Biography
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Years Active
1993 – 2000 (7 years)
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Founded In
Stockholm, Stockholm municipality, Stockholms län, Sweden
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Members
- Anna Kjellberg
Originally known as Drain, they were an all-female group formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 1993.
Stockholm quartet Drain S.T.H underwent many changes in both musical style and image. Guitarist Flavia Canel and drummer Martina Axén had been together in many acts starting with punk band Livin' Sacrifice (not to be confused with the thrash metal band Living Sacrifice). As this act progressed the sound developed into more of a hard rock vein.
Livin' Sacrifice evolved into Aphrodite with Axén, Canel, vocalist Malin Ekholm, guitarist Maria "Mia" Landberg, and bassist Marianne Hall. Aphrodite folded upon Ekholm's departure in 1990. Axén, Canel and Anna K formed a new band called Ragdoll in 1991 that included vocalist Annie Gutå. With Gutås's departure, Axén, Canel and Anna K joined forces with former Necro Nancy guitarist-turned-vocalist Maria Sjöholm and Drain was born.
The group also gained acclaim on the American market, where they were renamed Drain S.T.H. (spelled Drain STH on the second album), due to a pre-existing band from Austin, Texas also called Drain. S.T.H. is an abbreviation for Stockholm.
The band were signed to MVG Records in March 1994, and licensed to The Enclave in December 1996 for North America. They released two albums in the nineties; "Horror Wrestling" (1996) and "Freaks Of Nature" (1999). People noted their heavily Alice In Chains-inspired sound, and the pioneering nature of four women successful at making heavy music.
The band toured extensively, including with Clawfinger, Fear Factory and Type O Negative, and performed at Ozzfest in 1997 and 1999. Maria Sjöholm (lead vocals) got engaged to Tony Iommi in 1999, moved to England and withdrew from the music industry. Despite positive media attention in North America, the band got stuck in contractual limitations to the label and imploded about a year after the release of the second album, 'Freaks Of Nature' in 1999.
Axén (switching to vocals) and Anna K created Superfix with guitarist China and drummer Sid from Sinisstar. Progress with this new unit was slow, a second demo and Los Angeles showcase gig being delivered in August 2002 with the project laid to rest soon after.
During 2001 Canel re-emerged, touting her new project, the Brooklyn-based Anotherday. In early 2002 Axén announced the formation of a side-project dubbed Dr. Fungus, with Coal Chamber bassist Nadja Puelen, Adema drummer Kris Kohls, and Unida guitarist Arthur Seay.
By mid-2003 Canel, working alongside vocalist / guitarist Niklas Fagerström, ex-SELPH guitarist Serban Carapancea and drummer Fabien Perreau, was touting a fresh Stockholm-based band entitled Blowsight. That summer bassist Anna K joined New York industrial band Hanzel und Gretyl for their Fukken Über tour, remaining a member until 2005. In 2006 Anna K was recruited by Al Jourgensen for the re-union tour of Revolting Cocks and in 2007 she joined the LA based Opiate for the Masses. Axén joined Snake River Conspiracy in June 2004, replacing Tobey Torres, and quit in early 2006 to focus on her solo work.
Line-Up
Maria Sjöholm (lead vocals)
Flavia Canel (guitar)
Anna Kjellberg (bass)
Martina Axén (drums, backing vocals)
Discography
1995 - 'Serve The Shame'
Released under the name Drain, features tracks that will be used on Horror Wrestling LP: "Serve The Shame" & "Unreal" (from the original edition), "Klotera" & "So I Will Burn (Alone)" (from the reissue expanded edition) and the 7 seconds long "To Be Continued…" (an a cappella chorus used into the song "Someone")
1996 - 'Horror Wrestling'
The expanded edition collects most of the non-album songs around that time. But some were left out: "I Don't Mind (Clawfinger Remix)" by Jocke Skog, "Without Eyes" ("Crack The Liars Smile" b-side) and one of the two "Serve The Shame" acoustic versions (the other was collected but under the generic name of "acoustic version" while a single featured an "Unplugged" and a "Further Unplugged" version)
1999 - 'Freaks Of Nature'
A single release of "Enter My Mind" featured the B-side "Down" (both are featured as the opening tracks of the sampler disc "Ozzfest Rock Pile Sampler"
"20th Century Boy" cover from Detroit Rock City (Music From The Motion Picture)
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