album you think every fan should listen to at least once in their life?
Nocturnal by The Black Dahlia Murder. A masterpiece.
10.Outside of Metal what are some of your other hobbies/interests?
I was a chef for 18 years so cooking is a huge passion of mine and so is eating 😛
11. You’re from Australia so what is the metal scene like in Australia?
Each state varies with the size of the metal scene. My home town, Melbourne, the scene is incredible. Unfortunately our venues struggle with insurance and running costs so often close down but the bands keep pushing and creating. The passion for metal is here but our numbers are small and we are very far from the rest of the world so in comparison to other countries such as Europe and America, our scene isn’t massive but I have seen it significantly grow over the years and hope it still keeps growing. We have some very successful bands touring the world at the moment which is great to see considering how hard it is to get to that point being from Australia.
12. You of course write for The Metal Pit. How are you enjoying that and what is the best part of being on the metal pit team?
Well, my boss is super nice and encouraging, always extremely complimentary and inspiring. He’s also patient and understanding. As for the writing side, it’s been fantastic, I’ve grown creatively and my knowledge about music is also continuously growing. I’ve been able to help underground bands get exposure and their gratitude is just the best feeling in the world. Knowing the little apart I’m playing in the metal scene, I honestly couldn’t be happier.
13. Thank you for being our Metal Maiden of the Month!!
You’re the best, Blake. Thanks for everything.
Yours truly,
Shell xoxo
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💬 Want to Be a Metal Maiden?
Do you live and breathe METAL? Want to be featured as a Metal Pit Maiden of the Month?
📩 Contact us with some killer photos and your story!