Kill or Be Killed (song) explained

Kill or Be Killed
Cover:Kill or Be Killed (Felsmann + Tiley Reinterpretation) Muse.jpg
Caption:Cover of the Felsmann + Tiley reinterpretation
Type:single
Artist:Muse
Album:Will of the People
Genre:
Length:5:00
Label:Warner
Producer:Muse
Prev Title:Will of the People
Prev Year:2022
Next Title:You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween
Next Year:2022

"Kill or Be Killed" is a song by the English rock band Muse. It was released on 21 July 2022 as the fourth single ahead of their ninth studio album Will of the People, having already debuted in live format during festival shows of their Will of the People World Tour. It was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.

Release history

"Kill or Be Killed" was debuted in live format at the 4 June 2022 show of the Will of the People World Tour, at the Rock am Ring music festival in Germany, during which the previous single "Will of the People" also received its live debut. "Kill or Be Killed" was played as the first song of the encore, before the closing song "Knights of Cydonia", and without any official prior announcement from the band.[1]

"Kill or Be Killed" was subsequently played at every following show of the tour, emerging as a fan favourite. On 14 July, Muse confirmed through social media that "Kill or Be Killed" would be released as the fourth single ahead of Will of the People two weeks later on 21 July 2022, with a thirty-second snippet of the studio version of the song becoming available to preview through TikTok later that day.[2]

Writing and composition

Prior to the live debut of "Kill or Be Killed", in an interview with Apple Music 1 on 17 March 2022, Matt Bellamy described "Kill or Be Killed" as "the best metal/prog track we've ever done", featuring "industrial-tinged, granite-heavy guitar riffs".[3] Music journalists described "Kill or Be Killed" as progressive metal,[4] [5] heavy metal,[6] alternative metal,[7] and metalcore.[8]

For the guitar solo, Bellamy combined a tapping technique with a DigiTech Whammy, a pitch-shifting pedal, to shift rapidly between octaves. He said, "I'm plainly cheating in that solo ... It sounds like I’m doing insane arpeggios. I'm not a shredder at all. I've never been a very good shredder, but I found ways to cut corners."[9]

Charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
UK Singles Sales (OCC)[10] 81
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[11] 37

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Shutler . Ali . Watch Muse perform new song 'Kill Or Be Killed' as they kick off summer tour . NME . 16 July 2022 . 5 June 2022.
  2. Web site: You've been asking for it… Kill Or Be Killed, out 21st July 3pm BST. . Instagram . Muse . 16 July 2022 . 14 July 2022.
  3. Web site: Muse Announces New Album 'Will Of The People' . Bass Magazine . 16 July 2022 . 17 March 2022.
  4. Web site: Muse – Will Of The People. Clash. 26 August 2022. 28 August 2022.
  5. Web site: Phil. Weller. Muse - Will of The People: "hardly short on flamboyant outlandishness". Prog. 25 August 2022 . 28 August 2022 .
  6. Web site: Micheal. O'Connor Marotta. Muse bring the heavy metal artillery on 'Kill Or Be Killed'. Vanyaland. 21 July 2022. 28 August 2022.
  7. Web site: Simon K.. Review: Muse - Will of the People. Sputnikmusic. 24 August 2022. 8 May 2023.
  8. Web site: Paolo. Ragusa. Muse’s Will of the People is Vague, Jumbled, and Unimaginative: Review. Consequence. 26 August 2022. 8 May 2023.
  9. Web site: Charupakorn . Joe . 11 August 2022 . Muse’s Matt Bellamy: Natural-Born Disruptor . Premier Guitar.
  10. Web site: Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100. Official Charts Company. 29 July 2022. 30 July 2022.
  11. Web site: Muse Chart History (Rock & Alternative Airplay). Billboard. 23 March 2024.

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