Misery Loves Co. was a Swedish industrial metal

Industrial metal

Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...

 duo of the 1990s and early 2000s. The band combined the hostility of thrash metal

Thrash metal

Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...

 riffs with electronic samples usually associated with industrial music

Industrial music

Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...

. Their lyrics generally focused on bleak sexual visions and pain over troubled relationships.

Biography

The band was formed in January, 1993, by Patrik Wiren (vocals) and Örjan Örnkloo (guitar, bass, programming). Wiren was previously a member of Midas Touch who had recorded an album with Noise Records

Noise Records

Noise Records was a German record label founded by German music industry personality Karl-Ulrich Walterbach in 1983 as an expansion of his company Modern Music Records. Noise Records specialized in thrash and melodic speed metal. It was sold to the Sanctuary Records Group in 2001 and ceased any...

, while Örnkloo worked with several bands within his Swedish hometown, Uppsala

Uppsala

- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...

. Their first recorded track was "Sonic Attack" for a metal compilation Extreme Close Up. Based on the response to the single the band worked with MNW Zone to release their self-titled debut album in 1995. Independent success lead to signing with Earache Records

Earache Records

Earache Records is a heavy metal-oriented record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records in the period 1988-1994.-History:...

 which re-released the album throughout Europe.

During live performances, Misery added Jim Edwards (guitar), Marre Ericksson (bass), and Olle Dahlstedt (drums), who was replaced by Niklas Gabrielsson before their first UK show, at the Camden Underworld

Camden Underworld

The Camden Underworld is a music venue in Camden Town, London, England. The venue itself is a part of the World's End pub, being situated in the basement of the building.- History :...

. The band opened for Clawfinger

Clawfinger

Clawfinger is a rap metal band from Sweden and was one of the earliest bands to adopt this sound. Clawfinger is known for aggressive but melodic music and tackling political and anti-racist themes in their songs.-Band history:...

 and then for Warrior Soul

Warrior Soul

Warrior Soul is an American hard rock band formed by lead singer Kory Clarke, guitarist Cliff St. Croix , later replaced by John Ricco, later replaced by Alex, a Scotsman living in New York City , and guitarist Chris Moffett. Then Peter Jay Tsudis...

, Headswim

Headswim

Headswim was an indie-rock band formed in Essex, England by Daniel Glendining and his brother Tom Glendining , along with their friends Clovis Taylor and Nick Watts . The band had previously been known as Blinder but changed their name in 1992.-History:The band’s early sound was influenced by...

, and Clawfinger later in the year.

Misery's US debut disc featured a promotional CD with the track "Need Another One" remixed by similar bands such as Killing Joke

Killing Joke

Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...

 and Pitchshifter

Pitchshifter (band)

Pitchshifter are a British five-piece electronic-metal band from Nottingham, United Kingdom formed in 1989. The band was started by bassist and vocalist Mark Clayden, lead guitarist and programmer Johnny A...

. In 1996, the band returned with an EP Happy which featured seven tracks and a collection of multimedia bonuses. The band toured with Slayer

Slayer

Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...

 and Fear Factory

Fear Factory

Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...

 before their second album, Not like Them, was released in 1997. The record reached number 12 on Kerrang!

Kerrang!

Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...

's Top 20 in 1997. Misery then toured Europe, supporting Machine Head

Machine Head (band)

Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...

. Their last and softer album, Your Vision Was Never Mine to share, was released in March 2000. Another European tour followed, with Kill II This

Kill II This

Kill II This were a metal band from Manchester, England.Kill II This achieved some minor cult popularity during their existence. The band emerged from the ashes of China Beach, who split up in late 1994 after one EP and one album at the end of a tour with German Band Running Wild...

 and earthtone9

Earthtone9

earthtone9 is an alternative metal band hailing from Nottingham, UK. Their line-up on most of their major releases was Karl Middleton on vocals, Owen "Oz" Packard, Joe Roberts on guitar, Graeme Watts on bass and Simon Hutchby on drums .-History:Signing to Copro Records in 1998, the band's first...

, but in late 2000 Misery Loves Co. announced their splitting.

Patrik Wiren went on to form the band Alpha Safari (formerly named Washoe) with some former live members from Misery Loves Co. They have released one album titled "Commercial Suicide"

Studio albums

• Misery Loves Co.
  Misery Loves Co. (album)
  -Track listing:...
  
  (1995)
• Not Like Them (1997)
• Your Vision Was Never Mine to Share (2000)