Admittedly, the fact that I already had some warm contacts with the musicians who form the circle around Living Evil certainly helped me listen to the first demo of this relatively new band. With my preference for 80’s metal in general, both in terms of sound, musical aesthetics, as well as overall imagery, it wasn’t difficult to recognize Living Evil as an exciting band. I reviewed the demo for The Whispering Darkness and not long after, I offered them a home in the WolfKult Religion family. Since then, the demo tape has found its way to many a Heavy Metal-loving ear. Naturally, an interview with the band’s driving force, Kathryn, was inevitable…
Hi Kathryn, welcome! Happy to have on my pages here. Let’s start with something existential first: you have started the band relatively recently. If I am well-informed, first as a solo endeavour that gradually took the shape of a real band, but it is the result of a long cherished wish. What is it exactly that Living Evil fulfils for you on a musical level?
Living Evil fulfils a life long and childhood dream! I picked up bass when I was 13, same age I also first got into metal. I started playing in friend’s bands around 18. But I always wanted my own heavy metal band. I basically made the switch from bass to guitar so I could write songs. I’m excited to level up my musicianship and grow more as a songwriter, guitar player and vocalist.
To keep things a bit more on a personal level, from what I’ve been able to observe and make out from the posts on social media, Living Evil is also part of a larger personal development. One that helped you transform, transition or progress, whatever you like to call it, on both a physical and mental level. How important is the band, and music in general, for you on this journey?
Living Evil is so important to me, it’s beyond words. For starters I’ve never been in a leadership role in my life. So this is a first for me. Getting the band off the ground was brutal with lineup setbacks, learning how to communicate expectations and where to draw lines. But It has also become a living symbol of my determination and self trust I have forged. Much like my 50+ lb weight loss, it’s a marker of “oh shit, I wanted to do that, and I did it” after years of being a “I could never do that” kind of person.
Let’s now focus on the band and the music. Living Evil is a band that touches upon lots of very familiar elements from (mainly) 80’s metal. It is built upon the classic cornerstones of Heavy Metal, Speed Metal and hints of Thrash. What does this sort of music mean to you? And how would you yourself position Living Evil in this sonic spectrum?
Metal is my life. I’m a neurodivergent woman. It’s the music, lifestyle and safe haven for a certain type of outsider like myself.
The first drummer I jammed with told me the band name Living Evil “sounded nostalgic, but new”. And that meant a lot at the time, and resonates with what Living Evil is ultimately aiming for.
One of the things I liked most from your first demo, ‘Curse The Cross’, is the super authentic, almost rehearsal-space sound. Heavy Metal with the heaviness not coming from loud and down tuned guitars. Instead there’s heavy riffs with, what I called an “open” sound, that really resembles many an 80’s recording. A deliberate choice or just the result of the available resources?
Definitely a mix of the two! I know what you mean about the “open” sound for sure! Combination of the reverb, my friend’s beautiful 5150 he lets me use for Living Evil. and I think Kyle’s recording style. Because he is a black metal guy thru and thru so he has an unpolished but equally ripping approach to recording heavy music. Our mixing/master guy Cody Baresich, though he hasn’t mixed a band like us before, he totally nailed it and tied it all together perfectly.
On a musical level, and correct me if I am wrong, I understand that you write the majority, if not all the music and lyrics. How does that work for you on your own? Is there anything in particular that you get inspired by?
Yes! And it’s all over the place. There is no rhyme or reason to it. It can either arrive as a riff in my head when I’m waking up or going to bed. But a lot of times it’s just playing guitar at home, things can just “roll out”. I walk daily and many songs ideas find me there. My community and close connected few are all insanely talented and driven artists. I’m always learning and gaining inspiration from them!
In my review I wrote that your voice fits somewhere in between Leather Leone (Chastain), Kate de Lombaert (Acid) and prime Doro. You sound powerful and rough, still with a good sense for melodicism and dynamics. Is that something you can relate too?
Too kind, I sit with that compliment and question HARD becaue I feel like I have a long way to go with my voice and I have a hard time identifying as “a singer”. I love all those women and their bands. Finding my voice in early Living Evil days, I started out by just copying King Diamond, haha! I have a mid range and can fuck around with falsetto enough, so that was fun jumping off point! Nowadays from just “doing” I go for a bit of a Tom Araya, Schmier from Destruction or Rockin Rolf from Running Wild mix of a thing.
I’m a musician, and I have acquired enough audacity over the years to just go for it anyway. You have no idea the sounds you can make with your mouth, until you just do it.
You’ve incorporated basically every 80’s metal cliché and the title of the demo into your imagery. Not only are there an upside down cross and swords in your promo photos, you are wearing proto paint and lots of studded belts etc. I don’t have to ask you how much you like these classic metal aesthetics, do I?
