Killer Be Killed | |
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Background information | |
Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Genres | Groove metal, [1] alternative metal [2] |
Years active | 2011–present |
Labels | Nuclear Blast |
Spinoff of | |
Members | |
Past members |
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Website | killerbekilled |
Killer Be Killed is an American heavy metal supergroup founded by Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist Greg Puciato and Soulfly frontman Max Cavalera in early 2011. The lineup also features Mastodon bassist and co-vocalist Troy Sanders and Converge drummer Ben Koller. The band had slowly been working on material before announcing its name in October 2013, along with their signing to Nuclear Blast. [3] The group's self-titled debut record was released in 2014. In September 2020, the group returned with a new single, and released their second album Reluctant Hero in November of that year.
The band was first announced in February 2011, when Metal Hammer reported news of Puciato and Cavalera planning a new project in the vein of Cavalera's Nailbomb band with Alex Newport in the mid 1990s. [4] Shortly afterwards, Mars Volta's Dave Elitch and Mastodon bassist Troy Sanders were announced to be part of the project. [5] Converge bassist Nate Newton was originally eyed to be included in the project, but was unable to join, so Cavalera reached out to Sanders instead. [6] [7] Despite not yet having a name, the group entered the Fortress Studio in Los Angeles in September 2013 with producer Josh Wilbur. [8]
In October 2013, the band revealed Killer Be Killed as their name and announced that their first album would be released through Nuclear Blast. [9] In March 2014, an announcement confirmed that the band's debut album would be self-titled, Killer Be Killed , and would be released on May 13, 2014. [10] On March 14, 2014, two songs from the upcoming eponymous debut, "Wings of Feather and Wax", and "Face Down" were made available for streaming. [11]
Converge drummer Ben Koller joined for the band's live debut at Soundwave Festival and was announced as a full-fledged member that summer, replacing Elitch. [12]
In an interview with Full Metal Jackie, Cavalera said he'd love to do another Killer Be Killed album; "I'd love to do a little bit with Killer Be Killed … We did one record and it was very well received, and I think we can do a better one than that. I think we can really — if we work hard on it — we can make a kick ass second Killer Be Killed album." [13] In a 2016 Facebook update Koller announced there is "whispers in the dark of a new Killer Be Killed album". [14] In April 2018, Max Cavalera confirmed that the band were convening in Phoenix to write and rehearse new material in Soulfly's rehearsal space, with the aim of releasing a new album in 2019. [15]
On Friday, September 4, 2020, the band released a brand new song called "Deconstructing Self-Destruction" which features Max, Greg, Troy and Ben credited as writers. The song is the first single off their second album Reluctant Hero which is set for release on November 20, 2020, via Nuclear Blast Records. Wall of Sound broke the news after digging up the album's artwork and tracklisting. [16]
On October 9, 2020, the band released their second single from the album called "Dream Gone Bad". [17]
In an interview with Wall of Sound, bassist Troy Sanders explained why the second album's recording process was kept a secret; "I mentioned to my guys 'every time we get together and work on something, let's just keep it to ourselves' so we don't create any type of buzz or excitement to our small handful of fans." [18] Reluctant Hero was released in November 20, 2020.
Commenting on the writing process of their first album, Cavalera told Decibel that the record will be "politically charged" and that the composition will be a merging of styles of each of its members. [19] In a press release, Puciato characterizes the style, "It's a bit of Sabbath-y doom, a bit of thrash, a bit of hardcore and punk" continuing, "Of any of our bands, it sounds the furthest away from mine...", [20] whereas critics have described the band's sound as a progressive form of groove metal, incorporating elements of melodic metalcore, hardcore punk, crossover thrash and progressive rock. [21]
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [22] | AUS [23] | BEL [24] | GER [25] | JPN [26] | SWI [27] | UK [28] | |||
Killer Be Killed |
| 58 | 47 | 113 | 90 | 192 | 91 | 71 |
|
Reluctant Hero |
| — | 45 | — | 52 | — | 69 | — |
Year | Title | Director | Album |
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2014 | "Wings of Feather and Wax" | Thomas Mignone [31] | Killer Be Killed |
"Snakes of Jehovah" | |||
2015 | "Curb Crusher" | Neal Walters [32] | |
2020 | "Dream Gone Bad" | Jim Louvau & Tony Aguilera | Reluctant Hero |
"Inner Calm from Outer Storms" | |||
"From a Crowded Wound" | Costin Chioreanu |
Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Killer Be Killed | Best Live Band [33] | Nominated |
Soulfly is an American heavy metal band formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1997. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera, who formed the band after he left the Brazilian group in 1996. To date the band has released twelve studio albums, one tour EP, twenty-three singles, one video album, and twelve music videos. Their debut album, Soulfly, was released on April 21, 1998, while their most recent album, Totem, was released on August 5, 2022.
The Dillinger Escape Plan is an American metalcore band. The band was formed in 1997 in Morris Plains, New Jersey by guitarist Ben Weinman, bassist Adam Doll, vocalist Dimitri Minakakis, and drummer Chris Pennie. The band's use of dissonance, odd time signatures, polyrhythms and unconventional drum patterns became a staple of their sound, although later albums incorporated more melody, and influences from a range of genres. The band's lineup shifted numerous times throughout its existence; by the time the group dissolved, Weinman was the only remaining founding member. The last surviving lineup also included longtime members Liam Wilson on bass, Greg Puciato as lead vocalist, and Billy Rymer on the drum kit, alongside then-newcomer Kevin Antreassian as rhythm guitarist.
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Gregory John Puciato is an American musician best known as the former lead vocalist and lyricist of the metalcore band the Dillinger Escape Plan. He is also the lead singer of the Black Queen, Better Lovers, and Killer Be Killed, in which he also plays guitar. In 2018, Puciato and visual artist Jesse Draxler co-founded the art collective and record label Federal Prisoner.
Benjamin A. Weinman is an American musician, film composer, and music manager, most notable for being the lead guitarist and primary songwriter of the mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan. He was the founder and sole constant member through the band's career (1997–2017), and is currently playing rhythm guitar with the crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies and the progressive rock supergroup Giraffe Tongue Orchestra.
Ben Koller is an American drummer who has played with Converge, Mutoid Man, Killer Be Killed and All Pigs Must Die. He started playing a full drum kit at age 14.
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