There is something quite refreshing about Killerfix, from the sumptuous promotional package that the band have put together to the quality of the band’s powerful take on modern heavy metal, this all-too-brief eight-track EP has all the hallmarks of a classic in the making and references some of the finest metal bands to have hit the boards in the last twenty years with a hint of classic rock and progressive styling thrown in for good measure. You’d be forgiven, on first evidence, for believing Killerfix to be American, but actually these noise-mongers turn out to be home-grown and arguably one of the strongest arguments for the current strength of British metal alongside thrash titans Evile and doom metal stalwarts Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride. However, Killerfix are no peddlers of misery, rather they deal in the kind of cast-iron progressive thrash that made Machine Head’s ‘The blackening’ such a modern masterpiece and please believe me when I say that I do not use that comparison lightly. With searing vocals, a dynamic range that takes in everything from acoustic introductions to blistering lead runs, this truly slays the competition and the fact that this is a debut release is somewhat disconcerting – after all it took Machine Head five albums and a long period in the wilderness to reach their current peak of perfection and in one release Killerfix have more-or-less caught up with them. You may already have caught the band via their debut video clip which reached an unprecedented 35,000 people despite the marked absence of marketing (something that seemingly reflects the public’s desire for something real after the endless parade of soulless drivel that has been inflicted upon them in recent years) and there is certainly no argument as to the quality of Killerfix’s output; nothing on their eight track debut is wasted with every song honed and sharpened to a razor point, musically excellent and with a production that just about holds its own next to the band’s blistering technicality. Opening with the gentle, overlapping chords of ‘Beckoning’, metal heads will know straight away that a frenzied attack is on its way and it isn’t long in coming, with a massive guitar riff tearing the ambient mood to pieces and grabbing you by the lapels from the off, barely letting go until the last moments die away at the end of the final track. This is metal as it’s supposed to be, played heart and soul by musicians who have clearly worked hard to sharpen their own abilities and their sensitivities to their band mates until they function as a perfect, crushing unit and ultimately the true test is that Killerfix rock like the proverbial mother***er! It’s an inspiring opening salvo from a band who rarely dip below the inspirational in terms of quality and Craig Wilson has the perfect voice – raw throated and with the natural confidence and strength found in seasoned veterans like Rob Flynn – to propel Killerfix forward to the highest echelons of the metal ranks. ‘Someone else to blame’ is up next and following on from the crushing chords and scattershot harmonics of the opening track the band opt for a straight-up Lamb of God style groove offset by a melodic edge to the chorus and Pantera-style vocals. Of course, if that was all there was to the track then I wouldn’t be proclaiming Killerfix’s name from the rooftops, but rather these reference points paint only part of the overall impact of the band giving you an idea of what to expect but in no way suggesting that the band’s overall attack isn’t stronger than the sum of its parts. With harmonised guitars, fluid leads and an identity all their own, no metaller worth their salt should be without this vicious little beast and that is probably the last word that you need to hear on this band before getting on line and tracking a copy down. If you are still here (hopefully now having ordered a copy), then the next track up is ‘in texas’ – a storming blast that will be the highlight of the band’s stage show and which has the sort of body-slamming guitar riffs that suggest that you may damage vertebrae whilst listening to this on too regular a basis; check it out – I dare you not to move. Following sun an exhausting and adrenalin fuelled blast it is time for a break in order to allow the listener pause for breath and ‘Divided’ generously starts with a beautiful introduction before breaking into a mid-tempo bridge leading straight back into Lamb of God territory. It’s a perfect build up that gives a greater depth to the record and highlights the more brutal passages by giving the listener something to contrast them with rather than allowing the record to become one continuous blur of speed and pain. It also helps that the climatic solo is strikingly unconventional which gives air-guitarists something to really get their teeth into and the net result is a classic in the making. Heading back to Machine Head-esque grandeur, ‘My Kingdom’ benefits from a solo at the outset that could be David Gilmour and a vocal performance almost entirely consumed by bile. Utterly crushing, it’s not so much fast as utterly hope-sapping in its relentless trudge to the centre of your skull and it once again allows guitarists James Fitzpatrick and Christian Lloyd to shine, particularly in the stunning mid-section which is an oasis of calm amidst the chaos that surrounds it. ‘Smoke for the pain’ gets things back up to full speed with a daunting riff and almost hardcore vocals ready to rumble with anyone foolish enough to get in their way before an unexpected progressive interlude breaks up the verse and the chorus for the briefest of moments before the riffs come hammering back in like a boot to the skull and you’re wondering how a band on their debut got so adept at shattering your expectations. The title track is up next and this time in no mood to ease of the pedal, with the riffs and spit-drenched vocals coming thick and fast and the drums set on stun from the outset even if the verse inexplicably recalls Coal Chamber as much as it does Sepultura (although this works better than such a description could possibly suggest). The final track once again messes with expectations by introducing the quite beautiful voice of Rosalie Deighton and you realise that the band have quietly slipped into a ballad that has both power and meaning and which perfectly rounds out an album that doesn’t for a second take its audience for granted, with the band playing with both power and intelligence and offering up far more than just the basic metal ingredients rehashed for the umpteenth time. Overall Killerfix couldn’t have wished for a better result than ‘Bridge of disorder’. A crushing, stunning and intellectual treat the reference points are many but the band never sound anything less than themselves and as they gleefully trounce whatever expectations you may have a metal band you can only hope that they become as huge as they deserve. This is an outstanding piece of work from start to finish and I can only hope that fans get behind the band and allow them to continue to release work of such sublime quality.
Great review!
This band rocks so hard it’s like standing in a gale.
Equal parts stunning & fascinating.