Say, have you checked out your local ’scene’ recently? You know, the bands playing at the local ‘Horse and Pond’ public house every third Friday of the month, hamfistedly throwing out turgid emo-isms whilst making sure their carefully applied eyeliner doesn’t smudge? Or maybe you’ve graduated to the ’serious’ artists playing old Smith’s covers at your local rock club. Flailing their feathered hair in unison with the manufactured shuffles of their Italian leather brogues? We’ve all seen the groups birthed in our own backyards, brimming with promise ready to shatter the world’s musical consciousness while leaving their mark on the global stratosphere, adding weight to the heartwarming cliche of ‘local boys done good’!
In reality, the majority of bands that hail from your local hometown are lightweight, albeit faithful tributes to their heroes. Kind of like Candy, the first taste is sweet but overindulgence leads to instant rejection and, in the worst case scenario, extreme vomiting. Every band thinks big of course, and as well they should, very few however have the ability to see their dreams through to fruition, nevermind posing a genuine threat to change the world.
As in every rule however, there is always an exception. The seminal artists of yesteryear had to come from somewhere and you can bet they sifted through countless wannabes and scenesters before rising to prominence. Killaflaw could very well be that exception and to top it all off, they are all ours!
Fighting out of the red corner, Killaflaw have come out swinging. Formed in Liverpool three years ago this dynamic duo have certainly paid their dues. Extensive touring and tireless dedication to the art of songwriting has occupied much of that period, meticulously preparing for their time in the sun. Well folks their time is now…
Fresh off dates at Liverpool’s Zanzibar coupled with the headline slot at a sold out show at London’s Camden Barfly, and preparing for a performance at this Summer’s must attend festival ‘The Secret Garden Party’, the boys have taken time out of their hectic schedule to release the ‘Revolution’ EP and it reaffirms what all the fuss is about.
‘Revolution’ boasts three versions of the title track, including the radio edit and the Undergrowl Mix and is rounded out by live favourite ‘Holy Funk’. Slowly crawling it’s way up your skin the single version begins with teasing electronic push and pull touches, inviting you to lend an ear before the driving guitar riff corkscrews its way into your membrane, exuding a sleazy groove seldom heard since the early days of The Prodigy. Killaflaw certainly have presence, demanding the listener’s attention at knife point through a persistent sonic assault. Frontman Benn Helm wraps his soul around every single lyric as if his life depended on it, unleashing a barriage of Cornell-esque angst. Like a modern day prophet leading each and everyone of us stomping towards the very Revolution he is warning us of. Helm’s vocal onslaught is offset perfectly by Andy Paton’s wall of noise. Eeking out a cacophony of chaos through his electronic landscape, using an eclectic brand of instrumentation to fill his canvas with a musical masterpiece. ‘Revolution’ is a perfect snapshot of Killaflaw’s strengths: pulsating beats, hammering rhythms and catcy choruses all wrapped up in a palpable sheen ready for global consumption. The mass crossover appeal is obvious as showcased on the other two versions of ‘Revolution’. The radio edit offers even more atmospherics intertwined in the mix whilst the Undergrowl Mix is a caged demon, ready to be unleashed fulfilling it’s direct orders to fill every oraphis of your local alternative club’s dancefloor.
Perhaps the ace in the hole is closer (and next single) ‘Holy Funk’, an unstable hybrid piece bouncing around excitedly to the beat of it’s own drum. ‘Holy Funk’ builds dramatically, throwing in numerous genre-defining dynamics before settling into an infectious punk-fueled pattern akin to the exact creation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The searing rhythm is similar to a moth’s epilectical frenzy while circling a naked flame, threatening it’s menance until Helm’s crazed wail of ‘I’m just a madman for your love’ brings a end to the madness, leaving you thirsty for more.
Next stop on the good ship ‘world domination’ is more performances, more exposure, more grandeur. renowned DJ and remix guru Eddy Temple-Morris is about to put the next audible cuts into heavy rotation on cutting edge radio station XFM. The simple fact is this, Killaflaw are going to be huge. Use this opportunity to get on the snake now cementing bragging rights that you knew them first, because it’s only a matter of time before they revolutionalise modern music.
For fans of: Led Zeppelin, The Prodigy and Mike Patton
Revolution is currently only available from the bands Myspace (here)
Rating: 
