Copenhagen’s heavy music scene is about to get a seismic jolt as Danish doom metal trio Katla drops their third single, “Grim Jesus”, a blistering track of their debut album, “Scandinavian Pain”, set for release this Friday via Napalm Records. Accompanied by a stark and gripping lyric video now available on YouTube, “Grim Jesus” is a sonic confession booth—a raw, unrelenting exploration of guilt, shame, and rebellion against oppressive dogma.
Katla, known for their brooding soundscapes and unflinching lyrical candor, pulls no punches with this latest offering. What began as a track titled “Worthless”—a meditation on self-doubt and existential despair—evolved into something far more pointed. According to the band, “Grim Jesus” emerged organically as the album’s themes took shape, weaving together personal struggles with a scathing critique of the Christian church’s cultural stranglehold. “In Denmark, we are pretty much born into Christianity, as we are a Christian nation,” Katla explains. “With that comes a feeling of guilt, shame, and not fitting in if you don’t submit to the Lord. It subconsciously makes you doubt yourself and your doings.”
The song’s lyrical venom zeroes in on what Katla sees as the church’s hypocrisy: preaching obedience and sin while historically shielding abusers and subjugating women. “Ironically, the church preaches that we’re all sinners and we have to obey and serve the priest and God, while they abuse children and have kept women oppressed for centuries,” the band states. “Asshole hypocrites.” This isn’t just a song—it’s a middle finger to sanctimony, wrapped in crushing riffs and a subterranean growl that could rattle cathedral foundations.
Scandinavian Pain promises to be a landmark debut for the three-piece, who’ve spent years sharpening their craft and building a reputation as a standout act in Denmark’s underground metal scene. From their early days commanding attention at Copenhell Festival to their current status as a rising force, Katla’s journey has been one of grit and sonic evolution. The album blends raw emotional weight with gritty doom metal textures, cementing their signature sound—a colossal, unrelenting wave of darkness that’s as introspective as it is confrontational.
“Grim Jesus” is the third single to surface from “Scandinavian Pain”, following earlier teasers that hinted at the album’s thematic depth and musical ferocity. With its release just days away, fans can expect a full plunge into Katla’s provocative world—one where sin, salvation, and blasphemy collide in a heady mix of Scandinavian melancholy and metal might.
For those ready to confess their sonic sins, the lyric video for “Grim Jesus” is live now. Brace yourself for Scandinavian Pain—Katla is here to drag you into the abyss, and they’re not offering absolution.
Catch the video on YouTube and mark your calendars for Friday’s album drop via Napalm Records.