Angels of Mons

Angels of Mons were a power trio based in Dublin, Ireland. Strongly influenced by Nirvana and Pixies, Angels of Mons assumed the Seattle scene's coveted quiet verse/loud chorus dynamic and sludgy dissonance and put their own unique spin on the genre, characterized by frontman Steve Robinson's distinctive, high-pitched vocals and a cocky, glam punk strut influenced by David Bowie and the New York Dolls. They briefly rose to national prominence in 2005 on the strength of their critically lauded debut, Last of the Dead Empires. Angels of Mons took form in 2002 in the Dublin suburb of Rathfarnham. Originally titled Thrashing Geisha, the group consisted of singer and guitarist Steven Robinson with bassist Neil Mitchell (son of the late Irish political leader Jim Mitchell) and drummer Del Damone. Forming their own record label, Thrashing Geisha Records, the group released their one and only album, the Gareth Mannix-produced Last of the Dead Empires, in January 2005. Following up the album with a single, "Highs and Lows," a month later, Angels of Mons were at the peak of their popularity, picking up the "Hope for 2005" gong at the fifth annual Meteor Awards, Ireland's equivalent to the United Kingdom's Brit Awards. Having failed to capitalize on their early success, however, Angels of Mons split in 2006. Shortly afterward, Robinson put together a new three-piece entitled the Laundry Shop. The group charted in May 2007 with a new recording of "Highs and Lows," buoyed by its inclusion in the Discover Ireland tourism advertisements on U.K. and Irish television. ~ Dave Donnelly, All Music Guide