Kill II This
English groove/industrial metal band from Manchester.
Kill II This, also written as Kill 2 This, is a groove metal and industrial metal band from Manchester, England. Their music mixes extreme metal with dance, hip hop, trip-hop, and soul. Terrorizer magazine described their sound as combining clever industrial sampling with fierce guitar, calling it both threatening and danceable.
The band formed in the mid-1990s and released their first album, *Another Cross II Bare*, in 1997. That lineup included Jeff Singer on drums, Pete Stone on bass, and Nick Arlea on vocals. They played UK shows with Grip Inc. and Skinlab in June 1997, then joined Megadeth’s European tour for *Cryptic Writings*.
Their second album, *Deviate*, came out in 1998. New members Matt Pollock (vocals) and Caroline Campbell (bass) joined, while Ben Calvert took over drums for touring after the recording. Metal Hammer praised the album for its downbeat riffs that don’t depress and confident grooves. In 2000, the band toured the UK with Earthone 9 and Linea 77 in spring, and with Brutal Deluxe and an unknown Lostprophets in autumn.
The third album, *Trinity*, featured a cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s “Two Tribes” with Fear Factory’s Burton C. Bell on vocals. Reviews were mixed. The band supported Godflesh and Devin Townsend in December 2001, and opened for Soil’s UK debut in January 2002. Kerrang! said Kill II This blended the last 20 years of heavy guitar music into a sound that made them one of the most cutting-edge bands around.
For the fourth album, *Mass. [Down.]-Sin.(Drone)* (2003), vocalist Phil Bretnall and drummer Steve Rooney joined, with Pete Stone returning on bass. European tours followed with Anthrax, Fear Factory, Type O Negative, Slipknot, and Machine Head, plus a headline tour with Area 54. In spring 2004, Mark Mynett announced the fifth album would be the band’s last. That record, *A New Spiritual Mountain*, came out under the new name City of God, featuring Jeff Singer (fresh from Paradise Lost and Blaze), Simon Gordon (ex-Xentrix/Hellfighter), and Tim Preston (ex-Dearly Beheaded). No tour followed, and Kill II This seemed finished.
After the breakup, Mynett became a Senior Lecturer in Music Technology & Production at the University of Huddersfield. He had a cover feature in *Sound on Sound* magazine in November 2009 on extreme metal production and still produces albums at the university’s studios.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Stockport, England
- Genre
- Nu metal, groove metal, industrial metal
- Years Active
- 1995–2004, 2014–present
- Label
- Visible Noise, Revolver
- Associated Acts
- City of God, China Beach
- Current Members
- Simon Gordon / Mark Mynett / Pete Stone / Jeff Singer
- Past Members
- Nick Arlea / Matt Pollock / Caroline Campbell / Ben Calvert / Phillip Bretnall / Steve Rooney / Martin Wheeler
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Kill II This formed in Manchester and released their debut album Another Cross II Bare in 1997, featuring Jeff Singer on drums, Pete Stone on bass, and Nick Arlea on vocals. They supported Grip Inc., Skinlab, and Megadeth on tour. Their second album Deviate (1998) saw new vocalist Matt Pollock and bassist Caroline Campbell, with Ben Calvert replacing Singer on drums for touring. Metal Hammer described the album as 'brimming with deflowered gems; downbeat riffs that don't depress and confident grooves.'
The band's third album Trinity (2001) featured a guest appearance by Fear Factory frontman Burton C. Bell on a cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's 'Two Tribes.' After mixed reviews, they supported Godflesh and Devin Townsend in 2001 and opened for Soil in 2002. The fourth album mass.(down.)-sin.(drone) (2003) was recorded with vocalist Phil Bretnall and drummer Steve Rooney, with Pete Stone returning on bass. European tours with Anthrax, Fear Factory, Type O Negative, Slipknot, and Machine Head followed.
In 2004, Mark Mynett announced the band's final album would be released under the new name City of God, titled A New Spiritual Mountain. The band reformed in 2014 with original members Mynett, Stone, and Singer, plus new vocalist Simon Gordon. They released singles 'Coma Karma' and 'Sleeper Cell' and played Bloodstock in 2016. In 2024, Revolver Records announced the fifth album Variant, due in May, preceded by singles 'Less Human', 'Deus', 'Heart-Shaped Grenade', and a new version of 'Coma Karma.'
Reader's Guide
Kill II This are notable for their fusion of extreme metal with dance, hip hop, trip-hop, and soul, earning them a reputation as a cutting-edge band according to Kerrang! magazine. Their career spans multiple line-up changes and a hiatus, with a reformation in 2014 that continues to produce new material. The band's significance lies in their ability to blend industrial sampling with heavy guitar, creating a sound that is both threatening and danceable. Their tours with major acts like Megadeth, Slipknot, and Fear Factory highlight their presence in the metal scene. The 2024 album Variant, released through Revolver Records, marks a return after a long gap, with the band actively performing and releasing new music. Mark Mynett's later career as a Senior Lecturer in Music Technology at the University of Huddersfield and his feature in Sound on Sound magazine on extreme metal production further underscore the band's technical and academic legacy.
Did You Know?
- Kill II This supported Megadeth on their Cryptic Writings European tour in 1997.
- After a hiatus, the band reformed in 2014 with original members Mark Mynett, Pete Stone, and Jeff Singer.
- The 2024 album Variant is the band's fifth studio album and first since 2003.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kill II This?
Kill II This (also styled Kill 2 This) is a groove and industrial metal band that formed in Manchester, England in the mid-1990s. They are known for fusing extreme metal with dance, hip hop, trip-hop, and soul influences.
What genre does Kill II This play?
The band sits at the crossroads of groove metal and industrial metal, pairing aggressive guitar riffs with electronic sampling and rhythmic patterns borrowed from dance and hip hop. Terrorizer magazine has described their sound as both threatening and danceable.
What albums has Kill II This released?
Their studio output runs from *Another Cross II Bare* (1997) through *Deviate* (1998), *Trinity* (2001), and *mass.(down.)-sin.(drone)* (2003), with a new record, *Variant*, arriving in 2024.
Who are the current members of Kill II This?
The present lineup is Simon Gordon (vocals), Mark Mynett (guitar), Pete Stone (bass), and Jeff Singer (drums). Stone and Singer have been part of the project since its earliest days in the mid-1990s.
Why is Kill II This important?
Emerging from Manchester's early-1990s metal scene, they helped fuse industrial electronics with heavy guitar in the UK before the wider nu metal wave took hold. Their long-running career, including a reunion after a 2004 hiatus, makes them a notable thread in British groove and industrial metal history.
More in British Nu Metal Musical Groups 1-20
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced