Feature: Interview with Marin Katava – Faith, Metal, and the Croatian Underground
Croatian metal musician Marin Katava is the driving force behind EffaTha and Efata Nova—two deeply personal projects rooted in history, faith, and raw musical passion. As the only Christian metal artist in Croatia, Marin has carved out a bold path in a scene where such expression is almost nonexistent. In this candid interview, Marin reflects on his country’s complex history, his creative process, and the spiritual fire that fuels his music.
HM: What was it like growing up in Croatia?
MK: Growing up? Well, okay, I’m 55 years old and for the first 20 years I lived in a country called “Yugoslavia”. It was a communist totalitarian creation that only formally recognized my country Croatia as one of the federal units. The experience of many Croats with various incarnations of Yugoslav states was painful and disastrous for Croats, many were persecuted, especially patriots, and if someone even mentioned that Croatia should be an independent state, they would end up in prison. Croatian statehood is very, very old. We had our own kings in the 10th and 11th centuries, but we were also in constant wars with the Venetians, Turks and Hungarians. We eventually fell under the Hungarian crown, and later under the Austro-Hungarian one. That’s how the First World War awaited us, in which we found ourselves on the side of Austria, Germany and Hungary, and we lost that war together with those states. Then in 1918 came the first Yugoslav state in which the Croats were ruthlessly ruled by the neighboring Serbs, it was absolute terror. Then came 1939 and World War II began. The young Croatian state that had just dug itself out of the Serbian clutches went astray and we unfortunately found ourselves on the side of the fascists who abused our desire to have an independent state, so they imposed racial laws. The NDH, as that state was called, was the desire of our people for an independent state and turned into a fascist creation towards the Croats, who have never been a bloodthirsty people throughout history. After World War II, the SFRJ, Yugoslavia, came into being, which again mercilessly exterminated the Croatian people. Until 1991 when the Berlin Wall and the Eastern Russian bloc fell. Then Croatia also gained independence but had to enter a new war with Serbia because the Serbs wanted many Croatian territories. Therefore, growing up in my beloved country was not easy at all.
HM: What does the name EffaTha mean?
MK: In the Gospel of Mark, 7.34 Christ says Ephphatha, with the intention of opening the ears of the deaf-mute person and untying his tongue. “And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha,’ that is, ‘Be opened.'” So, “be opened” was the credo of our Teutonic, monolithic heavy metal band.
HM: Why did you resurrect EffaTha as Efata Nova after about 10 years of silence? How do these two phases of the project relate?
MK: EffaTha is always where I am. It’s my project in which I wrote very personal lyrics, composed music and sang. EffaTha is always there, it’s just not always present in the media, especially not like in the period from 2008 to 2012. The resurrection of the EffaTha group as Efata Nova starting in 2022 is just my personal continuity, because I am the only survivor of the six of us who were in the group, who survived in a musical sense. Ten years is nothing. It’s passed like ten minutes. The only difference is how much a person suffers, works, struggles and lives. Being happy to tell everyone to their face without lying what I think about someone is my calling. What is challenging is how to remain an authentic Christian who speaks the truth and does not want to offend anyone but just avoid any lies. It’s not always possible, but we Catholics can always abuse the institute of holy confession, haha.
HM: Can you tell us more about your projects EffaTha (2008–2012) and the newer Efata Nova (2022–2024), as well as Horovatos? How do these projects differ, and what are you exploring through each?
MK: Efata Nova is a continuation of the EffaTha group; I recorded many old songs in new arrangements. I moved towards a Gothic rock sound under the strong influence of the group Saviour Machine, the best group ever for me. EffaTha played many concerts in the period from 2008 to 2012, we performed in front of more than 30,000 people and performed with the groups 2TM 2/3 and Armia, both famous Polish Christian bands. We also performed together with the group No Longer Music. There was a lot of stuff there. Efata Nova is a studio project—it is a redefinition of me and the sound of the group. Horovatos is a power metal band whose themes are Croatian history, legends and myths, and sagas about Croatian ethnogenesis. I love historical themes.
HM: What is your motivation behind making music?
MK: Motivation? Christ and music. That is my life. And my son Jona, of course, as well as my wife Irena.
HM: You’ve been releasing a lot of music recently. How are you able to make so much quality music?
MK: A friend of mine, a Catholic priest, a Dominican, said that I was the Frank Zappa of Christian music. He was referring to the amount of material and my tendency to hyper-produce. I am simply capable of releasing three different albums in six months—and I am not Buckethead, haha. I worked as the editor-in-chief and host at the radio station Radio Trsat in my town. That is where I honed my production skills.
HM: Who are your biggest musical influences overall?
MK: Well, my musical influences are varied. I really like prog rock—bands like Camel, Jethro Tull, Eloy, Hawkwind, and Mike Oldfield. I like Rez Band and Wytch Hazel, so a very wide range of music. Music is simply my heart and soul. The relevance of my music only comes from the wide range of music that I otherwise love.
HM: How has the reception been so far for your latest album or recent release?
MK: Encouraging. Of course, for years I have been sticking to everything I learned from David Pierce of No Longer Music. Since I don’t make a living from music, all my music is free. And it always will be free. Music should not be charged for or profited from. Music is the link between the soul and the body—charging for music is a sin for me. If someone gives something away, that’s another thing, it’s a gift and an expression of gratitude. But charging for music is simply an inhumane practice.
HM: How do you hope the Christian metal scene will evolve in the next few years?
MK: I hope the scene will move back towards the real, authentic sound of heavy metal. I like industrial and thrash metal, but I’m not a fan of the metalcore or alter metal trends.
HM: What is the state of the Christian metal scene in Croatia, and how does your band fit into it?
MK: No way! There is no Christian metal scene in Croatia. Only a metal scene. And there I am and all my music projects are like an African lion in Antarctica. If it weren’t for this madness and hyperactivity of Christian rock and metal music in Croatia, there wouldn’t be one. There are Christian musicians, but no one plays Christian metal here except me. Once upon a time there was a band called “Amen”. They haven’t existed for years. So, there is no Christian metal scene in Croatia, only a few crazy people like me.
Listen and Connect
Bandcamp: https://effatha.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/effatha.rijeka.1
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@effathaband
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