| Reluctant Hero | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 20, 2020 | |||
| Studio | Hybrid Studios | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 47:42 | |||
| Label | Nuclear Blast | |||
| Killer Be Killed chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Reluctant Hero | ||||
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Reluctant Hero is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Killer Be Killed. It was released on November 20, 2020, by Nuclear Blast. [1]
The band began writing the album in 2016, before going to Hybrid Studios in California in 2018 to record the music. They then finished recording the vocals in 2019. [2]
In an interview, guitarist Max Cavalera discussed the origins of the album cover:
"I'm really happy with how it came out, because I wasn't happy with the first one. I have a lot of these National Geographic magazines at home, and one had a story about haunted places in America. One of them was this cemetery in Cleveland, which has this really cool statue of an angel with a sword. I thought it would look so badass on an album cover — it almost looks like black metal — so I suggested to our label to find someone to go over and take a picture of the statue." [3]
On September 4, 2020, Killer Be Killed announced the release of the album, along with the first single "Deconstructing Self-Construction". [1]
The second single "Dream Gone Bad" was released on October 13, 2020. [4]
On November 6, 2020, the third single "Inner Calm from Outer Storms" was released. [5] In a press release, bass guitarist Troy Sanders said the single is "about having the ability to sense a distant or unseen target. It explores a journey of reckless abandon where the destination may, or may not, actually exist." [6] The single also featured on Consequence of Sound's Top 30 Metal & Hard Rock Songs of 2020. [7]
The fourth single, "From a Crowded Wound", was released on November 20, 2020, the same day as the album release. [8]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Exclaim! | 8/10 [9] |
| Kerrang! |   [10] |
| Louder Sound | [11] |
| Spectrum Culture | 75% [12] |
| Sputnikmusic | 3.2/5 [13] |
Reluctant Hero was met with generally favorable reviews from critics. Aggregator Album of the Year gave the release a 78 out of 100 based on a critical consensus of six reviews. [14]
Max Heilman of Exclaim! said the songs on the release are "elevating poppy ideas with explosive, multilayered musicality and hard-hitting emotion. Reluctant Hero proves metal can be catchy without being stupid." [9]
| Critic/Publication | List | Rank | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consequence of Sound | Top 30 Metal/Hard Rock Albums of 2020 | 21 | [15] |
| Kerrang! | Top 50 Albums of 2020 | 22 | [16] |
| Loudwire | Top 70 Rock/Metal Albums of 2020 | N/A | [17] |
| Revolver | Top 25 Albums of 2020 | 9 | [18] |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Deconstructing Self-Destruction" | 4:33 |
| 2. | "Dream Gone Bad" | 4:15 |
| 3. | "Left of Center" | 3:30 |
| 4. | "Inner Calm from Outer Storms" | 3:53 |
| 5. | "Filthy Vagabond" | 3:48 |
| 6. | "From a Crowded Wound" | 7:11 |
| 7. | "The Great Purge" | 4:13 |
| 8. | "Comfort from Nothing" | 4:18 |
| 9. | "Animus" | 1:08 |
| 10. | "Dead Limbs" | 4:48 |
| 11. | "Reluctant Hero" | 6:05 |
| Chart (2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA) [19] | 45 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [20] | 46 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [21] | 52 |
| Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ) [22] | 35 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [23] | 69 |
| US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard) [24] | 16 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [25] | 47 |
Around the Fur is the second studio album by the American alternative metal band Deftones, released on October 28, 1997, by Maverick Records. The songs "My Own Summer " and "Be Quiet and Drive " were released as singles with accompanying music videos. The album was certified gold by the RIAA in 1999, and was later certified platinum in 2011.
Roots is the sixth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. It was released in Europe on February 20, 1996 and in the U.S. three weeks later on March 12 by Roadrunner Records. It is the band's last studio album to feature founding member and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Max Cavalera.