Not at all! It’s the coolest stuff ever. WE ARE THE GRAVES OF THE 80’S. I have been wearing a patched vest since I was about 15 and am a big fan of accessories, aesthetics and clothes in general. Accessories can turn every outfit both on and off stage, up to 11. Small details like a quality craft studded belt or pendant necklace of your choice can make the difference, and project absolute metal power! Also, No one in this band is allowed to cut their hair or wear hiking shoes on stage.
Heavy/Speed Metal with female vocals has always been something that piqued the interest of the metal audience. Unfortunately, in a male-dominated scene, not only for musical reasons. Even today, anno 2025, people tend to label bands with female members as a gimmick, obviously bands like Crypta do not help matters. What are your personal thoughts on this subject?
I do not like a band just because “it has a girl in it”. Bands should be judged for their riffs and whether you like their songs or not. I love a lot of bands with female musicians in them, but it’s not solely because they are girls. I like the bands. It’s the whole execution, taste and intention of the band that matters. Intent will carry over into the quality of the music and stand the sands of time unlike gimmicks. But I also think it is simply juvenile to write off any “all girl band” as a gimmick. And lastly, “Female fronted” is not a genre.
Living Evil has recently turned from a duo to a full band with four members. Obviously that allows you to play live. Was that the reason for adding new musicians to the band, or was that the intention all along?
I always wanted a band and not a “project”. Like I mentioned earlier it was just a hard time getting a lineup together. Playing live is the best , but even better I feel like the guys Argus and Abraxas breathe a whole new life into the band. They are both die hard metal maniacs, they rule at their instruments and are just easy to work with people. Abraxas guitar capabilities are light years beyond me and he always has a new harmony or solo to add. They are both a good kick in the pants for me to get better too!
While we’re at it, I recently saw the first photos of your live performances. How did you like that? Is that close to what you expected?
It was so much fun! A bit of a fabulous disaster from technical difficulties but we stayed together and just went for it. The evil was live. We lived the evil. We inverted and cursed the crosses. Witchkiller was amazing and shared some pearls of wisdom with us. Also, my parents came.
You are also in a Traditional Doom Metal project that bears your own name. Your first recording made it to my personal demos top-5 of last year. That means I am very curious to know if you’re planning to give that a follow up?
Absolutely! Kathryn Danielle is my scorpio rising and saturn return’s earthly incarnation. I feel like Kathryn Danielle will grow with me, and has the potential to take many shapes. I have a number of songs for that project written and have started a few more recently. My next ambition for Kathryn Danielle is a concept EP and I would also like to do some splits with friends and peers!
In both your currently active bands you are playing with your partner Kyle. How is that, not only sharing together your daily life but also your creative outlet? Was that something natural to do or perhaps with the idea that you both understand best the direction and meaning of the music you’d like to create?
Kyle and I have always understood each other pretty effortlessly. Even years ago before we dated or played music together, we were friends! Our creative collaborations are really fun and yes the direction is usually understood. Kyle has a drive like no other and I’m a dreamer. He inspires me to see the things I start through and strive for more.
Our taste mostly overlaps with black metal, speed, thrash, doom and classic metal. Kyle in daily life listening definitely reaches more for black death. And my own daily rotation is more traditional heavy metal and thrash. But we both go through seasons with subgenres, but I think that is a fairly common phenomena for most metalheads. Our love for variety definitely bleeds through our music
Another comment that I made in the demo review is that we now might be listening to a demo from a band that in the future can be associated with bands like Smoulder, Tower, Black Sword Thunder Attack, Savage Master and Dolmen Gate. As a whole, what are your ambitions with the band? What can we expect from the band in the upcoming months?
That is a really amazing compliment that you could see that potential in us. My ambition with the band is to just keep, keeping on but I mostly just want to have fun and let creativity lead the way and while not putting too much pressure on the guys. Everyone is in multiple bands, have partners and are establishing stable careers for themselves.
Over the years, I have observed friends and peers burn themselves out over chasing a big label or getting on the bill of a bigger fest. All of these would be great achievements but success is so relative. Come what may or may not, as of today’s inventory of accomplishments; music that once lived in my head is now released out into the world, and people dig it! And a week after the Witchkiller show, I had a woman come up to me and she told me I’ve inspired her. So in my heart, mission accomplished!
I’m quite sure this will not be the last time we’ll be in touch, but for now we’ll round off this interview. Thanks for sharing some of your thoughts and views. I’ll gladly offer you the last, closing words…
Absolutely not the last time brother. Thank you, It has been a pleasure!
Endure the storm people, it’s worth it. LIVING is EVIL, regardless…
