On Saturday, August 24th, local industrial-punk group Kill the Precedent will headline at Ace of Spades to promote the release of their debut full-length album entitled Dialogues with the Dead.
Releasing August 27th, Dialogues with the Dead is an album eight years in the making with a total of seven members contributing to the final eclectic product.
“We had written seven songs in the beginning and we still play them,” vocalist Twig the Exfoliator explained. “The newer songs with the newer members were all written within the last year. With each new member we get different ideas and they’ve added their own twists.”
Kill the Precedent’s music is chaotic, energetic, angry, and anthemic, making for quite a distinct listening experience. No two songs blend together or sound the same, and there’s plenty of room for surprises.
The untrained ear might hear KTP as “metal,” but really the septet’s sound is the result of genre-blending.
“I don’t consider us a metal band, more industrial-punk, but we can do whatever we want and that’s what the name of the band itself explains,” said Twig. “We’re not committed to any set sound. We like every song to be different and I think it’s just more fun that way.”
Although Dialogues with the Dead certainly has an industrial backbone, there are times when the bass is simply funkadelic and on certain tracks, the samples hearken back to the days of the early 90s.
Dialogue’s catchiest tune is definitely “Free Reign (Everybody’s Dead).” It’s easy to learn the chorus and hard to get out of your head.
Many of the tracks are guitar-driven, Ministry-esque powerhouses, but the album’s closing song, “We’ve Never Lied,” is a refreshing end to all the mayhem. It’s upbeat tempo and rhythm are a nice change of pace that fully demonstrates the range KTP is capable of.
“Let Go” showcases the dual screaming vocalists’ ability to harmonize with one another rather than compete for attention. Couple the layers of vocals with some perfectly placed Blondie samples, and the result is interesting to say the least.
“I like ‘Let Go,’” Twig said, “I have been sitting on it for like seven years until we came up with the right ideas to finish it. It’s fast and straight to the point and it has a catchy chorus.”
Kill the Precedent’s shows are far from boring. Each concert has a theme and the band members dress up in costumes. The upcoming Ace of Spades show will continue this tradition, although Twig stayed tight-lipped as to what the show would hold in store for attendees.
“I’d rather not say what our theme will be, but we’re not holding back,” Twig said. “It should be fun. We’ve gotten more invested into it. We want it to be a show experience because we’re sick of going into punk and hardcore shows and they’re just so boring. We like people to be involved in the chaos surrounding them.”
Ultimately, because Dialogues with the Dead is prone to genre-jumping, Kill the Precedent’s Ace of Space show should have something to make everyone happy. The moshing, dancing, and spectacle should make for memorable show.
And what about Twig’s final words regarding the upcoming show?
"Come out and enjoy the show. Get involved. Do whatever you f*cking want. It’s going to be loud. It’s going to be a new experience even for us."
Editor’s note: Every Thursday we deliver a local event guide straight to your inbox, right on time to make your weekend plans. Sign me up.
