Pungent Stench

Pungent Stench is a darkly humorous death metal band from Vienna, Austria, which formed in 1988. Their last known lineup consists of Martin Schirenc (vocals/guitar), Danny Vacuum (vocals/bass), and Mike G. Mayhem (drums). They dissolved in 1995, re-formed in 1999, then split up again 2007 after recording a final studio album which has yet to be released, and re-formed again in 2013. Martin Schirenc is also leader of the symphonic black metal band Hollenthon. Though Pungent Stench is a death metal band, its musical style has also been influenced by rock and blues. Such non-metal influences can be heard on songs such as "Viva la muerte", "Madcatmachopsychoromantik", "Family Man" and "Got MILF?". Schirenc's choice of guitar (he often plays a Fender Telecaster, a rarity among metal guitarists) probably signals these influences. The lyrical content of the songs is more sexually orientated than that of other death metal bands; themes covered include coprophagia, rape, paedophilia, and acrotomophilia. The album covers reflect this as well: many of their album covers are transgressive and sometimes shocking photos by Joel-Peter Witkin.