01 February 2010

DOWNLOAD: Killed At Camp - Bingo Chips for Execution



It's not unfortunate that the members of Killed At Camp went on to plays in the bands The Minus Tide, The Loved Ones, Drown Culture, COBRA, and Trial By Fire. It is unfortunate that in the wake of the the aforementioned projects, Killed At Camp is often overlooked or unfamiliar.

Formed in 1998 by college friends who had played in various West Virginia bands, Killed At Camp soon became a staple of a thriving scene in Wheeling. Taking influence from post-hardcore acts such as Fugazi, Harriet the Spy and At The Drive-In, Killed At Camp combined with layers of multiple scream-sung vocals with distorted guitars for a see-saw of melody and chaos. It could make sense to put Killed At Camp into the sub-genre known as "screamo." Musically, though, KAC reached beyond such simple classification, and hinted at bands like Gang of Four and Wipers as much as they did mid-'90s emo.

Whether it was Killed at Camp or its post-Killed at Camp projects, members Michael Iafrate, Sean Decker and Dallas Campbell (and Mike Sneeringer) were always willing to experiment with new styles to write songs that were unique and interesting. This willingness to always push the envelope directly contributes to the success of these musicians. In their short career as Killed At Camp, the band produced two lo-fi albums, both recorded in a dorm room at Wheeling Jesuit University - 1999's Bingo Chips for Execution and 2000's Eating Cake and Playing. Both albums are inventive but not contrived; angst-ridden yet sensitive; chaotic yet artful; all without being pretentious about it.

Artist: Killed At Camp.
Album: Bingo Chips for Execution.
Year: 1999.
For Fans Of: Harriet the Spy, Party of Helicopters, Fugazi.


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