Katja Macabre is a self-described “Bitch-Rock” artist with a loud personality completely intertwined within her (even louder) music.
Making music for “girls, gays and theys” she has been blazing through the Brighton rock/metal scene with a message we should all be listening to.
I’ve been aware for Katja for some time working in the Brighton music scene, but it was the last gig I saw her at in December 2023 with her full band that really blew my little goth-socks off.
Where other artists might be hiding their song meaning in their lyrics, or shroud themselves in mystery, then Macabre is wearing her heart firmly (and refreshingly) on her sleeve.
Her music is playful, fun metal, with a vocal armoury that strikes through all her songs like a lightning bolt.
She flawlessly jumps between clean singing, vocal fry and death growls, it’s really incredible to witness live so do go and see her as soon as you can.
In the meantime, I’m diving into her latest musical offering Brains.
The song’s subject matter is a sensitive one but Katja makes no apologies as she announces plainly it’s about sexual assault.
As a survivor myself it is very empowering to hear a song written that is so on-the-nose with the subject matter, Katja has managed to convey the message more frankly than I’ve heard before. She snarls:
“Let me give you a statistic 97%, How could you be so sadistic, 97%… these are women who have been molested by you brain-sick fools”.
I feel like the song (and much of her music) is opening a conversation that many of us find so hard to speak up about. It kind of rattled me, and made me angry again, but in a really good way.
So, now we know what it’s all about… but what does it sound like?
Well, Brains kicks off with some edgy synths, programmed drums and voice samples from old horror movies.
It’s got In This Moment vibes but with a more pop-punk nu-metal feel and a faster beat that makes you want to jump around. It’s like metal you can party to.
Katja builds tension with a spoken drawl, then scratchy vocal fry that climaxes into full scream before the singing chorus:
“Welcome to my real horror show (I only like it when you bleed)”.
The real gem for me is the build up before the second chorus, the words are just brilliant:
“we are the daughters of witches who were burned at the stake, we are the ones who create life and who can take it away”.
There’s a nice drop and whoosh before the drums really pick up again and then we’re back to the fun with the horror film samples.
I can’t say that musically it’s my kind of metal as it’s quite poppy, and somewhat light on the instrumentation, but what I can tell you is it’s a really good song, with a very important message, and she’s also manage to make it fun!
I know any of you Delilah Bon, In This Moment and Skunk Anansie fans will eat this up like zombies… go on, get some Brains!
Go listen to Katja’s Brains on Spotify here.
