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Exciter > Kill After Kill > Reviews
Exciter - Kill After Kill

Passable - 62%

Felix 1666, October 10th, 2014
Written based on this version: 1992, CD, Noise Records

Admittedly, I ignored this album for a long time. While being of the opinion that Exciter would not return with a solid full-length after two miserable outputs, I was afraid to get disappointed for the third time. I strongly doubted that I would have the strength to endure another horrible full-length of my old heroes. But from the first note the three-piece operated much more aggressively. A deep satisfaction would have covered me if I had not realized the miserable production of the album simultaneously. The guitars sounded record-breaking powerless. It goes without saying that this was almost the death sentence for the entire album. Additionally, the whole instrumental section was mixed into the background and Beehler´s voice dominated the sound. He was again the lead singer after Rob Malnati had left the band. Both sides benefitted from this development, although Beehler´s squeaking was worse than ever. That was forgivable in the light of their regained heaviness. Nevertheless, you had to get used to this unsettling production. It therefore came as no surprise that this framework conditions did not promote an unspoiled listening enjoyment.

Of course, the songwriting formula was inspired by their successful early works. Everything else would had been a surprise after the return of guitarist John Ricci, one of the co-founders of the Canadian speed metal institution. The songs showed a high average speed and the angry riffs were the basis for the belligerent atmosphere of the record. Well, the genius of their first albums was completely out of reach, but the solid compositions did also not contain serious deficiencies. Naturally, you could not expect exceptional technical frippery. This had never been the trademark of Exciter. But the band rocked skilfully in the grey area between thrash and speed metal. Songs such as "Rain of Terror", "No Life no Future" and "The Second Coming" could be considered as little jewels. This applied at least for those who were well-intentioned towards the band.

Unfortunately, the individual pieces did not create a coherent overall picture. The reason for this was, inter alia, that the last song was shown as a live recording, but the enthusiastic reaction of the audience was definitely not authentic. And you might call it narrow-mindedness, but I do not understand, why the band did not offer this (new) song in a regular studio version. Furthermore, the band wanted to deliver an enthusiastic performance, but some doubts remained due to their temporary stylistic change.

"The maniac is back" was written in big letters on the back of the booklet. But that was only half the story. The reputation of a band can be ruined in no time, but it takes a long time to restore it. Therefore, the authenticity of this record remained doubtful, too. It seemed rather like the repentant band was in search of its identity. In the retrospective it is no wonder that Exciter needed five years to release a successor. It appeared that the guys were confused by the twists and turns of their own discography and nobody seemed to be able to decide how to go on. Furthermore, Beehler had left the band. Therefore, the Canadians still stood at the crossroads, even though "Kill after Kill" showed an upward trend.

Beatin' their feet right back to the street - 73%

autothrall, March 5th, 2012

Four years can make a lot of difference in anyone's life. One could, theoretically, acquire a high school diploma or four year university degree, assuming one doesn't slack off. One could serve one or more tours of duty overseas, or observe an infant grow from a whining lump of diaper-mud and squinted tears to a walking, talking member of your civilization. As for the Canadian speed metal outfit Exciter, they would endure both a tumultous decay and a phoenix-like rebirth. Kill After Kill is pretty much a 180 degree turn from its self-titled predecessor, and a welcome one, with the band's progenitors Dan Beehler and John Ricci reuniting and returning to the sound that built their following through the first three albums.

It's not quite a complete 'reunion', mind you, since original bassist Alan Johnson had departed and been replaced by David Ledden, who, coincidentally, was once a member of the same Crypt that Rob Malnati (who contributed vocals to the Exciter s/t in 1988) had hailed from. Like it's predecessor, the cover here is quite dull and understated, just a logo carved into a background with the clawed look of the original Howling film posters. Only in the 80s, right? Wrong. Exciter had moved on to yet another record label, this time the excellent Noise Records out of Europe, and it proved an interesting pairing, likely due to their larger following overseas. However, I'm not sure if the band's heavier direction here had anything to do with the signing, so that they might fit in better with their more aggressive label mates, but one thing is clear: Kill After Kill was the most aggressive Exciter record to its day, ramping up the momentum of Long Live the Loud and Violence & Force with a more lethal, nearly thrashing undercurrent.

