Live In Concert

"DRAIN S.T.H."

Flavia Canel, Maria Sjöholm, AnnaKjellberg, Martina Axén

Artist:"DRAIN S.T.H."
Title:"Horror Wrestling"
Label:The Enclave/EMI
Release Date:12/96 in U.S.A.
Available:Most Major Music Stores
Reviewed By:Mary Ellen Gustafson
Rating:5


This Metal band from Sweden, DRAIN S.T.H. (named for the carthartic implications of a Drain which the lyrics reflect, and the city where they hail from - Stockholm), has taken U. S. audiences by storm since they started opening for "Type O Negative" at the end of January. Their first full length album, "Horror Wrestling," their brand of music, and their stage show, are so intertwined, that's also how this review will be presented - followed by an interview.

First let me say this is one of the best new Heavy Metal albums, and bands, I've heard in a very long time. They still have that raw, in your face quality that older bands lose after a while. Although the members of the band are all Swedish beauties, there is nothing pretty about the lyrics contained in this CD. It's a dark, hard, cold, look at life and love, with no holds barred. "This country is pretty dark and cold and depressing, yet our music isn't typical for Sweden," insists singer Maria Sjöholm. "Despite the homogeny of Swedish artists that rise to international visibility , the hard rock and heavy metal scenes there are vibrant and thriving." Maria explains. "It's not just 'Ace of Base' and 'Roxette.'" After hearing this band play live, and listening to their album, I certainly agree with her!

Sjöholm and drummer Martina Axén take turns writing the lyrics, although both share a tendency toward dark topics, including death, betrayal and humiliation. The subject matter made it easy to draw the album title from the name of a bizarre Mexican video tape. When you hear the lyrics to the song "Smile," sung by Maria with such passion and energy while listening to words like ". . .saw your smile, it left my soul to die. . .Jesus Christ, please stab my eyes. . .," and see her stage delivery, it sends shivers up your spine. There is no sweetness and light to be found here, yet the music and lyrics leave an unmistakable impression on you from the beginning.

What leaves even more of an impression, is to watch this band walk onstage to be greeted by a totally unenthusiastic audience once they see four females take the stage. Since their first single "Serve The Shame" is just now receiving radio air play here in the States, you can tell that concert goers don't know what to expect. It doesn't take long though. By the third song the audience was totally into this band and they received wild applause when their set was over. The group's tight-knit allegiance extends beyond the stage and rehearsal studio too, according to guitarist Flauvia Canel. "When we're not touring, when we're at home in Stockholm, we go out on the weekends and do things together." The closeness of this band is very obvious both on stage and off. When I talked to them in Phoenix, they all sat down with me to answer questions, and the conversation never missed a beat as it moved from person to person.

Unfortunately my tape recorder screwed up and I didn't get the interview down on tape. This was a real dissapointment because the band was so enthusiastic and had pretty strong opinions on a lot of things. I re-constructed what I could remember, and talked to bassist Anna Kjellberg about two weeks later to confirm my notes. That's why the interview below has her name on it. But getting back to the review part of this article, DRAIN'S concert set opened with the extremely heavy, minor key, instrumental and harmony driven song "Crucified." I really believe the audience was in shock to hear what was coming out of the mouths of "four girls"! This is one of the many excellent tracks on the CD, and the bass portion really sets this song apart. I defy anyone to say DRAIN S.T.H. are not true rockers of the heaviest metal variety. But can they every sing! Other concert numbers included "Smile," "I Don't Mind," "Stench," "Unreal," "Serve The Shame," and ended with "Klotera." Leaving the stage to thunderous applause the band went out to greet fans and sell albums.


As far as the album "Horror Wrestling" goes, there isn't a bad track on it. The single "Serve The Shame" is getting more air play every day. The song that I'm really impressed with is called "Crack The Liar's Smile." Not only does it have a great melody and lyrics, it also has some awesome special effects and harmonies. Another strangely appealing number is "Mirror's Eyes." The song "Someone" with the searing lyrics "Set my soul to fly, someone has to die, and I feel you, someone has to die. . .I know, you know. . .there can't be two of us in me, and I feel you, someone has to die. . ." and music to match. Then there's "Mind Over Body," again with an almost eerie sound to the instrumental portion and the lyrics ". . .my body's alive, but I'm not inside, I see broken pictures, floating body over mine, what I only wanted was to fly. . ." - well, you have to see and hear all of these songs to appreciate them. In my humble opinion, this band is going to go a VERY long way!



Interview With Anna Kjellberg
Bass Player for "DRAIN S.T.H."
Interview Conducted by Mary Ellen Gustafson


  • AMZ - I must say that you've done a heck of a job producing heavy metal music. I've even heard you called to a female version of "Alice in Chains." Were you surprised by the reception you've received and the rave reviews on this tour?

  • AK - Yes, at first, but it's been very good wherever we've played. We've only been in the U.S. for 3 weeks, and after one or two songs the audience gets into the music.

  • AMZ - Why do you think only the bands like "Roxette" and "Ace of Bass" are the Swedish groups that gain international attention if there is such a thriving hard rock and heavy metal scene there?

  • AK - Because Swedish TV and radio won't play hard rock/heavy metal. They pretend it doesn't exist. It's only when it gets out of Sweden that any of it gets recognized. In the clubs you hear a lot of heavy metal, death metal and black metal, but the Swedish labels won't record it. You have to get picked up by a label somewhere else. Ours is The Enclave through EMI.

