Belgian punk-rock trio spreads message in U.S.

June 1, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

Two decades after Nirvana’s Seattle brand of grunge changed the global music world, another trio is hoping to spread its punk-based rock to the masses.

The outfit is Pandora’s Bliss, but this threesome isn’t from the states. Instead, its home is Belgium, and so far, its music has been widely accepted in Europe. The act’s 2010 debut, “Melancholic Freedom,” yielded radio and video hits with “Breed My Dye,” “Post-Vomit-Lines” and “Bottle of Wine.”

Now singer-guitarist Annie Croysh and company are setting their sites overseas with their untitled sophomore effort, which was recorded with producer Jason Rubal (The Cure, Dresden Dolls) and is due out later this year.

“America is an important market,” Croysh said. “There are many people who are into grunge-punk music, so it’s quite natural to play in the states. We toured Europe two times, and we just want to have some new experiences over here. It makes sense to come to a country where rock ’n’ roll was kind of born.”

When talking about the band’s influences, the names range from Pixies, Nirvana and The Beatles to Metallica, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Kate Bush and even Rammstein. Croysh said although Pandora’s Bliss doesn’t have a deep catalog, the three-piece has evolved quite a bit from its debut, which she described as being the typical raw effort buoyed more by youthful energy than a focused approach.

Apparently, Rubal’s touch on the new CD made quite an impression on the band.

“He’s the man for us,” Croysh said. “The album sounds amazing, like it should sound — very dirty, very big. It’s so big and powerful and raw. It’s more like our kind of music. We don’t sound like Nickelback. For instance, our new song, ‘Sick of Me,’ sort of hits you in the face where your teeth come out of your mouth and you’re bleeding. Then there’s the song ‘The Shower,’ which is very slow. It feels like you’re all alone in the desert.”

Currently on its initial stateside tour, Pandora’s Bliss makes its Youngstown debut Saturday at Cedars. Music fans can expect to possibly hear the aforementioned new tunes, as well as a cover of U2’s “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me.” Croysh said the song is one of her favorites because it was used in the 1995 feature film “Batman Forever.”

“I’m totally into Batman,” Croysh said. “Not into Superman; he’s too nice for me.”

So is Pandora’s Bliss more Batman than Superman?

“Well, if you want to put it that way, maybe a little Spider-Man, too, because spiders can run up walls and also on the ceiling, and they’re very flexible and very creepy and a little dark,” Croysh said.

Creepy and a little dark sound like apt descriptions of Pandora’s Bliss.

She laughed, “Yeah, you could say that.”