MetalgodZradiO: The Last Great Awakening and the Birth of “Baphometal”: A Conversation with Kim of The Burned Over

In a metal scene oversaturated with imitation, few bands arrive with a sound and aesthetic as distinct as The Burned Over. Their debut album, The Last Great Awakening, is a five-year labor of genre-defying intensity — a collision of historical occultism, folk horror, and melodic metal complexity. At its core is vocalist and visionary Kim, whose history with acts like Gwar and Cruachan has already cemented her status in the extreme music underground.

We sat down with Kim to talk about spiritualist history, seances, stagecraft, and the band’s self-coined genre: Baphometal.

Kim, The Last Great Awakening has this powerful sense of duality—light and dark, spiritual and profane. What drew you to that contrast, and how does it show up in your vocals or lyrics?

When we were developing the sound for The Burned Over, we couldn’t really define exactly what we sounded like. It felt new to us. We were heavily influenced by the idea of Baphomet, which represents a duality—male and female, dark and light, good and evil. So we coined the term “Baphometal” to describe our sound and channeled that concept into the music.

There’s also a strong influence from folk horror and the Spiritualist era of the early 1900s—with séances, Ouija boards, rapping and tapping, summoning from beyond the realm of the living. The content is complex, and we felt like the idea of Baphomet captured what we wanted to explore thematically.

You said that you blend historical texts with occult themes—that’s not something you hear every day. Can you give us an example of a specific text or historical moment that really shaped one of the songs?

Absolutely. The concept of "The Burned Over" comes from the Burned-over District in upstate New York, where the Spiritualist movement really took off in early 1900s America. That area was so saturated with preachers and revivalist activity that it was said to be “burned over.” It became this fertile ground for performance-based spirituality—people performing illusions that allowed audiences to believe they were contacting spirits.

It’s a fascinating historical moment that, I think, fits metal perfectly but hasn’t been explored much in the genre. I drew a lot from poetry of that era, especially a poem called Ashaella, and incorporated themes and language from Spiritualist literature into our lyrics. We tied those ideas back into the symbolism of Baphomet as well

This term "Bafa-metal" is so evocative. Where did the idea come from, and how did it shape The Burned Over’s identity?

It actually started as a joke while we were brainstorming symbolism for the album. I think it was Mark—my bandmate—who made a pun about Baphomet and said, “Baphometal,” and it just stuck. But as I mentioned earlier, the symbolism runs deep in the content—duality, occult imagery, spiritual themes—it really represents what we’re doing musically and visually.

You’ve fronted a lot of metal bands over the past 25 years. How is this project different for you, vocally and emotionally?

This project is a real departure from my previous work. Most people probably know me best as Vulvatron from GWAR, but before that, I was in Comfy Dykes. Now, I also sing for Cruachan, the folk metal legends in Ireland, and a band called Eoplasm, which is more old-school death metal with a kind of Ghostbusters vibe.

But The Burned Over is the only project where I do such complex, clean vocals with heavy layering. Mark’s guitar parts are incredibly intricate, so it’s a challenge to write melodic lines that fit and still have that earworm quality—I love writing hooks. Balancing that melody with the heaviness metal demands was key. Sometimes, melodic vocals can soften the blow of heavy music, and I didn’t want that. I wanted clean rock vocals that still felt haunting and powerful.

The album took five years to make, and you worked with some heavy-hitter collaborators. Was there a moment in the studio when you thought, Yes—this is the sound we’ve been trying to summon?

Yes, definitely. It took five years mostly because of the pandemic and logistics—Mark lives in Atlanta and tours full-time with other bands, and I run a clothing company that dresses bands full-time. I’d travel to Atlanta when we had chunks of three songs written, and we had Beau Brannan from Withered come in to lay down some crushing drums.

Every time I was in the studio with Mark, we’d take what I had demoed at home and just push it further. I remember moments, especially when we were layering screams at the end of Shadowland or Under the Rose, where I felt like—this is it. That’s when it all started to truly come together into something new and compelling.

There’s a theme of chaos and mortality running through the record. What do you hope listeners take away from that, especially in such a chaotic world right now?

Great question. While we were focused on exploring the historical context of the Spiritualist movement, some tracks—like The Unteachable—take those metaphors and apply them to modern life.

We’re not overtly political, but the ideas of chaos, spiritualism, and the balance between light and dark can be interpreted however the listener wants. That balance—between self and other, paranormal and normal, good and evil—has universal relevance. The lyrics touch on those dualities in a way that, I hope, resonates personally with each listener.

You were known for your striking stage presence as Vulvatron with GWAR back in 2014. Did that theatrical experience influence how you approached the visual or thematic elements of The Burned Over?

Absolutely. I’m a stagewear designer professionally, and since my first band (This Means You), I’ve always been focused on full performance—not just singing, but creating a complete visual experience.

When you're onstage, people are watching every movement. So the clothes, the way you move, the persona—it all tells the story. Even though The Burned Over is just a studio project right now, we’ve carefully built our imagery on the album and socials to reflect that eerie, early-1900s American Gothic vibe—almost Robert Eggers-style folk horror. We’re combining that aesthetic with modern occult visuals to create a haunting atmosphere. Hopefully, that will carry into a live show when the time comes.

What was the biggest lesson you learned from your time in GWAR—and from your departure?

Being asked to join as Vulvatron was a huge opportunity. I was very close with Dave Brockie, and after he passed, I felt honored to carry on something he supported. It was my way of paying tribute to a friend and mentor.

They let me create the character myself, which was an incredible creative experience. I also learned how to play to much larger audiences and handle grueling tour schedules. GWAR’s stage shows are massive, and the band members all take on production roles, so the workload is intense.

Like any band, it's a relationship. And sometimes relationships don’t work out—especially when you’re crammed into tight quarters for long stretches. I don’t hold any hard feelings. I’m grateful for the experience.

What are some essential pieces of gear—vocal effects, mics, or studio tools—that helped capture your voice’s atmospheric presence on The Last Great Awakening?

I’m not super technical, but I’ve always worked with Kevin Guterres at Assembly Line Studios. He’s a vocal wizard. When I can afford it, I always go to him—he’s worth every penny.

When I’m recording myself, I like the Chris Lord-Alge vocal plugin. For live shows, I swear by my Shure E5 in-ear monitors—especially for bands like Cruachan where hearing vocal nuance is critical.

But the real magic on this album was Kevin and the studio. He brought out the subtlety and layering in the vocals in a way I couldn’t have done alone.

If Baphomet formed a glam metal cover band, what would it be called—and what would be their first single?

[Laughs] That’s awesome. Definitely “Running with the Devil” or “Shout at the Devil.”

And the band? It would have to be called Dirty Demon. He’d be in spandex, obviously—showing off his… uh… spiral-shaped package. Something truly twisted and glam.

Kim, thank you for your time. Any final thoughts for those listening?

Thanks so much. We’d love for your listeners to check out the full album The Last Great Awakening. It’s available on all streaming platforms and Bandcamp. Drop us a message on Facebook or Instagram—we’d love to hear what you think.

After five years of work, we’re just thrilled to finally have this music out in the wild. We truly believe it’s something unique, and we can’t wait to hear what the metal community thinks.

Watch Shadowland below