The history of metal music remembers a not that many supergroups – besides S.O.D. and Down – that have made a significant mark on the genre. Probably because quite often under the shiny, and loudly marketed package lies a side projects where the big names don't really push themselves. On the other hand, it would be strange if you aren't at least interested in hearing a band like Killer Be Killed – one that unites musicians like Troy Sanders (Mastodon), Max Cavalera (Soulfly and, cough, ex-Sepultura), Greg Puciato (The Dillinger Escape Plan) and David Elitch (The Mars Volta).

And Killer Be Killed's debut self-titled album is definitely interesting. Without doing anything that radical, the four musicians pull each other out of their respective comfort zones. This way they achieve a sound that is like the natural and homogeneous result of interaction by these musicians as you know them from their main bands.

In opener 'Wings of Feather and Wax' Sanders sings semi-clean vocals over some signature Soulfly-esque groove-thrash riffs, providing an encouraging hypothesis about how Cavalera's output would sound with different vocals, catchy choruses and proper lyrics. Next, 'Face Down' sees some tribal groove, right off 'Roots,' cutting in an effective manner musical parts that follow the concept described above. 'Snakes of Jehova' then comes a straightened out, thrashier rewrite of The Dillinger Escape Plan, where Puciato and Cavalera trade screams over a squeaking riff before the tempo speeds up and with is come some cleans by Sanders, echoing over the chaos below. Closer 'Forbidden Fire,' in turn, slows down the tempo and takes you on a dynamic journey where ambient sounds burst into heavy riffs.

Other moments, however, sound like a musical hybrid that has been sown together rather hastily – mostly because of Cavalera who does stand out from the rest with his musical and aesthetic sense. Sometimes his parts sound like tribesmen have broken into the studio in the middle of the recording. (Avoid drinking liquids the first time you listen to 'Melting of My Marrow,' because at 00:50 you'd risk spilling stuff all over yourself.)

Still, Killer Be Killed's strengths outweigh the band's weaknesses. With a strong production and quite many interesting musical moments, this is an album that is definitely worth hearing.