Mistress (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Defunct | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Birmingham , England, United Kingdom |
| Products | Studio albums, demos |
| Website | https://web.archive.org/web/20071007002258/http://www.mistressuk.com/ |
Mistress was a British band from Birmingham, England, known for blending sludge metal and grindcore. The lineup consisted of five members who used stage names: Drunken and Misery on guitars, Dirty Von Arse handling bass, Dave Cunt as the vocalist, and Migg on drums. Vocalist Dave Cunt (also known as Dave Hunt) and drummer Migg (Mick Kenney) are also involved in Anaal Nathrakh, while guitarist Misery (Paul Kenney) performs with Fukpig and Kroh. The band ceased activities in 2008.
History
Originating in Birmingham during the late 1990s, Mistress crafted a unique interpretation of the aggressive sludge metal sound reminiscent of groups like Iron Monkey and Eyehategod. They gained recognition for their heavily downtuned, powerful sound combined with lyrics that were both challenging and intellectually engaging.
In 2001, Mistress released two demos titled Fuck Off and Lord Worm, which led to a contract with the underground label Rage of Achilles. Their first full-length album, Mistress, was issued in April 2002 to favorable reviews. The subsequent album, Mistress II: The Chronovisor (October 2003), strengthened their reputation and expanded their live audience.
Their aggressive musical approach attracted Nottingham-based Earache Records, who released their third studio album, In Disgust We Trust, in June 2005. That year also saw them record a live session for the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show, with Earache re-releasing their initial two albums.
Following their departure from Earache in 2006, Mistress signed with FETO Records, a label co-founded by Mick Kenney and Shane Embury. On 23 April 2007, they unveiled their fourth album, The Glory Bitches of Doghead, which marked a stylistic shift from sludge towards grindcore influences and featured ambient segments contributed by Misery.
The band made an appearance on the Christmas special edition of Never Mind the Buzzcocks, delivering sludge metal interpretations of traditional carols.
In March 2008, Mistress officially announced their disbandment.
Final performance
Their last live show took place on 24 October 2009 at the Damnation Festival.
Members
- Dave Hunt (alias Dave Cunt, Vitriol) — lead vocals
- Misery (Paul Kenney) — guitar
- Drunken (Duncan Wilkins) — guitar
- Dirty Von Arse — bass guitar
- Mick Kenney (also known as Migg, Irrumator) — drums
- Earl Robinson — bass during early demos and initial live performances
Demo recordings
- Fuck Off (2001)
- Lord Worm (2001)
Studio albums
- Mistress (2002)
- Mistress II: The Chronovisor (2003)
- In Disgust We Trust (2005)
- The Glory Bitches of Doghead (2007)