Drawing their moniker from an old Grand Funk Railroad tune circa 1975, Austin, Texas quintet Mean Mistreater sound more like they were birthed in 1985 at the height of the US metal renaissance. They not only have the classic riffs, they have one helluva a vocalist in Janiece Gonzalez, who has the range of Leather Leone (Chastain) and the intensity of John Bush (Armored Saint, Anthrax, etc.). Her bandmates—Jon Gibson (bass), Joaquin Ridgell (drums), Quinten Lawson (guitars), Alex Wein (guitars)—provide the punchy, muscle-car metal to accompany her pipes on the gloriously fun and retro Do or Die, the band’s second full-length.
The concise eight-song, 27-minute Do or Die is set for release on vinyl, CD and digitally via Dying Victim Productions on February 21. Place your preorder here and here.
Mean Mistreater lay out their M.O. on album number two as such:
“We present this album with an overarching theme about taking back your power, fast cars, camaraderie, and rising like the proverbial phoenix after everything gets burned to the ground. Our intention in writing reflects the power and purpose of keeping folks on their toes and stoked about our genre. We hope that you turn it up, sing along, and keep that pedal to the metal!”