KILLING ADDICTION is a Floridian death metal band formed in 1989 by Chris Wicklein (guitar), and brothers Chad Bailey (guitar) and Pat Bailey (bass/vocals). The next member to join was drummer Chris Ballina, who remained through the foundational years. During this time, KILLING ADDICTION released two recordings, the first of which was a four-song demo, released in 1990, entitled “Legacies of Terror”. “Legacies” was rough, gritty, and full of ideas that drew from both thrash and early death metal influences, such as Slayer, Kreator, Morbid Angel, Napalm Death, Bolt Thrower, and Carcass. Soon afterward, a deal was made with Seraphic Decay Records to release the follow-up recording, the 1991 “Necrosphere” 7”EP, which is still a favorite among followers of early 90s cult death metal. By then, KILLING ADDICTION had already solidified much of what would become its trademark sound, and had begun the transition from typical death metal themes to songs about social, political, and philosophical themes that are now inseparable from its music and imagery.
In 1992, Chris York joined KILLING ADDICTION as the band’s new drummer. With only two months to prepare, York played on the first full-length album “Omega Factor”. Although originally recorded for a small, underground British record label, “Omega Factor” was eventually released on the short-lived American label JL America. This full-length recording helped solidify KILLING ADDICTION’s style as something apart from the typical sound associated with Floridian death metal. Eventually, this debut became regarded as a minor classic and often earned the band the title of a cult death metal act. The next few years were spent performing live to support “Omega Factor” and writing material for a follow-up recording.
Two years later, the split EP recording “Dark Tomorrow” was completed and self-released, which was later re-issued in 1998. “Dark Tomorrow” was, in ways, a departure from the band’s sound on “Omega Factor”. There was a deliberate attempt to push this recording into darker, more extreme territory. As a result, several tracks contained the addition of ambient keyboard accompaniments and more frequent use of the high-pitched, black metal influenced vocals that were modestly used in previous recordings. “Dark Tomorrow” was a very limited release, which, in turn, gained little immediate attention. In the months following the EP’s completion, York left the band to pursue other interests. The minute presence of the death metal scene at the time made it difficult to find an adequate replacement and, soon afterwards, the other members decided to dissolve the band.
After KILLING ADDICTION, all of the members remained active in music. However, no matter what particular project or genre was pursued, there was always the interest in extreme music that originally led to the band’s creation. Many years passed, during which time heavy metal and extreme music became more widely accessible and appreciated, and KILLING ADDICTION’s former members noticed. After more than a decade apart, in 2006, Chris, Chad, and Pat found they were once again ready to make another attempt at what had begun so long before. New material was prepared and then the end of the year saw the fortuitous addition of drummer Gabe Lewandowski.
The combination of personal musical development of the founding members and the addition of Gabe raised the bar for what KILLING ADDICTION could now deliver. The new material composed was faster, more aggressive, and more maturely structured than anything previously created. The ferocity of Gabe’s drumming broadened the range of what the others could compose. The result was the much anticipated “Fall of the Archetypes” material, which was released as a full-length CD by Xtreem Music. This album consisted of six new songs and the addition of the ““Dark Tomorrow”” EP as bonus material. True to form, KILLING ADDICTION’s themes remained social and political, but this time included a much more spiteful, sophisticated message. With the release of ““Fall of the Archetypes””, KILLING ADDICTION hopes to remain loyal to its roots, while also introducing itself to entirely new audiences.
Xtreem Releases:
Band:
KILLING ADDICTION
Title:
Fall of the Archetypes
CAT. #:
XM 077 CD
Format:
CD [39:30]
Genre:
Death Metal
Released:
03.2010
Band:
KILLING ADDICTION
Title:
Killing Addiction
CAT. #:
XM 256 CD
Format:
CD [1:10:57]
Genre:
Death Metal
Released:
03.2018
Band:
KILLING ADDICTION
Title:
Shores of Oblivion
CAT. #:
XM 221 MCD
Format:
MCD [14:46]
Genre:
Death Metal
Released:
10.2016
Media:
If you run a zine, webzine or you need high quality graphic stuff about the band, you can download here a .ZIP file with: Pictures, Logos and Album cover.
