Drain S.T.H.
Horror Wrestling
Mercury
When I first heard about Drain S.T.H., I must admit I had my doubts. I envisioned the all-female heavy metal quartet from Stockholm, Sweden to be a carbon copy of Vixen, with one exception – instead of singing about heartache, Drain S.T.H. would be screaming about it. However, after one listen to the band’s debut album, Horror Wrestling, I have begun continuously surfing the net looking for tour dates in Florida. Drain S.T.H. simply rock.
The 15 scorching tracks on Horror Wrestling entrap the listener with Drain S.T.H.’s staple drawn-out vocals (a la Alice in Chains) and melodic yet aggressive sound. Aside from being musically gifted, the band also has a flair for songwriting. Vocalist Maria Sjoholm and drummer Martina Axen, who alternate penning songs, both have a tendency to write about dark topics such as death, deception, and child abuse. According to Axen, “The lyrics are about wrestling with your own agony and horrors in life.” In fact, the album’s title is taken from an unusual Mexican video.
This Mercury release of Horror Wrestling contains three previously unreleased songs, including a cover of Motorhead’s classic “Ace of Spades,” which is just as blistering as the original. The other two tracks are “(So I Will Burn) Alone” and an acoustic version of Drain S.T.H.’s hit single “Serve the Shame.” The other blazing tracks on the album are “I Don’t Mind,” “Smile,” “Someone,” “Stench,” and “Crack The Liar’s Smile.”
