Four albums in, A Killer’s Confession have looked at their own bandname and have decided to make a concept album about it. Victim 1, then, is a Punisher-style tale of vigilantism told via its protagonist’s external and internal monologues. It’s not quite as clever as it thinks it is, true, but it’s still big dumb violent fun. Frontman Waylon Reavis is best known for his tenure in Mushroomhead, and he’s retained much of their nu metal stomp, if not the flashes of oddball invention. Crunching riffs abound, as do ultra-heavy breakdowns and a touch of cinematic metalcore redolent of Ice Nine Kills. There’s also an electronic pulse and a melodic sensibility, imbued with bright synth lines and clean vocal hooks. Victim 1 isn’t quite a killer album, but it does take a damn good shot. ■■■■■■
FOR FANS OF: Ice Nine Kills, Motograter, Mushroomhead