  • AMZ - I read in your bio that you do all your writing by collaboration. I've come across very few bands that do that. Is there some point where one person ends up deciding on creative control, or is it by jamming and then "yeah, that's it!"

  • AK - No, we didn't write this album by collaboration. Maybe two of us would work on certain sections together, but mainly we wrote alone or in twos, then everyone got involved in the final product. There was/is no ad-libbing or changes once we are happy with a song. But now we have our "studio" in my apartment, and we all bring our instruments and record it on the computer. Before we were using small tape recorders at our homes and then bringing what we had with us to practice and putting it together with what the others had.

  • AMZ - It was also brought up about the novelty of your all-female status. Do you think this will be a stumbling block to your success? Is that why there are no pictures of the band included on the album cover and liner notes?

  • AK - The music is what is important, not that we're male or female. We just had studio photos done, but we didn't want them in the beginning. We want people to focus on the music, not the band being female, so we may have done that in the beginning. We don't think it will be a stumbling block to our success any more, but we needed to get the music out there first.

  • AMZ - How has your reception been opening for Clawfinger, Fear Factory and Type O? Do you get audience acceptance, or has it been kind of lukewarm hurry up and get done so we can see the headliner?

  • AK - The reception has been excellent once we get going. Sales of our album are improving, and we sell albums after we play. The number we sell after a concert is getting bigger all the time.

  • AMZ - I have a lot of respect for your band and for "Horror Wrestling." It's a very good album. Any plans for a video? What will be the next single released?

  • AK - We've already made our first video of "I Don't Mind" with the director for Metallica's videos, and it's now playing on Latin MTV. We don't know what the next single will be yet, but Stench is one of our favorites.

  • AMZ - In a followup to this interview, I spoke to Anna on 2/26/97. They are now selling 40+ albums after a concert, and have increased radio air play of their single, "Serve The Shame," in each of the cities where they perform. They were also just been picked up by Ozzy himself for "Ozz Fest '97," along with Fear Factory, Type O Negative, The Deftones and Panterra to name a few, for the tour starting around 5/28/97.

    I asked the band members what they like to do in their spare time (which they don't have much of between writing, recording and touring), and like a lot of people they enjoy going to the movies, bowling and hanging out with their friends in their native Stockholm. Flavia is a motorcycle buff, and summers giver her the opportunity to enjoy her hobby.

    I also got a chance for a bit of conversation related to touring, and I've heard the same thing from several bands I've interviewed lately. This band loves to tour, and loves what they're doing, but it's not like a lot of fans may think. Even much more well known and successful rockers live under the same conditions as "Drain S.T.H." No hotel suites here - no hotels at all. They sleep on the bus, catch showers where and when they can, and deal with contact lenses in the dark going over bumps in the road. Anna compared it to going camping - the real way, not in a campground with all the amenities.

    I was in their tour bus while they were in Phoenix, and they do have a TV and VCR, but no fancy satelite dish to pick up signals on the open road. The seating up front is fairly cramped, with a tiny table for making notes or writing letters. The majority of the bus is taken up with equipment, costumes and other traveling paraphenalia. Not exactly the life of luxury that people expect. Since "Type O Negative's" buses were parked right next to "Drain's" you realize they take to the road the same way.

    Although all these performers would have things no other way, it must be wearing to spend more than half your time on a bus going from city to city, sleeping on the way to stay on schedule, catching meals between arrival and sound check, then spending time meeting fans and selling albums until it's time to board the bus and take off again. So, for all you fans out there, these are hard working people, who put up with a lot, so you can see them perform live in your home town. And this band is DEFINITELY one worth going to see!




    Tour Schedule For DRAIN S.T.H.
    3/10/97Port Chester, NY7 Willow St.3/26/97Birmingham, AL5 Points Music Hall
    3/11/97Springfield, VAJaxx3/28/97Jackson, MSHal & Mal's/Starplex
    3/13/97Charlottesville, VATraxx3/29/97Shreveport, LATBA
    3/14/97Charlotte/Winston-SalemTremont Music Hall/Ziggy's3/30/97Tyler, TXTBA
    3/15/97Wilmington/FayettevilleBrewery East/Planet Rock3/31/97McAllen, TXVilla Reale
    3/16/97Columbia, SCRockafella's4/02/97Little Rock, ARJuanita's
    3/18/97Athens, GA40 Watt Club4/03/97Memphis, TNNew Daisy Theater/616 Club
    3/19/97Tallahassee, FLThe Moon4/04/97Nashville, TN328 Performance Hall
    3/21/97Hallandale, F:Button South4/05/97Knoxville/Johnson City, TNTed/Night Moves
    3/21/97Miami, FLThe Theater4/07/97Huntington, WVDrop Shop
    3/21/97Miami, FLCameo Theater4/08/97Richmond, VATwister's/Flood Zone
    3/21/97Ft. Lauderdale, FLThe Edge4/10/97New London, CTEl'N'Gee
    3/22/97Ft. Myers, FLPyramids4/11/97Portland, METBA
    3/23/97Savannah, GAThe Zoo4/12/97Poughkeepsie, NYThe Chance
    3/25/97Macon, GAGeorgia Theater



    Return to Table of Contents

    2arrow4.gif - 0.4 K