Founded in 1996 by the brothers’ Schindl (Michael on guitar/vocals, David on drums) and Baertschiger (Thierry on guitar, Didier on bass), Geneva’s Impure Wilhelmina drew their moniker from the heroine of Bram Stoker’s classic tale and their influences from the aggressive creativity of their contemporaries in the metallic and emotional hardcore scenes exploding in both Europe and North America at the time, as well as the angsty personal songwriting exemplified by the grunge movement which had just finished running its course.