Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )

The sleaze/punk influenced metal outfit known as SISTER, who hail from Stockholm/Jönkoping Sweden, formed in early 2006 working hard to build up a name as a strong act both live and in the studio. SISTER consists of four members who combine the sounds of punk, glam, rock, and metal with an end result sounding something like the bastard child of GG Allin and Guns N’ Roses.  SISTER‘s Metal Blade debut, HATED, has been released June 7th in North America and June 6th in Europe.

Some weeks ago I asked Jamie, Sister’s vocalist, to tell me more about the band and it’s newest album Hated… and this is what he told me…

Hi Jamie, I’m Tarja. Welcome to Metal Shock Finland! What were your first thoughts this morning?

Hey Tarja! Hmm let’s see.. I wondered why God had punished me with such a terrible headache, but a few seconds later I realized it was the booze from yesterday.

I’ve heard that your shows are quite unforgettable… so, tell me what happens there?

A Sister show is all about full chaos, sweat and headbanging from start untill the end! When we go on stage we totally lose our minds and freaks out like 4 rats from hell! We want the audience to be shocked and to remember the gig for the rest of their lifes.

Your genre is somelike sleaze/punk metal… but what else you’ve put into your sound?

I don’t really know.. We just mix everything we listen to, like detah, sleaze, punk, black, glam and then it becomes Sister I guess.  We want to do something that’s new and I think that we have succeeded with that.

Give me a quick presentation about the band members, and their most odd habits…

Cari is absolutely the hottest fuck face in the band and that’s why we always have been jealous on his girlfriend =( … Rikki is the bass player and i think he lives up to the sex, drugs, rock n roll myth best in the band haha! … Lestat is the youngest and the most talented musician/song writer I ever seen. …My names is Jamie and I’m just a scumfuck like the rest of the band.

You formed the band in 2006, and soon after you started to tour all over Sweden and across Europe. What act, so far, has been for you the most unforgettable one? and why?

Of course all gigs at the Paunchy Cats in Germany! I also remember when we played in München back in 2008, the crowd raised hell, the sound/stage was amazing and we just kicked ass!

Your initial popularity is due mainly to your live shows. Why this choice to release your first EP “Deadboys Making Noise” only in 2009?

We recorded DMN in 2009 and started to send it out to all record labels we knew. We were obviously pleased when Metal Blade offered us the deal we have been waiting for during these years.

Tell me about your collaboration with Primordial’s Alan Averill. It was him who brought you last year to Metal Blade’s attention, right?

Yeah he was the one who first contacted us. I think he saw us as an emerging young band with a raw and unique style! I think that’s pretty cool because MB doesn’t usually sign punk/sleaze bands like Sister.

What changes this new worldwide record deal brought into the band’s life and what expectations you’ll have for the near future?

It’s god damn nice to finally release a complete 10 track album on the conditions that we want. We have always believed in ourselves and our music and with an good record label it’s of course easier to get in contact with other music related stuff like magazines, booking agencies, interviews you name it. . It’s always fun to be seen in the media as much as possible.

What drives you artistically? And from where you take your influences?

I just love what i do! I try to live day by day and live the rock n roll life style to maximum. When I was little my mother always used to play bands like Mötley Crue, Kiss and Twisted Sister all the time so I slipped into her kind of music I think. I remember the first time I saw the music video of the track “I wanna be somebody” by WASP I totally freaked out and just in that second it became clear to me what i wanted to do with my life.

Your debut album “Hated!” comes out in couple of day, on June 6, via Metal Blade. Tell me about this album, what is its message to your audience?

Hated is a kick ass album who tells you that if there is somebody who laughs at you, you should kick ’em in their fucking face! The lyrics are very much about that you shall believe in yourself and stand up for your rights.

How was its songwriting prosess?

Lestat usually comes up with a riff and then we build up the song together. He also stands for the most of the lyrics.

And the song themes, what are they telling about and from where you got the ideas?

Like I said before.. Don’t Take shit from no one and to have your own point of view.

The album cover art is quite disquieting, a sort of ghost coming out from the dark… what is the idea behind it?

It’s actually my face that looks out of all the crap haha! We discussed our ideas with our tattoo artist (Kim Oktavia) and when she began to paint the result was exactly as we had intended, that will say a mix between black, punk and sleaze.

HATED was mixed by Tobias Lindell, the same guys who has worked with Hardcore Superstar, Crashdïet andEurope… tell me about this collaboration with him…

We wanted the album to sound so evil as it looks and Tobias did it damn good, He understood from the start how we wanted the raw and aggressive sound so it was fun working with him. He’s amazing with what he deals with!

What are your expectations on this album?

Of course I want the people to buy the crap and that we sell so much albums as possible. Frankly, it’s all about having so much fun as we can , tour our asses off and to spread HATED to every singel soul out there!

And what next? a tour, I presume… do you have already some more details to give me?

Yeah, we will hit the highways all over europe this fall. All the dates will be official when everything with the tour is booked and clear. You should keep your eyes open because we will probably raise hell in your town!

Well I guess, that was it… now the word is yours, how would you like to close this interview?

Don’t forgett to buy Hated! because if you don’t you will be hated 😉
Kick it
/Jamie

Interview by Tarja Virmakari – Photos by Axel Engström

SISTER – Body Blow live in Stockholm