Formation, early years and self-titled (2011–2015)
The band was first announced in February 2011, when Metal Hammer reported news of Puciato and Cavalera planning a new project in the vein of Cavalera's Nailbomb band with Alex Newport in the mid 1990s. Shortly afterwards, The Mars Volta's Dave Elitch and Mastodon bassist Troy Sanders were announced to be part of the project. Converge bassist Nate Newton was originally eyed to be included in the project, but was unable to join, so Cavalera reached out to Sanders instead. Despite not yet having a name, the group entered the Fortress Studio in Los Angeles in September 2013 with producer Josh Wilbur. In October 2013, the band revealed Killer Be Killed as their name and announced that their first album would be released through Nuclear Blast. In March 2014, an announcement confirmed that the band's debut album would be self-titled, Killer Be Killed, and would be released on May 13, 2014. On March 14, 2014, two songs from the upcoming eponymous debut, "Wings of Feather and Wax", and "Face Down" were made available for streaming. In 2015, it was announced that Elitch left the band because of a dispute between the band members and managers and conflict of being in Antemasque as well. Converge drummer Ben Koller filled in for the band's live debut at Soundwave Festival and eventually became an official member.
Upcoming album (2016–present)
In an interview with Full Metal Jackie, Cavalera said he'd love to do another Killer Be Killed album; "I’d love to do a little bit with Killer Be Killed … We did one record and it was very well received, and I think we can do a better one than that. I think we can really — if we work hard on it — we can make a kick ass second Killer Be Killed album." In a 2016 Facebook update Koller announced there is "whispers in the dark of a new Killer Be Killed album". In April 2018, Max Cavalera confirmed that the band were convening in Phoenix to write and rehearse new material in Soulfly's rehearsal space, with the aim of releasing a new album in 2019.
Musical style
Commenting on the writing process of their first album, Cavalera told Decibel that the record will be "politically charged" and that the composition will be a merging of styles of each of its members. In a press release, Puciato characterizes the style, "It's a bit of Sabbath-ydoom, a bit of thrash, a bit of hardcore and punk" continuing, "Of any of our bands, it sounds the furthest away from mine...", whereas critics have described the band's sound as a progressive form of groove metal, incorporating elements of melodic metalcore, hardcore punk, crossover thrash and progressive rock.
