Kill or Be Killed (song)
| Muse song | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kill or Be Killed[1] |
| Album/single | Will of the People (7) |
| Length | 4:59[2] |
| Alternative titles | |
| First live performance | 6th June 2022 |
| Latest live performance | |
| Recorded | 2021 |
| Writer/composer | Matthew Bellamy |
| Producer | Muse |
| Chart position | |
| Song Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween | < | Kill or Be Killed | > | Verona |
| Album Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simulation Theory (2018) | < | Will of the People (2022) | > | |
Description
The song's title has been "officially" leaked on March 14th, 2022 via the JSON output from wontstanddown.muse.mu, which contains basic album info.
In a 2022 interview with Zane Lowe, Bellamy said that this track is "the best metal/prog track we've ever done, the best track that could've been on Drones.".[3] The metal-like song was further described in Warner Music's short album recap as having "industrial-tinged" and "granite heavy" guitar riffs.[4]
A heavy song with heavy use of synth arpeggios and double kick patterns, it features a very nu-metal-like guitar riff during the intro, reminiscent to bands like Slipknot and Korn. The guitar solo relies on heavy use of tapping, including the Whammy pedal, and is thus similar in style to Reapers. What's also similar to the latter song is the siren, which appears during the bridge part, which also includes a heavy scream. The pre-chorus parts feature a similar tom pattern and vibe as the verses of Assassin's demo version, known as Debase Mason's Grog. The chord progression during the solo is similar to that of The Globalist's middle section, but with a slower drum beat.
The melody of the guitar during the break of the song, written in phrygian scale, and in B-minor, is reminiscent to that of Break It to Me's verses.
Live
The song was first performed live on June 4th, 2022.
More here
Lyrics
Unofficial, transcribed from live performances
Kill or be killed
Crawling, I'm exhausted with fear Our love and compassion dissolve Demons have materialized in me Can't fight them, they're taking control
Tried, oh, I tried, so hard to be good, But the war rewards us with [inaudible]
Fate Is driving me insane Is forcing me to fix I must kill or be killed
[Inaudible], right through my heart I'm growing so cold and detached
Tried, oh, I tried, so hard to spread love, But you preverse it, and I assert control
Fate Has brought us here to face Our hopes and dreams are waste Either kill or be killed
Either kill or be killed
Fate Is driving me insane Is forcing me to fix I must kill or be killed
Kill or be killed