Hecate

Rachael Lynn Gabriela Kozak-Salmi (born May 26, 1976), better known by her stage name Hecate, is an American experimental industrial and breakcore musician based in Vienna. Her stage name originates from Hecate, the Greek goddess of sorcery.

With a career spanning over 20 years and more than 30 releases, she is considered a prolific female producer of dark underground electronic music. She co-founded Zhark Recordings with Kareem in 1996, before parting ways and continuing her share of the label as Zhark London/Zhark International. The label was a response to the lack of outlets for non-mainstream and underground electronic artists. Mixing hardcore electronica with heavy metal, her solo releases include the 2006 album Brew Hideous, described by Exclaim! author Laura Taylor as "a hellish soundtrack to an old, real-life horror".

The 2003 release Nymphomatriarch with Venetian Snares was controversial. The album consisted of synthesised recordings of them having intercourse. Hecate later spoke out about the sexism and erasure of her contribution that she endured after the release.

In 1998, Hecate founded Homewrecker Recordings (a.k.a. The Homewrecker Foundation), an all-female electronic label she described as "born of want". The label shut down in 2001. Hecate stating that although she would always encourage female talent in the genre, "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink".

After an absence from her Hecate persona, she returned in 2017 with two collaborations: 'Absolution' with Instinct Primal and 'Final Planet 666' with Der Blutharsch and the Infinite Hand of the Leading Path.

Outside music, Hecate is a multidisciplinary artist. Her works include large-scale paintings, illustrations, ceramic sculptures, screen printed clothing and mixed media montage. Her first exhibition was at SMart Café in Vienna, May 2014. As a performance artist, she has appeared in Belphegor's 2010 music video "Impaled Upon the Tongue of Satan" and Daniel Vrangsinn's 2011 video project Taboo.