Nitocris (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Defunct | November 2001 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Punk rock and heavy metal music |
Nitocris was an Australian band from Sydney, formed in 1992, known for blending punk rock and heavy metal. They stood out as one of the nation's earliest all-female punk groups associated with the "grot grrrls" movement, paralleling the U.S. riot grrrl phenomenon. Their first full-length album, Screaming Dolorous, came out through Phantom Records in 1994, followed by a self-titled release in 2000. The group disbanded in November 2001, having received a nomination for the ARIA Award for Best Independent Release that same year.
History
Formed in Sydney in 1992, Nitocris initially consisted of Sara Louise Anderson on bass, Jessamine Jean Finlayson on lead guitar, Andrea Marie Stanway on drums, and Kira Taylor handling rhythm guitar. The members were all high school students around 14 years old and beginners with their instruments. Vocalist Morgana Ancone joined a year later after responding to a newspaper advertisement; she was the only member over the age of 18. The band’s name was drawn from the semi-mythical female Pharaoh Nitocris, often portrayed in literature as "queen of the underworld." Because of their youth, parental supervision was frequently present at live performances. Their musical approach fused elements of punk rock and heavy metal, inspired by acts like Black Sabbath, The Clash, Guns N' Roses, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.
In January 1994, Nitocris played at Sydney’s Big Day Out festival. Their debut EP, Ten Stories Down, was released through the independent label Phantom Records in June. That September saw the release of "Suxiety," a split single shared with Purr, another all-female Sydney band. Alongside groups such as Fur and SPDFGH, Nitocris were trailblazers within Australia’s "grot grrrls" scene.
November 1994 brought their debut album Screaming Dolorous, which included a rendition of Black Sabbath’s "N.I.B." In April 1995, they toured Australia's east coast as part of the Alternative Nation Festival and supported major acts like The Cult, Deep Purple, Rancid, and Midnight Oil across the country. October featured the release of their five-track EP Epic Voyage, which contained a live cover of AC/DC’s "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap," previously featured on the tribute compilation Fuse Box: The Alternative Tribute earlier that year.
The 1996 EP Hyperland gained moderate attention; however, their subsequent release Butter (1997) did not meet expectations due to management difficulties that stalled their momentum. In 1999, Nitocris embarked on their inaugural national tour as part of Turn Up Your Radio. Their single "Dark Side," released in January, was accompanied by a music video directed by Margot Nash and Jane Castle. The band’s 2000 self-titled album revealed a softer and more pop-oriented sound that achieved extensive airplay on Triple J radio. Early copies included a bonus disc compiling selections from earlier releases.
With their EP Manic, Nitocris secured an ARIA Award nomination for Best Independent Release. They toured nationally with Big Day Out in 2001 and led their own Manic Tour from February through May. Although they had intentions to record a third album and tour internationally, Nitocris ultimately dissolved after performing their final show at Newtown Festival in November 2001.
Afterwards
Following Nitocris’ disbandment, Finlayson and Stanway joined The Fyreflyes until 2004, releasing multiple EPs during that period. Finlayson began a solo career in 2007, issuing her first single in May 2009; from November 2010 onward she led Jessamine, which released a self-titled album in September 2011. Ancone formed Morgana and the Monstars, producing two releases featuring up to thirteen guest musicians. She also contributes as a writer and performer with Boxing with Ghosts, The Fangin' Felines, The Sugar Beats, as well as occasionally performing solo or alongside Tiny & The Broken Hearts.
Anderson (later known as Sara Graye) participated in recordings for Morgana and the Monstars and Fyreflyes while collaborating with Simon Day (formerly of Ratcat) on projects including The Prostitutes and The Follow. She has performed with Iota and Tex Perkins; notably in 2007 she joined Doc Neeson's Angels on the Tour de Force – Middle East 8 to entertain troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Graye also worked with electro-pop act Dark Disco and collaborated with Mark Raparager. Since 2008 she has operated her own fashion brand named 50 ft Queenie.
Nitocris briefly reunited for a performance at the Annandale Hotel on 26 September 2009.
Studio Albums
| Title | Album Information |
|---|---|
| Screaming Dolorous |
|
| Nitocris |
|
Extended Plays
| Title | EP Information |
|---|---|
| Ten Stories Down |
|
| Epic Voyage |
|
| Hyperland |
|
| Butter |
|
| Dark Side |
|
| Manic |
|
ARIA Music Awards
Since 1987, the Australian Recording Industry Association has hosted the annual ARIA Music Awards, celebrating outstanding achievements in various Australian music categories.
! |- | 2001 | Manic | Best Independent Release | | [1] |}
External Links
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