Track-by-track album review of ‘Killer Be Killed’ by Killer Be Killed

From April 21st to May 2nd 2014, I am interning at Nuclear Blast Records in London. During my work experience, I was able to listen to lots of new and exciting albums before they have been released. As I study Journalism at university, I was asked to write a track-by-track album review of the debut Killer Be Killed album, which has inspired a new 'AAA' feature on Nuclear Blast's tumblr where interns will now be asked to contribute further during their time here.

Killer Be Killed are an American heavy metal/hardcore super-group. The line-up consists of Greg Puciato from The Dillinger Escape Plan, Max Cavalera from Soulfly, Troy Sanders from Mastodon and Dave Elitch, ex-The Mars Volta drummer. With such a talented yet uniquely sounding line-up, their debut self-titled album is sure to appeal to fans all across the metal genre.

Opening track and first single ‘Wings of Feather and Wax’ is full of chaos and disruption from the first second, allowing listeners to instantly be transported to the frenzied world of Killer Be Killed. Despite the fast-paced nature of the song, it is still able to sound well-structured and features an incredibly catchy chorus.

With so many different vocals styles in one band, it’s easy to see how Killer Be Killer wouldn’t be successful. However, ‘Face Down’ is a prime example of how much hard-work and effort has gone into this album, with the fusions of vocal styles creating a fresh and exciting new journey for the metal genre to expand to. With Max’s harsh shouting, Troy’s harmonic and almost eerie singing and Greg’s contrasting shouting/singing, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

‘Melting of My Marrow’ perfectly demonstrates how versatile Greg’s voice is, with both his melodic and shouting vocals sounding very striking and fresh. Although the guitar riffs are relatively simple, the ever-changing tempo of the song allows the listener to stay interested and intrigued as to what direction it will take next.

Fourth song ‘Snakes of Jehova’ opens with a strong bass line, leading into an almost futuristic-sounding explosion of frenzied noise. Heavy vocals are featured from all of the singers in this track, allowing it to sound hair-raising and like something that you would expect to hear in a horror movie.

The opening of ‘Curb Crusher’ has an almost nu-metal sound to it, leading into riffs so heavy that they could destroy anything that got in their way. The contrasting almost-melodic vocals gives the song a fresh sound, unique to anything that has been recorded before. The further that you get through the album, the more you wonder what Killer Be Killed would sound like live, and this song is definitely one which would impress crowds all over the world.

The technical guitar and space-age-sounding opening in ‘Save the Robots’ means that the title aptly matches the theme of the song. The heavy bass line is a very prominent feature, complimenting the futuristic and almost-computerised guitar sound well.

‘Fire to Your Flag’ features both aggressive lyrics and vocals, allowing it to become a perfect angst-filled song. Greg and Max’s vocals contrast perfectly, making the song both heavy and melodic without sounding mismatched.

One of the most memorable tracks from the album is ‘I.E.D.’, which is full of heavy riffs and even heavier vocals. The energy that is portrayed on this song is almost infectious, making it impossible to bored of. The dark and murky tones work well with the lyrics, making it an all-round successful song.
The heavy metal vibe continues into ‘Dust into Darkness’, with definite influences from previous Dillinger Escape Plan songs. Despite this, Troy’s vocals merge well with Greg’s, allowing both Mastodon and The Dillinger Escape Plan fans to enjoy this song.

‘Twelve Labors’ is a slower paced song, which allows the listener to fully understand and embrace the lyrics. With so many talented songwriters in one band, lyrics are one of the best features of the first Killer Be Killed album. The bass solo in particular is impressive and works well with the breakdown of the song.

Final track ‘Forbidden Fire’ continues with the melodic and eerie themes of the album due to the slower pace, however, Max’s harsh vocals allow it to still hit all of the tick-boxes of the metal music genre. Ending the album on such a unique song allows the listeners to contemplate what future Killer Be Killed albums will sound like, and also further demonstrates how unique and individual the band are.

If you’re someone who is getting bored of listening to the same cookie-cutter mould of metal music, then Killer Be Killed are the new band for you. With so many twists and turns throughout the forty-five minutes of the self-titled album, it is almost impossible to find something more exciting or inspiring to listen to.

Killer Be Killed will be released on 13^th May 2014 through Nuclear Blast Records.
Pre-order the album here:
CD - http://smarturl.it/KBK-ST-NB
Vinyl - http://smarturl.it/KBK-ST-VINYL