Hi! I’m Izzy – a 21-year-old metalhead, academic, and live music obsessive from Manchester. I hold an undergraduate degree in Law and Criminology from the University of York, where I’m currently completing a Master’s in Music, Management and Marketing. I’m planning to pursue a PhD exploring the use of Satanic imagery in metal and its impact on marketing – a perfect fusion of my academic interests and lifelong love for heavy music.
My research focuses on how Satanic and occult imagery is used not just as provocation, but as a powerful branding and marketing tool. I’m particularly interested in how shock and controversy shape audience reception, and how moral panics – like those during the 80s and 90s – influence the way we interpret music. This topic grew from earlier work I did around the Columbine effect, media scapegoating, and legal cases like Vance v. Judas Priest. It’s also shaped by my own experience navigating the metal scene as a woman and an academic – perspectives that are still underrepresented, and ones I’m proud to champion.
Metal has been part of my life since childhood – my Dad introduced me to Alice Cooper and Iron Maiden on the school run, and I never looked back. These days, I’m especially into NWOBHM, death metal and a bit of nu-metal – some of my all-time favourites include Rotting Christ, Skinless, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Limp Bizkit and Alestorm.
I’m President of The Fringe (the University of York’s Metal and Alternative Music Society), where I’ve also served as Press & Publicity Officer from 2023–2025. Alongside overseeing the smooth running of The Fringe, I also design promotional material and merchandise for the society, and last year I ran our first ever festival – Fringe Fest, raising £750 for the incredible Sophie Lancaster Foundation. I’m passionate about keeping live music alive and accessible, and I plan to stay involved in event planning throughout my PhD.
Satan Sells is where all my worlds collide – a space for academic research, gig reviews, album write-ups, interviews, and deep dives into metal culture from both a female and scholarly perspective. Metal has always been about challenging norms – and it’s time we challenged a few within the scene itself.
Thanks for stopping by – welcome to the chaos!