Killing Addiction is a Florida death metal band which started in the late 80’s if you can believe that!  After a bunch of demos/ep’s and their excellent 1993 debut album, Omega Factor, they stuck around a few more years until disbanding and then putting the pieces back together in 2006 and since then have released some very good ep’s, but finally we have the second album, lonnngggg overdue from Killing Addiction with Mind of a New God.

Killing Addiction was an overlooked band and I would have bet years ago a second album was just not going to happen, therefore my hopes were set high for this release.  Patrick Bailey, Chris Wicklein and Chris York all are back in top form, as they were on the debut album, to bludgeon the listener to death.  The title track comes scorching through at under 3 minutes the song is vintage 90’s death metal and Patrick’s vocals sound so killer.  The song is fast paced and “As Utopia Burns” is up next.  Mid-paced and some excellent guitar soloing early one.  I really like the double bass drum sound.  For some reason they really stick out in the mix.  The guitar riffing at the 1.20 with the vocals coming in and out is a thing of beauty and then the fast part comes right in.  Some double pounding drums to rattle your fillings, before that awesome mid-paced guitar riff returns.  The classic beat after that will have you doing circle pits all damn day.  More guitar soloing and melodies.  This is an excellent song.

“Destroyer of Worlds” has a very cool opening and reminds me a little of early Gorguts with the opening – some of the riffing is a bit dissonant.  These are areas, which the band used to great effect on their 1993 debut.  Some of the dissonance on this song will harken back to Immolation’s earlier efforts as well.  Regardless, the guitar soloing comes back in and slower riffs which are just well-played throughout.  The fast double bass returns, more slow down and then quicker paces.  The vocals are just spot-on-sounding perfect and you can make out the bass guitar sound as well.  This song must be in their live set list.

“Lives Unworthy of Life” starts off rather chaotic.  A lot going on and then the song settles into a mid-paced speed, with more early Cannibal Corpse stylized death/thrashiness madness.  It’s killer, especially with the phase shifter guitar effect around the 1.50 part and more dissonant riffing.  I will point out the production on this album is great.  It brings out those weird sounding riffs, never muddies the sound and the notes and instruments are all discernible.  The 2.48 slower part, a groove moment, with some of the double bass kicking in and start and stop riffing and vocals would turn a pit upside down and shake all the people to the floor.  This must be in their setlist, going forward.  I love this song.  It’s that good.

“The Chaos Older than Time” is close to 6 minutes and has some great isolated guitar riffing, and you know this is a slow build-up, before the drums start crashing in, but the melodic, yet heavy riff is lightly picking.  Then the mid-paced rumbling heaviness comes in and then a quicker pace and the vocals over the music are excellent.  The excellent guitar riffing over the double bass continues and it’s quite a riff.  More epic moments erupt and this song has all the trademarks of Killing Addiction’s strengths.  There’s the dissonance, soloing, strong rhythm section and outstanding vocals.  This is my favorite song on the album.

Killing Addiction’s Mind of a New God is an excellent death metal album taking us back to the early 90’s.  The band proving they know how to write quality death metal.  There’s a few blast beats thrown in here and there, but not all that often and that’s fine.  Killing Addiction are about the heavy, catchy and weird riff patterns and the vocals are just super incredible on this.  Patrick stays with one tone throughout the album, but he does throw some raspy moments in, every so often.  But his main tone is just excellent, as they’ve been on the prior releases.  The production on this album is the best the band has achieved therefore they are brought out even more.  The album cover is great and kinda creepy.  That’s not Papa from Ghost, is it?  Anyway kudos to the band for continuing with their band logo, putting out this second overdue album and really maintaining that excellent 90’s death metal vibe.  Great ‘effin album fellas!

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