Search - Killer & the Star :: Killer & The Star

Don't expect Cold all over again--!

TJ | California | 07/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Firstly, I want to say that The Killer and the Star is (although similar) different than Cold. For those who don't know, The Killer and the Star, is front man Scoot Ward's new project after the break up of a band called Cold. Cold has since reassembled, but in the down time (3 year-long downtime) Ward began to work on this solo project which is just now being released.



Scooter Ward's vocals and lyrics are as wrenching as they ever were in Cold and, of course, his voice really is awesome. However, the music itself is more piano-heavy. I find myself enjoying this aspect of The Killer and the Star very much. Though the change from Cold's sound seems simple, the music feels a lot less brooding . . . and more freeing.



By far my favorite songs are "Hallelujah", "Symphony for a Mad World", and "Angel Falls" -- In the end I highly encourage everyone to give The Killer and the Star a try. Just be sure to give the band a fair shot. No, they are not Cold but yes, they are similar. However, if one expects Cold and doesn't give this new, interesting music a chance then it's by far to the loss of that unadaptive listener."

Stop it, you're killing me.

Andrew Estes | Maine | 09/10/2009

(1 out of 5 stars)

"In between breaking up and not breaking up with his bandmates in Cold (what few of them were left) over the past few years, frontman Scooter Ward found time to write and record his own solo record under the moniker The Killer and the Star. Produced by Ross Robinson (who also helmed the very first Cold record), the self-titled debut is the first piece of new music to come from a member of the band since 2005's "A Different Kind of Pain."



Folks, I'm going to be as blunt as possible here. How Ross Robinson let this one slip past his radar is beyond me. The man has made some classics with the likes of Korn, Slipknot, At the Drive-In, Glassjaw, etc. but that golden touch seems lost with this first offering from The Killer and the Star. To say it is over-produced wouldn't do it justice. In fact, it is one of the few albums in this day and age that is as over-produced as it is under-produced, if that even makes any sense. Basically, it's got slick production with virtually nothing below the surface.



Perhaps the songs would be good on their own, but unfortunately for the faithful Cold fan, Scooter's pipes are smothered in a dense layer of auto-tune, and not the kind of auto-tune used sparingly on Cold albums in the past. This is auto-tune so badly utilized that it renders most of the songs unlistenable. Sure, such overkill of a technological advance might be okay if you're T-Pain or Cher, but coming from the unique and soulful voice of Cold, it is unnecessary, confusing and offensive.



The album enlists the help of Limp Bizkit drummer John Otto. Regardless of what you think of his band, Otto is a very talented drummer who is completely wasted on this record. The true star (get it?) of this not-so killer (get it?) album is Scooter's butchered vocals and ineffective Casio keyboard. It's hard to tell if this was meant to be some sort of Christian rock/hip-hop mash-up, but whatever the intentions, the album is an absolute creative failure. Cold have a new album in the works for an early 2010 release titled "Epic." It's going to have to be just that in order to make up for this disappointment."

Mission Accomplished with "the Flow, the Style, the Grace"

Donna Studley | New York, USA | 07/18/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Scooter Ward did exactly what he intended to do with this debut album... to break the "COLD mold" and produce a sound completely different and unique to what COLD fans were used to hearing. And he accomplished this on every level.... an expanded vocal range (no longer just the 'nicotine-marinated baritone" as he was once dubbed), by the incorporation of a plethera of instrumental sounds not often used on a COLD album, and with a noticably more intricate mix.



I had the priviledge of seeing The Killer and the Star live a few times this past spring when they toured with COLD. True to Ward form, their live show was simply stellar. A 3-man band with Rocky Gray (Evanescence, The Fallen) taking on drumming duties, they produced a powerfully melodic sound. This album equals that sound and continues it with impressive multi-dimensionality. With every listen through, you pick up on notes and sounds you didn't hear the previous times. "Angel Falls" could practically be performed by the Trans Siberian Orchestra. "Starts When You Fall" is the perfect anthemic single, "The Low" has almost a tribal affect. "Questions", with it's almost pipe-organ ending, gets stuck in your head and stays there.



John Otto (Limp Bizkit) does an outstanding job laying down the beats and Michael Harris (Idiot Pilot) adds bass with class.



The one similarity there is to Ward's previous COLD releases, is his pension and talent for writing beautifully cryptic, thought provoking, soul searching lyrics. This album not only makes you listen closely, it makes you think and - as always with SW's music - it makes you feel.









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