“We are the Mosh and we are the Mallow, and we can’t wait to fuck shit up, and look cute whilst doing it.”
From Johannesburg in South Africa, MoshMallow is officially the very first “pinkcore” band – aesthetically contrary to the metal genre’s deep history of dark, black, and macabre imagery.
Vocalist Marty explains, “the pink aesthetic of MoshMallow was born out of a desperate need I had to fulfil something particular within my own self… the ability to be able to embrace my feminine energy through the means of metal culture and metal music. It’s not so much to poke fun at metal culture, as I am a metalhead myself, but rather to create a balance between the black and dark, and the fun and pink. See it as my personality being split into two, and instead of going against one another, they work and live together in a symbiotic manner.”
“The Mosh is the darker, more masculine energy and the Mallow is the more soft and feminine energy. Both of these qualities can be found within our music.”
Although MoshMallow may be the first to conjure the term pinkcore, the recent uproar of feminine energy in the modern metal scene is undeniable. Spiritbox, Jinjer, and Poppy are furthering the normalization of the frontwoman in metal, while bimbocore acts such as Scene Queen or Brat are also pushing out the parameters of the genre’s machismo comfort zone.
Marty acknowledges her contemporaries, “as for the Bimbocore scene, when I envisioned MoshMallow, I was completely unaware that this style of music and aesthetic exists, and I only came across Scene Queen a little bit after. However, it’s uncanny how similar the aesthetics are and the similarities in the mission of doing something in this manner. I think a lot of women across the globe feel the same need to be able to embrace feminine qualities in masculine dominant industries, without taking away from either of these qualities.”
“Additionally, I think it’s great that women in metal feel more comfortable to be girly and feminine instead of having to mimic masculinity in order to fit in. There’s plenty of room for both!”
The South African Metal Scene
Personally, I see Vulvodynia to be the leaders of the South African metal scene. While Marty agrees – “certainly a band South African musicians look up to based on their success. They are humble, approachable, and overall amazing human beings to look up to in all aspects and areas of life. I hope more bands can learn from them, and I hope more bands in South Africa get the opportunity to play their own music worldwide” – she’s more giddy in indulging in other acts within the scene…
…particularly because she is dating Gareth Reed – the vocalist for Human Nebula, guitarist for Riddlebreak, and dual vocalist for Hiraeth alongside… drum roll … Marty!
“Human Nebula is absolutely taking our South African metal community by storm; they are considered one of the top dogs at this point.”
Alike any emerging music scene, the South African metal locals are ebbing and flowing. “Riddlebreak‘s unfortunately been in quite a bit of a hiatus since 2021… as for Hiraeth, we’ve had so many member changes throughout the last few years, it’s been tricky to gain back momentum, however, we finally settled and are writing brand new music, and we are aiming to start playing live shows in 2025 again!”
Looking for more South African metal recommendations? Marty suggests the essentials, including Middlegrounds, Sunken State, Walk These Skies, No Closure, OhGod, and Hilliker. Oh, and… Raptorbaby.
Ink Time
In congruence to MoshMallow‘s aesthetics, the vocalist dawns an impressive amount of tattoos, thirty-three to be exact. “The first tattoo I ever got was the panda on my arm and my favourite will always be the latest one, so they all get a chance to be a favourite.”
Required in every tattoo small talk situation, I had to know which piece hurt the most. “ALL OF THEM. I’m quite known amongst tattoo artists as an individual who is difficult to tattoo. I’m just a baby with absolutely no tolerance for pain. To properly paint this picture for you, I once got my knee tattooed, and a therapist practicing next door barged in and asked me quite firmly to please stop screaming, I’m making her patients uncomfortable. My only question out of this whole situation was… why the fuck is a therapist situated right next to a tattoo parlour?! What are they insinuating here?”
Plant Fiend
“Oof, someone said plants, and now my interest is fully piqued.”
You were curious what the vocalist of MashMallow‘s top three favorite plants are, right?
1. Syngoniums – “I’m on a mission to own every single variety – and there are many! I also have a Syngonium tattoo.”
2. Philodendrons – “more specifically Glorious, Gloriousums, and Fuzzy Petioles.”
3. Monsteras – “all of them! All the varieties! You guessed it; I also have a few monstera tattoos.”
What’s New?
Earlier this year, MoshMallow unveiled their new single “Pink as Fuck.” It’s Deftones–Cannibal Corpse heavy, with a melodic Evanescence twist.
And what’s else? Well, they’ve been performing a track titled “Small Lands,” which is about “a badass fairy fighting monsters and wearing their bones as her armor.” Marty confirms more material is on the way, keeping the signature amalgamation of femininity and metalcore – “fun, feminine, and beautiful… alongside the heavy breakdowns that will make you want to wrestle your grandma in the pit.”
Going to be in South Africa within the next month? Be sure to see MoshMallow live at the upcoming Halloween Horror show with Crash and the Void, Hilliker, Desert Mother, Capgras Delusion, and Sunken State on November 1st at Sognange in Randburg, Johannesburg, as well as on November 2nd alongside Matthew Mole, Desmond and the Tutus, Phfat, Hellcats, The Tazers, Middle Grounds, The Man Motels, and Sextape at Loftus Park Center in Pretoria.