Sonia Anubis , guitarist for Cobra Spell and former Crypta , has publicly exposed traumatic experiences she endured during her time with the Swiss band Burning Witches . In a Q&A session on her Instagram account , the guitarist denounced the abusive treatment and lack of payment she suffered while part of the all-female metal band.
As reported by Whisplash , in responses shared on her stories, Sonia stated that she was never paid as an official member of Burning Witches. Despite having participated in the recording of two albums ( Hexenhammer and Dance With The Devil ) and important shows, including performances at the Wacken Open Air . "This wasn't a 'newbie' band that 'couldn't pay'. This was a corrupt band that treated sensitive musicians like trash," she explained.
Among the allegations, Sonia Anubis stated that the band imposed strict and humiliating rules, such as forcing her to constantly wear makeup, prohibiting interviews, and limiting the use of her own stage name. She also described episodes in which she was forced to play standing up for long periods and endured humiliations that left her emotionally shaken. She reported: “I was never paid by Burning Witches as an official member and never knew why – perhaps you should ask the band. I committed myself fully and was forced to do many things.”
The guitarist also revealed that she suffered from offensive behavior backstage, even crying on several occasions. She added that she still deals with trauma from that period. Sonia said she needs therapy to confront these memories and, therefore, prefers to focus her energy on her own band and solo career, where she finds a safer environment to express her art.
Sonia Anubis makes a comparison with Dogma
In her testimony, she highlighted that many members of Burning Witches did not receive fair compensation for shows or recordings, even at high-profile events, which, according to her, reveals a pattern of exploitation that disrespects professional musicians.
The guitarist even compared the experience to those reported by the former members of the controversial band Dogma, highlighting that at least there were contracts and regular payments. “Burning Witches is worse. The Dogma members at least got paid and had a contract that verbalized its terms. I had nothing. (Just) a Jackson guitar that I bought with the money I saved from my web development work and an infinite amount of passion and motivation,” Sonia recounted.
Sonia concluded her outburst: “The list goes on, and I never spoke my truth online because of the fear they instilled in me. I struggle daily with the horrible experience I had at Burning Witches. They destroyed what was my youthful enthusiasm. They mocked my happiness. Every unique part of me that made me shine was a threat to them – they always found a way to break me and diminish me.”.
At the time of writing, Burning Witches had not officially commented on the accusations made by Sonia Anubis. The artist is intensifying the debate about working conditions and respect within all-female bands in the international metal scene.
Sonia Anubis returns to Brazil in 2026 with her band Cobra Spell to perform at the Bangers Open Air in April.
READ ALSO: Burning Witches: Guitarist Courtney Cox reveals she's touring with three herniated discs
