In terms of chords and melody, Barracuda has complexity on par with the typical song, having near-average scores in Chord-Melody Tension and Chord Progression Novelty and below-average scores in Chord Complexity, Melodic Complexity and Chord-Bass Melody.
Barracuda is written in the key of G♯ Phrygian. According to the Theorytab database, it is the least popular key among Phrygian keys and the 70th most popular among all keys. The G♯ Phrygian scale is similar to the G♯ Minor scale except that its 2nd note (A) is a half step lower. Chord progressions in Phrygian often rely on the major chord built off of this 2nd scale degree (A major) which gives the key its distinctive sound. See the G♯ Phrygian Cheat Sheet for popular chords, chord progressions, downloadable midi files and more!