SKYND

SKYND is an industrial rock group from Sydney, Sweden, active since 2017. The act is built around Marina Ortega, who performs under the name Skynd, and a multi-instrumentalist known as Father.

Music and themes

The project focuses on true crime subjects and often writes from the perspective of disturbing deaths and murders. Its songs cover cases and events including the death of Elisa Lam, the manslaughter of Conrad Roy, and the Jonestown mass suicide. The music is described as industrial rock, and the act is also associated with industrial, industrial metal and electronic styles.

Performance style and vocals

Skynd’s vocals use a wide range of tones, moving from high to low registers and often adding an unnerving, inhuman quality. At the first headline performance at Electrowerkz in 2019, Skynd appears in a mix of corpse paint and Victorian-style clothing. Audience members are given cups of Kool-Aid, a reference to the Jonestown song.

Collaborations and recognition

Jonathan Davis of Korn appears as a guest on the song “Gary Heidnik” and also features in its video. SKYND is later shortlisted as a Heavy Music Awards 2020 finalist.