Photo by: Alex Morgan
Official press release:
Southern Florida’s LiveKill are a new force to be reckoned with. On their upcoming EP, entitled Turned To Grey (out September 28, 2018 via SWOL Records), the band performs an intense, high-energy blend of alternative metal and hardcore styles with deep lyrical messages about the fragility of life itself. LiveKill’s powerhouse line-up consists of Carlos Guerreros on vocals, Sean Young on lead guitar, John Snell on rhythm guitar, Anthony Laurella on live drums, and Gil Giberga on bass.
Turned To Grey is available for pre-order now via Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play. The EP will also be available to stream via Apple Music and Spotify upon release.
Featuring top-tier production and a world-class pummeling from seasoned drummer Kevin Talley (Dååth, Chimaira, Suffocation), Turned To Grey instantly hits hard on the title track with a low, grooving lead riff and double bass attack. The chorus drives in with a headbanging precursor, engaging into a two-steppable, anthemic chorus. Get your first taste of LiveKill and jam the single “Turned To Grey” now via New Noise Magazine:
The main inspiration behind the art, title track and EP concept is the lives lost in Hiroshima and more specifically, the story of Shinichi Tetsutani, a three year old boy who lost his life in the atomic bomb strike there. His father buried Shinichi and his tricycle in the backyard, and 40 years later in 1985, dug up his son along with the tricycle, had him properly buried, and donated the tricycle to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Basing some concepts of the EP on this story was not intended to highlight war itself, but rather that any one of us, in a moment so quick, can be nothing more than an imprint left behind.
Lead songwriter and rhythm guitarist John Snell states about the song and EP concept:
“While browsing the internet one day, I stumbled upon pictures from the bomb blast in Hiroshima where people were vaporized in a second where they stood. It really moved me to realize that these were real people – who they were, how they lived, and that no one will ever know who they were.
Those images inspired the song, lyrics and overall EP artwork. I was thinking about my own self and how we could just be gone. I wanted to get this message out in our music, about how this is a physical example we can all relate with. That we should always be considering our own humanity and how quickly it can be gone. When you see the artwork, you can see the true story about a three year old boy that lost his life that day.”
For Turned To Grey, the band brought on Alastair Sims of MOTTO Sound (Rush, Three Days Grace) to mix and master the EP, which took place at Villa Studios in Canada. Further building upon the intensity, passion and professionalism of Turned To Grey, LiveKill sought the creative talents of artist Eliran Kantor, recognized for his work on album covers for Testament, Soulfly, and Sodom. LiveKill and Eliran worked over a period of five months to complete the vision of John Snell to capture the concept of how fleeting life is. The art was inspired by the imagery, stories and grief of people who lost their lives in a flash of light – so quickly that they were “Turned To Grey” while leaving their last moment’s impression.
Snell feels that Eliran Kantor’s art truly captures his vision. He explains:
“Eliran did some research and was the one who actually found the story about Shinichi and his tricycle. He sent me the suggestion and asked what I thought. It was exactly what I had envisioned. I wanted to impact the viewer with the artwork so that when they saw it, it would stay with them.”
Snell adds about the other personnel on the EP:
“Working with Kevin Talley was a very positive experience. When I reached out to him about recording, he responded immediately with enthusiasm for the songs. Once the EP tracking was completed, I brought on Alastair Sims to mix and master the tracks. Alastair was a total professional to work with and really helped bring the EP to what it is today – purely LiveKill.”
Turned To Grey EP track listing:
1. “Turned To Grey”
2. “In This Moment”
3. “Demons”
4. “Shadows”
With Turned To Grey’s release imminent, LiveKill have tapped director Alex Morgan’s creative talents for their high energy music video, set to be released soon. Morgan has worked with bands such as Whitechapel, Gojira, and Bad Wolves. Stay tuned for the video and more media to be released leading up to the release of Turned To Grey.
LiveKill will perform live on October 19th in West Palm Beach, Florida with Doyle, Natsuki, and The Coven.