On a cold night in late November, SKYND took to the intimate Saint Luke’s stage in Glasgow and left me absolutely speechless. The Australian, industrial rock band, is made up for the lead vocalist Skynd and a musician named “Father”. Straight away the mystery around their identity really helps add a creepy vibe to their whole performance.
I’d heard from my friends that SKYND were a really unique band to go see live and that if you are a fan of True Crime then you might enjoy it, which I thought was an odd thing to compare it to. However, I learned quickly that SKYND have pioneered their own genre of “True Crime music” with most of their songs being based on horrific crimes and infamous murders that have taken place over the years! SKYND took to the stage, bringing with them a very spooky aesthetic overall as the lead vocalist dawned fabulous but ghoulish make up and green hair, as well as both musicians wearing creepy black masks (think Slipknot meets The Purge).
They started performing their first song of the set “Richard Ramirez” which if you’ve never heard about him, then this song will probably come as quite a shock. And to be honest, that was a reoccurring theme of tonight, especially if you didn’t know what to expect. With a powerful vocal style, I watched in awe as SKYND sung beautifully about these disturbing crimes such as the infamous “Columbine” and “Jim Jones” (the massacre of Jonestown). It felt almost theatrical to watch, between the costumes and the stories that each song involved, SKYND had the audience, and myself, absolutely captivated from start to finish. Also there was no talk, SKYND did not chat between songs and only stepped to the back of the stage almost like she was exiting and entering each new story, making it even more exhilarating to watch.
When I first heard about SKYND and their genre of music, I couldn’t help but wonder the same thing that pops into my head when I see a Netflix True Crime series go viral… Is this bringing awareness to the victims or just glorifying these horrific murderers? I learned quickly that SKYND tell these brutal stories through their music as a way of highlighting the dark side of humanity, the fetishes that lie beneath what you might think is an “ordinary person”, what sick things that human beings are capable of.
While this horror genre of music might not be for everyone, you cannot fault how unique and beautifully performed the songs are. I’ve genuinely seen nothing like it before. I feel like you really need to watch them perform before you judge them as you will not want to miss getting the full experience. I know I’ve said it about upcoming bands before, but SKYND is 100% one to watch. There’s just nothing quite like it.
Rachael Sweeney 📸