Although none of its members are older than 25, half of Crucified Barbara - bassist Ida Evileye and guitarist Klara Force - has been playing together for more than a decade. After meeting drummer Nicki Wicked, the group was officially founded - and named - in 1998, when the band attended Denmark's legendary Roskilde Festival and came across an unexpected sight in a nearby forest: a blow-up doll attached to a crucifix. (In Sweden, such dolls are called "barbaras.") At first, the band's sound was punk-based, but over time, it evolved into an edgy, heavy metal-influenced brand of fiery rock n' roll.

In 2001, Mia Coldheart joined the group as lead guitarist, but she would soon become the group's lead singer as well. Over the next three years, the band gigged around Sweden extensively, eventually signing with GMR, an independent label based in their hometown. At the end of 2004, GMR released the group's first single, "Losing The Game," which hit #8 on the Swedish singles charts.

Upon the European release of "In Distortion We Trust" soon afterwards, Crucified Barbara got their first taste of international acclaim as they began to tour outside their native country. The summer of 2005 was highlighted by a performance at the U.K.'s Download Festival alongside the likes of Black Sabbath, Velvet Revolver and System of a Down. Since then, the band has continued to tour Europe steadily, which they'll continue to do throughout 2006. In fact, this summer's festival season looks to be even brighter, as the quartet will play with the likes of Within Temptation in the Czech Republic, Dio in Germany, Doro in Belgium, and even Guns N' Roses in Italy.

On its overdue North American release, "In Distortion We Trust" features one bonus track - a blistering cover of Motorhead's "Killed By Death" - as well as music videos for each of the group's three singles released in their home country. And even though English isn't their native tongue, it's clear they've mastered the language on songs like "My Heart Is Black," when vocalist Coldheart issues a warning-cum-mission statement: Life's a bitch, and so am I, you see / I dedicate my love to a Flying V.

In Crucified Barbara's case, the maxim "don't judge a book by its cover" is worth repeating, for though that cover is undeniably attractive, there's a serious rock band behind it. In other words, while their looks might catch your eye, it's their sound that's the true knockout. If there's any justice in the world, Crucified Barbara will soon displace bad memories of Sweden's saccharin pop singers and their bikini team - well, at least the saccharin pop singers - and renew our faith in girl power.

Upcoming Crucified Barbara tour dates: