Hidden Gems & Guilty Pleasures: Sister Sin (Sweden)

Photo credit: Martin Johansson

Sister Sin (Hard Rock / Heavy Metal // Sweden)

Sister Sin formed in 2002 in Gothenburg, Sweden – a city famous for its melodic death metal scene but also home to a vibrant underground hard rock movement. Their vision was to revive the raw, rebellious, high-energy heavy metal reminiscent of the 1980s with bands like Motörhead, W.A.S.P., Judas Priest and Accept. Blending elements of classic metal, hard rock, and street-punk attitude, Sister Sin became well known for their uncompromising work ethic, aggressive live shows, and the powerful vocal presence of frontwoman Liv Jagrell (Liv Sin).

The band independently released several demos and singles, most notably »Dance Of The Wicked« (2003), which showcased their rough, street-metal sound and helped them gain attention in the European underground scene. During these years, Sister Sin built their reputation through relentless touring in Sweden and across Europe, supporting larger metal acts and cultivating a “no-compromise” live identity.

Their first internationally distributed album, »Switchblade Serenades«, was released in 2008 via Victory Records. The album leaned heavily on old-school heavy metal and hard rock and received positive press for its energy and retro authenticity. Notable tracks included »On Parole«, »Make My Day« and »Breaking New Ground«. This release brought them their first real exposure in North America.

Sister Sin became one of the few Swedish metal bands of their type to tour extensively in the United States, supporting major acts such as Motörhead, Slayer, Otep and Michael Monroe. Their raw, high-octane stage presence earned them a reputation as a ferocious live band.

Their second major album »True Sound Of The Underground« (2010) pushed their sound further into heavy metal territory, with gritty production and stronger songwriting. Fan favorites included »24/7«, »Outrage« and »Better Than Them«. The album charted modestly but expanded their global audience.

Photo credit: Coulouri Photography

»Now And Forever« (2012) was the album that solidified their identity. This album delivered thick, powerful riffs and aggressive drumming completed with Liv Jagrell’s most commanding vocal performance to date. Key tracks included »End Of The Line«, »Fight Song« and »Hearts Of Cold«. The album gained strong acclaim among fans of traditional heavy metal and helped cement Sister Sin as one of Sweden’s strongest modern classic-metal bands. Liv Jagrell also became a popular figure in the modern metal world, known for both her stage charisma and intense vocal delivery.

Sister Sin’s final studio album »Black Lotus« (2014) showed a darker, heavier, more mature sound. Compared to earlier releases, »Black Lotus« incorporated thicker production, more melodic leads and lyrically darker themes. With tracks like »Chaos Royale«, »Desert Queen« and »Food For Worms«, the album was well-received but came at a time when the band’s schedule had become grueling.

In November 2015, Sister Sin announced that they were disbanding, citing exhaustion from constant touring, personal and logistical difficulties, and lack of long-term sustainability. The band members emphasized that they were parting on good terms. Even after disbanding, Sister Sin retains a cult following, especially among fans of hard rock, classic metal, and old-school heavy music.

After the breakup, vocalist Liv Jagrell launched a successful solo project called Liv Sin, continuing in a heavier, more modern metal direction. So far, she released four full-length albums: »Follow Me« (2017), »Burning Sermons« (2019), »KaliYuga« (2023) and »Close Your Eyes« (2025). Her new music retained some of Sister Sin’s identity but embraced darker themes and modern metal production.

In December 2019, Sister Sin announced that their classic lineup will reunite during the summer of 2020. Since then they regularly play reunion shows, including clubs and major festivals. After 5 albums and countless of tours across the world, Sister Sin are back for another round! After ten long years Sister Sin are revving up and getting ready to release new music again! Their discography of hard-hitting old-school metal has stayed present as well as gained new fans through various TV-series & shows, accumulating tens of millions of streams.

Led by the ever so fierce and charismatic Liv Jagrell, together with the original line-up, the band is dead set to bring their high-energy, blood-soaked shows to your hometown once again!

Discography:
• »Dance Of The Wicked« LP (Sleaszy Rider Records, 2003)
• »Promo 2005« Demo (2005)
• »Promo 2006« Demo (2006)
• »Smash The Silence« EP (2007)
• »Switchblade Serenades« LP (Victory Records, 2008)
• »True Sound Of The Underground« LP (Victory Records, 2010)
• »Outrage« Single LP (Victory Records, 2010)
• »Rock ‘N’ Roll« Single (Victory Records, 2011)
• »End Of The Line« Single (Victory Records, 2012)
• »Now And Forever« LP (Victory Records, 2012)
• »Black Lotus« LP (Victory Records, 2014)
• »Raw & Mean (Live From Rehearsals)« (2020)

Sister Sin is:
Liv Jagrell – Vocals
Jimmy Hiltula – Guitars
Andreas Strandh – Bass
Dave Sundberg – Drums
Sebastian Svedlund – Guitars (live)

FFO: Doro & Warlock, Motörhead, Skid Row, Accept, Hardcore Superstar, Crashdïet, Crucified Barbara, Mötley Crüe

Sister Sin links:
Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well