Randy J. Klodz - Kill Hannah To Debut “For Never and Ever”

Sept. 25, 2003

Kill Hannah To Debut “For Never and Ever”

By Randy J. Klodz

If you live in the Chicago area and you’ve yet to hear the band name Kill Hannah, you soon will. At first listen to the band’s name, one may think that the band leans toward death-metal anthems or a fascination with the dead, but Kill Hannah has been touring the local Chicago rock scene, as well as other destinations across the States for years. The band plans to make things national with “For Never and Ever,” the band’s major label debut that’s planned to hit stores on Oct. 14.

Kill Hannah--which includes Mat Devine (vocals), Jonathan Radtke and Dan Weise (guitars), Greg Corner (bass) and Garrett Hammond (drums)--unleashes a blend of rock that features elements of pop and even rudiments of dance beats that can be quickly found when listening to “Kennedy,” the second track off of “For Never and Ever.” Devin’s high-pitched “I wanna be a Kennedy” lyrics start the track, almost in tune with the sound of Garbage vocalist Shirley Manson’s introduction to “Only Happy When it Rains.”

The rocking “Raining all the Time” mixes pop guitar riffs and sonic balladry, a la the Goo Goo Dolls’ work on the 1995 hit “Long Way Down.” The lyrics of “Raining all the Time,” including: “It's raining all the time / I'll need you by my side / When I leave it all behind” sound like something out of the popular Brandon Lee film “The Crow.” “I wish the rain would stop, just once,” said the movie’s Sarah, played by Rochelle Davis.

In total, the albums 42 minutes present a form of rock that deviates from the norm, yet can still be radio-friendly, even if the band concedes that they are still indie to the core. With a strong local following--the band often sells out shows at Metro and other clubs across Chicago--and the drive to tour throughout the States, Kill Hannah may soon become a national force.

Locally, the band is scheduled to play at Tower Records in suburban Schaumburg on Oct. 13, Tower Records in Chicago on Oct. 14 and Otto’s in Dekalb, Ill. For more information on these shows, as well as information on the band, visit the band’s popular Web site at www.killhannah.com.