Right away, with "Rain of Terror" you'll note the more grinding, brutal guitar tone which would not have seemed out of place on an early record by Sodom, Tankard or Kreator. However, the actual songwriting is quite similar to the Canadians' past speed metal classics, with huge punk rhythms, pummeling bass lines and a muscular framework courtesy of Dan Beehler's pounding. His vocals retain a lot of their screaming timbre, but there are songs like "No Life No Future" where he returns more to the mid-range that was dominant on Heavy Metal Maniac. That said, you won't get the uneven distribution of energy that flawed the vocals on Violence & Force, Dan is pretty much spot on throughout the whole record. Some of the screams in tunes like "Cold Blooded Murder" are among the best he's ever evoked, and in general I found the delivery superior to the work of BOTH singers on the previous album.

Kind of like how England's Raven dialed up their meanness for their 1988 album Nothing Exceeds like Excess, Exciter had really reached a new edge. Whether they're plodding along with a slower sureness in "Shadow of the Cross" or frenzied speed/punk metal in "Dog Eat Dog" and "Anger, Hate and Destruction" they were firing off on all cylinders and clearly having a damn good time doing so. This was not a duo you wanted to meet in a dark alley in Ottawa for a fist fight after a drunk streak, because you'd find yourself brass knuckled and broken bottled until bruised and bleeding into the pavement and brickwork. But at the same time, I wouldn't place this in the 'essentials' portion of the Exciter canon. The riffs are decent, but nothing special, and while angrier than Violence & Force or Long Live the Loud, I feel it lacks some of the charm that burned those both into my memory. However, considering this is the last time Beehler and Ricci would be appearing together on a studio album, it delivers what its predecessor did not: a speed metal boot to the posterior.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

A speed metal album that gets boring... - 59%

cronosmantas, November 7th, 2005

Though I have never considered Exciter to rank along side other such amazing speed/thrash metal bands like OLD Metallica, Slayer or Testament, I did enjoy much of the material from their past catalogue. They created some catchy thrash/speed metal on such "classics" as Heavy Metal Maniac and Long Live the Loud. After the bands failed experimental with their fifth album O.T.T. which had a different singer, the band decided to go back to basics with their next album Kill After Kill.

Kill After Kill could even be considered a comeback/reunion album per say. Drummer Dan Beehler is back on vocals, where he should be, and guitarist John Ricci decides to rejoin the band after departing upon completion of the Feel the Knife EP. Sadly bassist Allan Johnson decided not to return to it isn't a complete "reunion" album per say.

With two of the original members back, they set out to record an album reminiscent of old, and for the most part they succeeded as the material does sound like material present on Violence & Force and Heavy Metal Maniac. But just because they are able to get the "sound" doesn't mean they were able to make to write "good" material.

Basically, Kill After Kill, is boring. It starts off alright but it goes down hill fast. The opener is a decent fast song but like the rest of the album, the guitar lacks punch. The guitar is just "there" in the background without really pushing the song along. It's all mundane rhythm with no real cool lead guitar parts. Most of the other songs present lack this aspect also. Track 2 contains a guitar solo, but its rather lame. Track 2 still ends up being one of the better songs on the album.

Cold Blooded Murder is a slower song that is reminiscent of Pounding Metal off of Violence & Force. It's ok. Shadow of the Cross is a Sabbath inspired song that also isn't bad. Smashing 'Em Down, Dog Eat Dog, Anger Hate Destruction, and the Second Coming are all faster songs but again they lack the guitar punch to move them along. Since Exciter has never been real good at righting "aw" inspiring lyrics, they need good guitars to push the material along and the album just simply doens't have it.

The last song is an anomaly to me. It is a "live" version of a song called Born To Kill. Now why in holly hell would a band put a live version of a new song on a studio album? This is just retarded. The production on this live song isn't overly good so it hinders whatever the song had going for it. Sadly it ends up not being a bad song so it SHOULD have been on the album under its studio recorded format.

As you can tell I am not very found of this album. As of right now it is the only Exciter album that is out-of-print so it took me some time to hunt it down for my Exciter collection. It sadly wasn't worth the hunt. If this isn't Exciter's worst album, it’s damn near close.