Metal and the Macabre: Kimberly (MZZTR)

With their debut video “Kimberly,” MZZTR peels back the bloody layers of influencer culture and beauty obsession in an unforgettable assault.

MORBID MINI: “Kimberly” by MZZTR is a face-peeling, flesh-seducing anthem for the age of toxic beauty, where glam meets gore and influencers become goddesses of rot. Part Clive Barker fever dream, part operatic takedown of vanity culture, it’s a stunning debut from a band you won’t forget—or escape.

The debut video from metal fusion band MZZTR (pronounced “Mis-ter”), “Kimberly” is a brutal, beautiful descent into the horrors of modern beauty standards, body dysmorphia, and the seductive rot of online validation, told through operatic vocals, gore-soaked visuals, and razor-sharp satire.

Hailing from NYC and reigning on your beauty parade, the sensational and theatrical Metal fusion band incites self-introspection with their goretastic approach to online influence. As Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance won five Academy Awards this year, the scalpel opened many conversations on the price of beauty. “Kimberly” serves as the anthem for cosmetic body horror and the price of authenticity melting away.

Concealing her stress, Kimberly (Zoë Ligon), sits down with a magnified smile, looking straight into the screen as the mirror, the gateway to her soul and ours, the audience. Cut to the band performing on a black background stage. The lead singer, MTTZR Man, in an alluring painted mask and draped in royal purple, demonically narrates her introduction… “Kimberly!”

“Oh My God Guys! Oh My God! Guys. Guys. GUYS!!! Can you see the scars near my head? It’s healing FAST, skin is TIGHT instead. I can’t wait! For my fate!”

The mirror effect editing and flashing cuts between Kimberly, the band, and MZZTR Man are visually effective for the dark tone of social media and the dangers of today’s emerging beauty standards. While putting lipstick over the pain and the heaviness to perform, Kimberly becomes fractured right before our eyes as her nose continues to bleed. The song intensifies.

“Can’t you see I’m not yet ready? Can’t you see I’m not done yet? Can’t you see the pain is getting worse? It’s good, beauty is pain!”

MZZTR Man appears as her conscience, validating her need for attention.

“And I see you. And you see ME.”

While on stage, Kimberly takes in all the dopamine and the seduction fantasy of adoration. Cut to her staring back into the mirror with MZZTR Man.

“I’ll peel YOU. And use YOU!”

I love the double standard of these two lyrics, as it reflects on the marketing of our pop culture.

Not only does the beauty industry drain the wallets and expectations of women to be younger, but influencers demonstrating beauty products also manipulate their audience into mass consumption.

Jumping forward, Kimberly basks in her red-light silhouette, doing the dance of delirium in her sexy slinky dress. The next chorus is powerful and distinctively haunting. The band sings…

“I cannot go back. Queen inside. I’m Goddess of Rot!”

In close-ups of the musicians performing, I love the aesthetics and colors of their painted masks. The band really lays down this track, with Daddy Adam (Adam Ames) on guitar, Lick Me Lulu (Lulu West) on bass, and Debbie Danny (Daddy Harmon) on drums. That captivating double mirror third eye effect of MZZTR Man captures the duality of his magnetizing persona and dark overlord vocal undertones.

“When I’m new. I’ll pursue.”

Those lyrics also speak to Kimberly’s own body dysmorphia; the constant madness of looking for facial imperfections and aging.

There’s a bewitching shot of each band member emerging from behind MZZTR Man one by one. Kimberly sings in agony to the band’s chorus, “I cannot go back.” Drained and sedated by all the illusions, she tears the skin off her face, “I’m the Goddess of Rot!” Oh, how the flesh reveals such delights!

I’m loving the close-up of MZZTR Man’s face, he’s not singing, while flash intercutting and slowly zooming him out as Kimberly dances possessed. He stands above her, as the long microphone cord now wraps around her. This shot and edit is where the mirror effect is forever visually astonishing. “Bourgeoisie Complete!”

Kimberly smiles for the camera as MZZTR Man diabolically laughs on.

Editor, Slice McFester, breathes life into this video by setting the tone and playing on the viewer’s sense of horror. I highly recommend watching the lyrics version of “Kimberly” to see how McFester cuts to the rhythm and the gorgeous wide shots of Cinematographer Lauren Pruitt’s studio work.

Every lit frame, cut, and image drives the madness of this online beauty world.

Zoë Ligon, known as Thongria, a Sex Educator and Journalist, is a bit of a veteran when it comes to the world of online influencing. She’s a beautiful chameleon, perfectly tapping into the satire of being Kimberly.

Ligon has brought an intelligence and fearlessness to having honest conversations about sex, techniques, and toys. Maybe the real cosmetic surgery we need to explore is the relationship of our own sexuality instead of superficiality?

Underneath the horrors of cosmetic consumption, the FX King of fractured faces, Jeremy Selenfriend (Smile 2, AHS), brings a gore-rific rawness to the video. 

What do you do with a smile when it’s the horror of itself? Selenfriend’s integral prosthetic work often peels the face and bludgeons the autonomy. No wonder I kept thinking about Smile 2 while watching this beautiful madness.

Under the knife and needle, and even “facial enhancing” AI filter apps, the price for beauty and its global economic impact online has become a horror movie of itself.

According to Plastic Surgery.org, cosmetic procedures increased by 5% in 2023, with just over 1.5 million surgical procedures worldwide. Even Botox saw a 26.1% increase in treatments in 2022, with over 9 million injections per Spa Medica.

Dark and drawing, “Kimberly” still haunts as the chorus lines ruminate in my mind long after the song ends. Their musical influence infuses Nu-Metal with great love notes for Glam, Punk, and Goth. The vocals and chorus summon like a dark operatic sermon.

There are many epic descriptions of the band listed, but the Instagram one stands out the most: “If Clive Barker had a band.”

I see MZZTR as a band creating from what horrifies them and is much needed in this age of thin veils.

Visually innovative and unapologetically raw in their songwriting and sound, I’m loving the music and aesthetics of MZZTR and can’t wait for their next song, releasing August 8.

In fact, thanks to exploring the skin- and soul-ripping journey of “Kimberly”, I think MZZTR might be one of my newest favorite bands.