Drain STH: Freaks Of Nature : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

One of the sweet things about living at the edge of a new millennium is the wealth of music that recalls every odd extreme of your record collection, all at once. Do you crave an unholy combination of Ozzy, Rammstein and Roxette? Then the Swedish all-female quartet Drain sth is gonna rock you like a gothic powder-puff hurricane. Combining a Nordic death-metal groove with the power-pop bliss for which the region is also famous, these babelicious ultra-vixens are simultaneously super-heavy and way melodic. Drain's second disc, Freaks of Nature, is a giant leap over not just their debut but also most efforts from the supposed new metal renaissance. Every single-ready track brings a big mosh beat that could kick Korn's butt, production tricks to tickle your ears, suitably tortured poetry and juicy bubble-rock hooks that recall the big-hair days of Ratt and Quiet Riot with extra musical chops. America, meet Metal Spice times four. (RS 818)

BARRY WALTERS