Melanie Sisneros is an American bassist and a member of four bands: Crescent Shield, Whole Lotta Rosies (an all-female AC/DC

tribute band A tribute act, tribute band or tribute group is a music group, singer, or musician who specifically plays the music of a well-known music act. Tribute acts include individual performers who mimic the songs and style of an artist, such as ...

), Hangar 18 (a Megadeth tribute band) and Mz Led (an all-female

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...

tribute band). She is also a former member of the bands

Sinergy Sinergy was a Finnish/Swedish heavy metal band started in 1997 by American musician Kimberly Goss. The idea for a "balls-out female-fronted metal band" was first formed when Kimberly Goss of Dimmu Borgir met Jesper Strömblad of In Flames w ...

The Iron Maidens The Iron Maidens are an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 2001 as an all-female tribute act to English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. The band currently consists of drummer Linda McDonald, bassist Wanda Ortiz, lead vocalist ...

and New Eden.

Biography

Melanie Ann Sisneros was born the second of three daughters and raised in various towns in

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...

. She graduated cum laude from

Pomona College Pomona College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalists who wanted to recreate a "college of the New England type" in Southern California. In 1925, it became t ...

in Claremont, California, in 1994, majoring in

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

and

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

languages. In early 1998, Sisneros and guitarist/vocalist William Rustrum formed a local band called Raven Mad. The band released two albums before disbanding on December 2000. She joined the heavy metal band New Eden in January 2001 and stayed with them for over a year. In June 2000, Sisneros joined the

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...

Wrathchild, where she took the stage name "Steve Heiress" (a female version of bassist Steve Harris). A year later, she and lead vocalist Jenny Warren co-founded

("World's Only Female Tribute to Iron Maiden") with former Phantom Blue members

Linda McDonald Linda McDonald is an American musician best known as the drummer of the all-female tribute band The Iron Maidens (billed as the "World's Only Female Tribute to Iron Maiden"). In addition, she was a member of the Ozzy Osbourne tribute band T ...

and Josephine Draven and former Bandit member

Sara Marsh The Iron Maidens are an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 2001 as an all-female tribute act to English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. The band currently consists of drummer Linda McDonald, bassist Wanda Ortiz, lead vocalist ...

. Her stay with the band lasted a year before leaving both the Maidens and New Eden to join the

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

-based

power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contra ...

band

. Unfortunately, she lasted all but one gig with Sinergy before the band released her. Shortly after returning to the U.S., Sisneros joined the heavy metal band Crescent Shield in 2003. They have one album - ''The Last of My Kind'' - and are signed with

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

label Cruz del Sur Music and German label

Pure Steel Records Pure Steel Records is a record label based in Germany that focuses on heavy metal music. Pure Steel produces CDs and LP album, LPs. Founded by Kay Anders and Andreas Lorenz in 2006, the main interest of Pure Steel is to spread the true and inde ...

. In addition to Crescent Shield, Sisneros regrouped with Rustrum to form the Megadeth tribute Hangar 18, where she uses the stage name "Mellefson" (an amalgamation of her name and Megadeth bassist

David Ellefson David Warren Ellefson (born November 12, 1964) is an American musician, best known for his long tenure as the bassist for thrash metal band Megadeth. Ellefson initially became an accomplished bassist and honed his songwriting skills while leadi ...

). She also plays bass for the all-female AC/DC tribute Whole Lotta Rosies, as well as the all-female

tribute Mz Led. Sisneros cites Steve Harris,

Cliff Burton Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was an American musician who was the bassist for heavy metal band Metallica from 1982 until his death in 1986. He performed on ''Kill 'Em All'' (1983), ''Ride the Lightning'' (1984) ...

Geddy Lee Geddy Lee (born Gary Lee Weinrib; July 29, 1953) is a Canadian musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Canadian rock group Rush. Lee joined the band in September 1968, at the re ...

Bob Daisley Robert John Daisley (born 13 February 1950) is a retired Australian bass guitarist. He has collaborated on several occasions with Ozzy Osbourne, for whom he contributed bass, backing vocals, co-production and songwriting. He has also worked wi ...

, David Ellefson, Steve DiGiorgio,

Markus Grosskopf Markus Grosskopf (born 21 September 1965) is a German musician who is the bass guitarist, backing vocalist and a founding member of the power metal band Helloween. Biography Grosskopf started playing bass at the age of 15 when he became friend ...

and John Taylor as her influences.

Discography

Raven Mad

*''Corvus Insanus'' (1999) *''A Bit of Madness'' (2000)

Crescent Shield

*''The Last of My Kind'' *''The Stars of Never Seen''

References

External links

Melz Homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sisneros, Melanie Year of birth missing (living people) Living people American heavy metal bass guitarists Women bass guitarists American women guitarists Musicians from New Mexico Pomona College alumni Women in metal