The Killing Tree
Encyclopedia
The Killing Tree was a post-hardcore
band from Chicago, Illinois. They were another band of Tim McIlrath
(Rise Against
's lead singer), and also contain a former guitarist from Rise Against, Todd Mohney
.
The Killing Tree were formed before McIlrath
's other band, Rise Against
, with a "female roommate [named Laura Cahill] at the time singing for [them] for awhile", McIlrath
on guitar, Reu on bass, and Remis on drums. In an interview, McIlrath
told the interviewer "I used to play in a band called Baxter
with Geoff Reu and Remis, and we always had an itch to do heavier music." McIlrath
was concerned that Rise Against's record label, Fat Wreck Chords
would not want him recording with a different band, so all members of The Killing Tree used false identities when performing and recording. The Killing Tree has not had any album or EP releases since 2003.
The Killing Tree's musical style is less conventional than Rise Against
. The songs are generally longer and have more metalcore influences, such double bass pedals and aggressive breakdowns. The vocals are primarily screamed
, although many tracks alternate between screaming and clean vocals. The lyrics tend to be darker and have some violent themes. These qualities make the band less appealing to mainstream audiences than Rise Against
.
The Killing Tree has not performed live since 2004 or released any new music since 2006, and the official website has not been updated since October 15, 2007. It has also been confirmed that the band has no plans to get back together.
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
band from Chicago, Illinois. They were another band of Tim McIlrath
Tim McIlrath
Timothy "Tim" James McIlrath is an American punk rock musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder for the American punk rock band Rise Against. McIlrath is known to support animal rights and actively promotes PETA with his band...
(Rise Against
Rise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
's lead singer), and also contain a former guitarist from Rise Against, Todd Mohney
Todd Mohney
Todd Mohney is an American guitarist, who formerly played guitar for the melodic hardcore band Rise Against. He is from Joliet, Illinois and currently resides in Los Angeles. He was active in The Killing Tree side-project band with Rise Against vocalist Tim McIlrath. The Killing Tree hasn't played...
.
The Killing Tree were formed before McIlrath
Tim McIlrath
Timothy "Tim" James McIlrath is an American punk rock musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder for the American punk rock band Rise Against. McIlrath is known to support animal rights and actively promotes PETA with his band...
's other band, Rise Against
Rise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
, with a "female roommate [named Laura Cahill] at the time singing for [them] for awhile", McIlrath
Tim McIlrath
Timothy "Tim" James McIlrath is an American punk rock musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder for the American punk rock band Rise Against. McIlrath is known to support animal rights and actively promotes PETA with his band...
on guitar, Reu on bass, and Remis on drums. In an interview, McIlrath
Tim McIlrath
Timothy "Tim" James McIlrath is an American punk rock musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder for the American punk rock band Rise Against. McIlrath is known to support animal rights and actively promotes PETA with his band...
told the interviewer "I used to play in a band called Baxter
Baxter (punk band)
Baxter was a Chicago post-hardcore band. The band consisted of Tim McIlrath , Neil Hennessy, , Timothy Remis, and a bassist only referred to as J...
with Geoff Reu and Remis, and we always had an itch to do heavier music." McIlrath
Tim McIlrath
Timothy "Tim" James McIlrath is an American punk rock musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder for the American punk rock band Rise Against. McIlrath is known to support animal rights and actively promotes PETA with his band...
was concerned that Rise Against's record label, Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
would not want him recording with a different band, so all members of The Killing Tree used false identities when performing and recording. The Killing Tree has not had any album or EP releases since 2003.
The Killing Tree's musical style is less conventional than Rise Against
Rise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
. The songs are generally longer and have more metalcore influences, such double bass pedals and aggressive breakdowns. The vocals are primarily screamed
Screaming (music)
Screaming is a vocal technique that is most popular in subgenres of heavy metal, punk and hard rock, including metalcore, deathcore, post-hardcore, groove metal, black metal, and grindcore...
, although many tracks alternate between screaming and clean vocals. The lyrics tend to be darker and have some violent themes. These qualities make the band less appealing to mainstream audiences than Rise Against
Rise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
.
The Killing Tree has not performed live since 2004 or released any new music since 2006, and the official website has not been updated since October 15, 2007. It has also been confirmed that the band has no plans to get back together.
Albums/EPs
- Bury Me At Make-Out Creek (2000)
- The Romance Of Helen TrentThe Romance of Helen Trent (album)-External links:**...
(2002) - We Sing Sin (2003)
Band Members and Aliases
- Tim McIlrathTim McIlrathTimothy "Tim" James McIlrath is an American punk rock musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder for the American punk rock band Rise Against. McIlrath is known to support animal rights and actively promotes PETA with his band...
(James Kaspar) - lead vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Todd MohneyTodd MohneyTodd Mohney is an American guitarist, who formerly played guitar for the melodic hardcore band Rise Against. He is from Joliet, Illinois and currently resides in Los Angeles. He was active in The Killing Tree side-project band with Rise Against vocalist Tim McIlrath. The Killing Tree hasn't played...
(Todd Rundgren) - lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocals on "Counting To Infinity" - Geoff Reu (Jean-Luc Rue) - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Timothy Remis (Botchy Vasquez) - drums, backing vocals
Previous Members
- Laura Cahill - lead vocals (early 2000) (rehearsals only, no recordings or concerts)
Other appearances
- Emily Schambra (of Holy Roman Empire) - backing vocals on "Dressed To Fuck"
- Neil HennessyNeil HennessyNeil Kevin Hennessy is a musician and music producer/engineer from Chicago, Illinois.Hennessy currently plays in The Lawrence Arms, Colossal, The Falcon, The Smoking Popes and Demon Beach. He has also been a member of Noise By Numbers, Baxter, The Killing Tree, and Quattro.Hennessy works at Atlas...
- guest drummer during certain recording sessions