Soulfly is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Soulfly, released on April 21, 1998, through Roadrunner Records. The record was released in memory of frontman Max Cavalera's deceased stepson and was the first album featuring Cavalera since leaving Sepultura two years prior. Soulfly has been certified gold by the RIAA.
Primitive is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Soulfly, released in 2000 through Roadrunner Records. As of 2002, Primitive has sold over 226,569 copies as reported by SoundScan.
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The untitled seventh studio album by German Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein, titled Rammstein on digital platforms and on CD-Text enabled devices, was released on 17 May 2019 through Universal Music. Their first studio album in ten years, it is their first not to be produced by Jacob Hellner; it was instead produced by Emigrate guitarist Olsen Involtini, who also serves as Rammstein's live sound engineer.
Troy Jayson Sanders is an American musician, best known as a member of heavy metal band Mastodon, in which he plays bass and sings alongside guitarist Brent Hinds and drummer Brann Dailor. He is also active in Killer Be Killed and Gone Is Gone, as well as being the current touring bassist for Thin Lizzy.
Arise is the fourth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1991 by Roadrunner Records. Upon its release, the album received top reviews from heavy metal magazines such as Rock Hard, Kerrang! and Metal Forces. Arise is considered Sepultura's finest hour among longtime fans. While the music on Arise was mostly in the same death/thrash style as their previous album, Beneath the Remains, it was clear that the Sepultura sound was acquiring an experimental edge.
Inflikted is the debut studio album from Cavalera Conspiracy, the Cavalera brothers' first record together in 12 years - since the release of Roots by Sepultura in 1996.
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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. 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.
Killer Be Killed is the debut studio album by American heavy metal supergroup Killer Be Killed featuring Greg Puciato of the Dillinger Escape Plan, Max Cavalera of Soulfly/ex-Sepultura, Troy Sanders of Mastodon, and Dave Elitch of the Mars Volta. It was recorded in September 2013 at Fortress Studio in Los Angeles and released May 9, 2014 via Nuclear Blast Records. The album reached No. 58 on the U.S. Billboard 200 during its first week of release and sold around 5,500 copies.
Ritual is the eleventh album by American heavy metal band Soulfly, released on October 19, 2018, through Nuclear Blast. It is the third Soulfly album with Max Cavalera's son Zyon behind the drum kit, and the last album to feature lead guitarist Marc Rizzo, and features musical guests Randy Blythe of Lamb of God, Ross Dolan of Immolation, and Mark Damon of The Pretty Reckless. Four singles were released from the album—"Evil Empowered", title track "Ritual", "Dead Behind the Eyes", and "Under Rapture".
Amo is the sixth studio album by British rock band Bring Me the Horizon. Originally scheduled for release on 11 January 2019, it was released on 25 January 2019. The album was announced on 22 August 2018, a day after the release of the lead single "Mantra". It was produced by vocalist Oliver Sykes and keyboardist Jordan Fish, and was written and recorded primarily in Los Angeles.
The Bitter Truth is the fifth studio album by American rock band Evanescence. After pandemic delays, it was released on March 26, 2021, through BMG Rights Management. Produced by Nick Raskulinecz, it is the band's first album of all-new material since their 2011 self-titled third album. The Bitter Truth received a generally positive critical reception. It reached number 11 on the US Billboard 200, top five on the Billboard Independent, Alternative, Hard Rock, and Rock Albums charts, and the top 10 of multiple international album charts.
Ohms is the ninth studio album by the American alternative metal band Deftones, released on September 25, 2020, through Reprise Records. The album was produced by Terry Date, making it their first collaboration since the unreleased Eros and the final with bassist Sergio Vega who departed from the band in early 2021. The album was preceded by the release of two singles: "Ohms" and "Genesis". The song "Ceremony" was later released as a single. Ohms received acclaim from critics. The title track was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance in 2022.
Existential Reckoning is the fourth studio album by rock supergroup Puscifer. The album was released on October 30, 2020, by Alchemy Recordings and BMG Rights Management.
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