Isobella

My first memories of metal and rock probably came from my father. He’s a massive KISS and Black Sabbath fan, so I was exposed to that music from a very young age. I still love KISS and Sabbath now.

My brother later introduced me to even more bands, including Metallica, Necrophagist, Megadeth, Wintersun, and Symphony X. I don’t listen to all of them as much now, but they definitely helped shape me and the music taste I have today. I’m still a massive Metallica and Megadeth fan, obviously!

I’ve been to quite a few gigs, including Yngwie Malmsteen, KISS, Ross the Boss, Metal Church, Deströyer 666, Riot City, Enforcer, and Michael Angelo Batio, plus a few festivals. My most memorable was probably Metal Church. The energy was contagious, and I was there with some of my closest friends. They played all the hits from the first two albums, plus a few newer songs, and it was high energy from the start. They opened with “Ton of Bricks,” if I remember correctly, and that was just great. I also got to meet Marc, the vocalist. He’s a very cool and friendly guy, and we are still friends today.

I have so many good memories that I’m not sure I could pick just one. I love the memories of partying with friends, listening to records, and having a few drinks—it’s always a great time. Another favourite was visiting Stockholm in August last year when Deströyer 666 happened to be playing. One of my closest friends from Australia was also visiting Europe, and she made the trip to Sweden to see me and come to the gig. It was such a fun night.

I love a lot of metal subgenres—traditional heavy metal, NWOBHM, 1980s US power metal, and thrash—but my favourite has to be speed metal! I love the power and energy of it. It gets me totally pumped every time I listen. It’s hard to describe that feeling, but if you know, you know!

I have a few, so it would be hard to pick just one. Off the top of my head, probably “Thundersteel” by Riot. I’d also choose “Unstoppable Force” by Agent Steel, “The Antichrist” by Slayer, and “Master of Disguise” by Savage Grace—with a special mention for “Starlight” by Helloween!

Definitely a Dio concert from the 1980s. He’s probably my favourite metal artist of all time.

Some sort of festival with him on the bill, like Monsters of Rock in the 1980s, would be awesome because I’d get to see other bands at the same time too.

Thank you—that’s so kind! I began modelling when I was about 15. One of my friends at the time asked to take photos of me, and it just grew from there. I try to lean more into high-fashion, studio, or creative concepts. I’m a very artistic person, so modelling is another outlet for that. I’ve done some paid jobs and workshops, but it has mostly always been for the creativity and fun of it.

Thank you! Being a tattoo artist is truly awesome. I always wanted to make money with my art but struggled for a long time to believe that was even possible. Tattooing showed me that I could do it, have fun, and make a living. Besides getting to bring my art to life, one of the things I enjoy most is the confidence and happiness I can give people through tattooing. It’s wonderful, and I get to meet so many interesting and different people all the time. No day is the same.

I’m really bad at picking just one, but I’ll choose one and add some honourable mentions. Definitely Holy Diver by Dio—I think it’s my favourite metal album of all time. It’s perfect in every way.

• Megadeth — Rust in Peace

• Blind Guardian — Battalions of Fear

• Helloween — Walls of Jericho

• Judas Priest — Defenders of the Faith

I could probably name 20 more, but I need to stop—haha!

My other interests include painting and drawing. I really like drawing portraits and painting acrylic canvases. I enjoy modelling, photography, and creating self-portraits, and I’ve taught myself photo editing. I also collect records, including a lot of general 1980s albums besides metal—I’m obsessed with Foreigner!

I enjoy going to the gym too. I’ve been strength training on and off for a few years, and it really helps me feel good and is great for my mental health. I used to cosplay quite a lot but eventually stopped. It was a fun hobby, though, and I enjoyed learning all the makeup. Sewing is still one of my hobbies too.

Thank you for having me!