SUMMARY
- Album Art: 4/5
- Musicianship: 10/10
- Vocal Quality: 9.5/10
- Vocal Uniqueness: 9.5/10
- Song Consistency: 8.5/10
- Song Writing Quality: 9/10
- Lyrics: 8.5/10
- Heaviness/Grit: 9/10
- Production Quality: 9/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 9.1/10
IN SHORT
KILLER BE KILLED is a super-group founded by a trio of veteran musicians in early 2011.The line-up features Troy Sanders (MASTODON), Max Cavalera (SEPULTURA/SOULFLY) and Greg Puciato (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN). These men have vastly different styles, yet all three take turns behind the mic. On paper, it seems like a partnership doomed to fail. I, myself came in with low expectations – I’m not a big a fan of SEPULTURA, MASTODON, or THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN. What surprised me most is that KILLER BE KILLED’s combination of talents and styles hits just the right spot. It is a perfect blend of prog, thrash, melodic, heavy metal.
The group also pulls off the multiple singer approach really well. By utilizing the vocalist the best fits the tone of a particular moment, KBK is able to create more clearly defined shifts in intensity and emotion than most other metal bands. The vocal transitions flow seamlessly throughout much of the album, especially the first half. On top of that, the songs on Reluctant Hero are constantly changing and evolving. Thanks in part to the diversity of the tracks and member’s styles, none of the songs get boring or repetitive.
A common complaint about Reluctant Hero is that it is not as heavy as their debut album. This seems to have frustrated and disappointed some fans. Personally, I find it more well-rounded and dynamic than their debut. The album allows the styles of each of the fronting members to shine through without feeling forced or jumbled together. The album is a great example of modern music that explores the spectrum of heavy metal.
IN DEPTH
Reluctant Hero opens with “Deconstructing Self-Destruction”, a track that merges a heavy riff with a melodic attitude. It is immediately apparent that the KBK’s second studio album will not be a repeat of their first; instead it is a natural progression on their sound. Specifically, there are fewer thrash elements and the music feels more cohesive. It is immediately apparent that the band members mesh well together. The track breaks up the vocal duties of the three singers between the verse, chorus, and bridge. While it is certainly a tall task to make an enjoyable song with three different singers (all with distinct styles), KILLER BE KILLED have built a formula the allows for a nice flow between the vocalists.
The second track, and first single, is “Dream Gone Bad”. It continues the trend of first track, utilizing Troy for the vocals on verse, Greg on the chorus and Max during the bridge. It’s fun to hear the band arrange the song so the intensity of the music matches the intensity of the vocalists. Through two tracks, it is obvious that all three singers are at the top of the vocal game. Not to be outdone, Ben Koller, is the unsung hero of this album. He is a standout performer on drums, particularly during “Dream Gone Bad”.
“Left of Center” is based around a simple premise: write a great hook and make it a song. The track is simplicity at its finest. On the surface, “Left of Center” is indeed simple; there are only three riffs at the core of the track. However, the band uses tempo changes and effective vocal layering to add the right amount of complexity. “Left of Center” opens almost meditatively, thanks I’m sure to the MASTODON influence of Troy, but hits you at 1:44 with a brutally heavy section that keeps the energy up through the last half of the song.
The fourth track “Inner Calm From Outer Storms” is my personal favorite on the entire album. It’s a track the requires your full attention to catch everything there is to take in. There are a lot of subtle elements to this track that are easy to miss. The early sections of the song take a soft, almost mesmerizing approach. But what begins as prog-y, stoner metal quickly transforms into Deathrash chaos. It’s at about the half-way point that the “inner calm” shifts to the “outer storm” with a section that is quintessential SEPULTURA. It’s very brief but effective. One of the many little details that I appreciate about the song is that Max’s syllables match up with the beats of the music.
“Filthy Vagabond” has a raw, hardcore/punk vibe to it. The track is a change of pace from the first four songs, both in tone and arrangement. Here, Greg takes over the verses while Troy takes the chorus. The track is catchy, but overall, I was less thrilled about this “Filthy Vagabond” than the rest of Reluctant Hero. The lyrics are a little too goofy and it feels like radio bait. In all, not a bad track, but not my cup of tea either.
“From A Crowded Wound” opens with an example of some perfect guitar tone. Crunchy, raw, but comes through your speakers crystal clear. The track is arguably the most well-written on the album. Everything from the lyrics, to the riffs, composition, arrangements, vocal harmonies, and atmosphere fall nicely into place. The group’s decision to harmonize vocals are a great fit for the track and gives off some strong ALICE IN CHAINS vibes. The vocal performances themselves are other-worldly on this song. Don’t get me wrong, they are great throughout the album but especially on “From A Crowded Wound”. My only gripe is that the last 45 seconds are repetitive and unnecessary.
Track number seven, “The Great Purge”, has a nice moment of doom metal to it in the opening seconds. Unfortunately, from there it’s forgettable. To me, it seems the track is meant to be diverse, but the disjointed sections of the song keep it from gaining any meaningful momentum for the listener. KILLER BE KILLED gets back to the beautiful crunchy guitar tone and ALICE IN CHAINS vibes with “Comfort from Nothing”. This is the most MASTODON track on the entire album – although I’ve already admitted I’m not a fan, so I welcome other opinions. The track’s mix of heavy guitars and hypnotic vocals make for an interesting, and entertaining combo. The track is intense throughout, but the thrashy ending elevates the intensity even further in the last minute.
Up ninth, and with a 68 second runtime, “Animus” barely meets the minimum requirement to be sold on iTunes! This pure-punk track is fun but doesn’t have much substance to discuss.
“Dead Limbs” is the only song on the album that truly reminds me of the KILLED BE KILLED studio debut. The track is pure thrash until it hits the chorus, which has a great melody – which will inevitably get stuck in your head. The track shifts gears in the middle section as Greg takes us on an emotional journey but quickly flips the thrash switch again. Fans of the first KILLER BE KILLED album will find their favorite track with “Dead Limbs”. On the other hand, folks new to the band may be thrown off by the thrash-leanings. I like it either way.
The album ends with “Reluctant Hero”, the KILLER BE KILLED equivalent of a ballad. It’s a beautiful and heartbreaking track about loss and denial. What I don’t like is the tracks placement on the album; I prefer when albums go out with a bang, not a whimper. While I’m a little disappointed by this decision, that doesn’t take away from the song’s effectiveness. The tandem of Greg Puciato and Troy Sanders has never fit better together. It’s really a testament to their individual talents. The track gives off vibes of NINE INCH NAILS and ____ but is still very much within the KILLER BE KILLED brand. Just be prepared to feel…emotion. Gasp!
CONCLUSION
Reluctant Hero is a late nomination for 2020 Album of the Year. This isn’t shocking considering the track records of Troy, Greg, Max, and Ben. They sound hungry, motivated, and like they’re having fun throughout the entire album (even though they have nothing to prove). It is an inspired work from influential musicians that elevates the final product above the sum of its talented parts.
HIGHLIGHTS
“Dream Gone Bad”, “Inner Calm From Outer Storms” ,“From A Crowded Wound” , “Dead Limbs”
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