Friendly Fire

Indianapolis’s Killzone is best described as a groove metal band in thrash clothing. Influences from Exodus and Testament among others are readily apparent, particularly in the crunchy guitar rhythms and the Zetro meets Chuck Billy vocal style, but the songs are delivered at an almost exclusively mid-tempo pace. Bursts of energy occasionally pop up during structural transitions, but the band is far more likely to dive into a clean segment than reach any sort of breakneck speed.

Unfortunately, the production and band dynamic is a little too stiff for the style they’re attempting. The drums and guitar tones are rather dry throughout, threatening to halt the song dynamics and suck the life out of what is otherwise solid playing. The vocals don’t exactly discourage this either, often opting for predictable, drawn out lines that make you want him to just get to the point already. The band members seem to be in sync with one another and nothing sounds out of place, so it may just be a matter of needing some extra oomph overall.

And for what it’s worth, the songwriting is actually pretty decent. “Trust Issues” is the best song on here, starting things off with one of the album’s fastest riffs and transitioning into its most memorable verse-chorus set. Elsewhere, “Rockhead” seems to be aiming for anthem status with its life affirming lyrical stance, the title track and “Baby” put in some tight freight train rhythms, and “The Professional” closes things out with the most active riff set and aggressive chorus.

Overall, Killzone’s sole studio album is an inoffensive blend of thrash and groove metal. While one could hope for some faster tempos or more attitude in the delivery, the band never gives way to faulty experimentation either. The performances are solid, and the songwriting stays consistent throughout, so any complaints are based more on what the band could’ve done as opposed to what was done. If The Ritual is your favorite Testament album, this might not be a bad release to check out.

Highlights:
“Trust Issues”
“The Professional”