A Day in Pompeii Is Changing the Perception of Female-Fronted Metal Music
By: Olivia Carter | Photos by: Ashlee Glen
Angry music for happy people.” This is how members of local band A Day in Pompeii describe their music.
The heavy rock and metal band describe their sound as a mix of intense, emotional music aimed to uplift and energize listeners. While the band has a wealth of original material, they also perform covers to engage audiences and draw them in.
The band formed last year and today includes Anna Tracy, Candy Phelps, Jonathan May, and Brian Honeycutt.
For Tracy and Phelps, who are sisters, music has always been a family affair.
“Candy and I have always been in music together. It’s a family kind of thing,” Tracy said.
Phelps, the bassist and vocalist for A Day in Pompeii, has always felt a deep connection to music.
“I’ve always felt drawn to be involved in music in one way or another for as long as I can remember,” she said.
Creating, performing, writing, and recording music is not just an activity—it’s a part of her identity.
“It’s part of who we are,” she said.
May, the guitarist and harsh vocalist for the band, said he became involved after he asked Tracy to sing on one of the songs in the band he was playing for at the time.
The collaboration went well, and an idea formed.
“We should start a band,” he suggested, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The origin of the band’s name, A Day in Pompeii, stems from a question at May’s workplace: If you could go anywhere in history without affecting the timeline or fearing death, where would you go?
May’s answer was, “the last day in Pompeii.” He pitched this idea as a band name, and Tracy immediately saw its appeal.
“If I read that, I’m going to click on it. It says metal, it says rock, it’s heavy, and it’s catchy,” Tracy said.
Despite their demanding schedules, the band remains committed to producing high-quality music.
“It’s a challenge to do it when you have a full-time job and a family, but we get it done. We have a high standard of what we want to sound like,” Tracy said.
The band meets weekly to rehearse, working on songs individually at home, and coming together to perfect their sound which blends heavy and melodic elements.
“We meet once a week, rehearse, and practice. We work on our songs individually at home, and when we come together, it’s like a group project where everyone does their part,” she said.
Tracy, who has a background in rock, acapella, and gospel music, brings a fresh dynamic to the band.
“I’ve never been in a band where I was singing with a male voice. The harsh vocals from John are new and exciting for me,” she said.
Despite the male-dominated genre, she believes there is a place for women in metal.
The genre already has plenty of women in it, Tracy said.
“These women have been around for like two decades. So it’s not new. As for A Day in Pompeii, I guess the uniqueness for us is we really like to have the harmonies in the layers of female vocals against harsh vocals and you’ll get that from us,” she said. “If you hear our songs, you recognize it as us because you have those beautiful harmonies on top of the melody, which is all female. And then you have harsh vocals coming in with John.”
There have been preconceived notions about female-fronted bands in the hard rock and metal genres, Phelps said, and she finds it perplexing that some people view female-fronted bands as deliberately going against the grain.
“Hard rock and metal were never meant to be just male voices or just female voices,” she said.
The genre, she believes, is for everyone and their music should be appreciated for its authenticity rather than judged by outdated stereotypes.
The band said it has had a difficult time getting booked at local venues.
“It’s really challenging for an original metal band with female singers to get in these venues,” Tracy said. “Venue owners need to take a risk and give us the opportunity. Lynchburg wants metal and they will show up if given the chance.”
Most live music events take place in restaurants or businesses that double as music spaces, Phelps said.
“[Venues] think people only want to hear music they’ve heard a million times before,” she said.
The band has a vision for the future of Lynchburg’s music scene. They hope to see more original bands like theirs on stage and to be a part of a thriving local music community.
“We want to play our town and have the support of local fans. We believe Lynchburg has a lot of talented musicians and we want to be a part of that scene,” Tracy said.
A Day in Pompeii is determined to bring heavy metal back to Lynchburg and to change preconceived notions about female-fronted metal bands.
“We want to play our town and have the support of local fans. We believe Lynchburg has a lot of talented musicians and we want to be a part of that scene,” Tracy said.
When asked about the band’s sound, Phelps said she finds it challenging to compare themselves to other bands.
“We all have different influences. We sound like A Day in Pompeii,” she said confidently.
The band’s music is rooted in their local experiences and reflects their own lives.
“The songs we write are an expression of people who live where you live,” Phelps said.
She said the music resonates with the struggles, joys, and experiences of their community.
“Give it a chance because you might find something that connects with you,” she said.
A goal for A Day in Pompeii is to create a deep connection with their audience.
“We don’t just write songs; we build soundscapes. We want listeners to feel what we feel when we play,” May said.
The band strives to evoke a range of emotions, from headbanging excitement to goosebumps-inducing epic moments.
May said the band is a prime example of creativity and taking a risk.
“Don’t be afraid to shoot your shot,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to break through the stereotypes because that’s what we’re doing.”
