Heavy metal powerhouse Killer Be Killed is back in the spotlight after earning a coveted spot on a definitive list of the greatest supergroups of all time. Featuring an all-star lineup with members from Soulfly, Mastodon, Converge, The Mars Volta and a former member of The Dillinger Escape Plan, the four-piece has firmly cemented its reputation as one of the most volatile and brilliant collaborations in the genre’s history.
The band joined the ranks of legendary rock nobility like Audioslave, Velvet Revolver, Them Crooked Vultures and Temple of the Dog in a celebratory list highlighting the twelve best supergroups in hard rock and metal history. Celebrated for boasting a ‘three-star-quality frontman and one of the best drummers of all time’, the group has more than earned its legendary status.
Formed as a side project in 2011 by Max Cavalera and Greg Puciato, the collaboration almost never happened. Max admitted he was initially too busy with Soulfly and Cavalera Conspiracy to commit. However, Greg managed to convince him by comparing the concept to Max's beloved mid-nineties project, Nailbomb.
“I said to him, ‘Come over to Phoenix and hang out. It’s gotta be like Nailbomb – you have to come over here,’” Max recalled regarding the band's raw beginnings. "We wrote riffs, sang on a bunch shit, wrote the first two songs which was Illuminati and Chloroform. None of them made it to the record; they’re pretty punk rock and dirty and more raw-sounding, but it had a start.”
After bringing Mastodon bassist Troy Sanders and drummer Dave Elitch into the fold, the original lineup dropped their explosive self-titled debut in 2014. Following a lengthy hiatus and a major drum seat transition to Converge powerhouse Ben Koller, the musicians worked entirely in the shadows to perfect their 2020 comeback album, Reluctant Hero.
Troy revealed that the secrecy was entirely intentional to prevent outside pressure. “We decided to not talk about it to anyone outside of our families so we didn’t build ourselves up with over-anticipation from people that like the band,” he shared. This uncompromising dedication to the craft proves exactly why they remain heavy metal royalty.
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