It Kills
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It Kills

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada | SELF

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada | SELF
Band Rock Avant-garde

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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Press


"Reviews: Halifax Pop Explosion - It Kills - CKDU Lobby, Halifax NS October 22"

:The emotional depth Halifax's It Kills was able to wade into during their short set was quite something. Sitting in a circle in a tiny radio station lobby, the band's cello, violin, piano, intricate guitar and soft drums worked together in a way that was intuitive and exuberant, and was punctuated with bursts of non-lyrical vocal harmonization. It was a sound that was at once intense and uplifting, and though the unassuming band members displayed an air of ease, the complexity of the work was not to be undersold. It Kills and their feverish, powerful instrumentals are something to watch out for."

- Nicole Villeneuve - Exclaim (October 2010)


"It Kills Self-titled (independent)"

“Halifax band It Kills may only be a tiny trio, but they sound positively symphonic on their remarkable debut album. A track might begin with a string quartet, then transform into a choral piece before guitars and drums come crashing through and tie it all together into triumphant territory. Many others who mine similar territory are often morose — Mogwai, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Explosions in the Sky, to name the three most obvious cinematic “post-rock” instrumental bands — and yet, ironically enough, the band called It Kills makes the most joyous music of them all, while maintaining the mystery and the majesty that make those other bands so intriguing.
Opening track Dragons offers some red herrings: with only two guitars and drums, it doesn’t hint at the diversity of the rest of the record, and it’s also one of the only songs to feature lyrics — which are a distraction for a band that communicates so much more without them.
It Kills are a brand new band with no pedigree that anyone outside of Halifax would know of; there are no immediate plans for them to head westward anytime soon, either. No matter: this music speaks volumes on its own, and is easily the most pleasant surprise in Canadian music this year.”

- Selina Martin
- The Record & The Guelph Mercury (September 2010)


"Post-Rock Rimes of the Unancient Mariners"

“Rumours of the death of Post-Rock have been greatly exaggerated, or so it would appear in light of the eponymous debut album from Halifax three-piece It Kills.
Born from the ashes of Nova Scotian legends I See Rowboats, It Kills are set to enflame interest both home and abroad with their own brand of brooding, orchestral rock. With song titles like “Sailors”, “Salt”, “Sinners” and “Old Song” the record reeks of the coast and of myth — of dark waves crashing against rocks in the night, the salt spray bringing sea nymphs into the dreams of the sleeping villagers.
The first track, “Dragons”, strongly evokes — at times almost too strongly — Explosions In The Sky, with its ever-building guitar melodies and driving percussion. Elsewhere the strong orchestral feel of the album is reminiscent of Rachel’s, the soundtrack work of Andrew Dickson, and HangedUp. Indeed, they would not be out of place on the latter band’s label, Montreal’s Constellation.
What sets this album apart however is the vocals — airy, vaulting and sultry — part Besnard Lakes, part Gregorian chant. The majority of tracks feature singing but don’t expect a lyric sheet. The soaring vocals of Will Robinson, Lisa Lipton and Solomon Vromans are there to provide sonic texture and emotion, the words being almost secondary. You just begin to grasp at a glimmer of meaning and then it’s gone, like searching through ever-shifting fog.
It Kills is a gorgeously fluid and accomplished debut that will renew interest in Post-Rock and if the group make the same impact onstage — and the early reports are that they do — then this is a band you’ll hopefully be hearing a lot of. If It Kills don’t make it to, at least, the long-list of the next Polaris prize something is really awry.”

- Vincent Pollard
- Broken Atlas (September 2010)


"Music Review: It Kills self-titled (independent)"

“Nearly instrumental, with echoes of Gregorian, Elizabethan and Chinese classical music in its impressive choral chanting, solo cooing and meditative strings and piano, this debut LP by three members of Halifax’s I See Rowboats is “unclassifiable” according to iTunes, lying somewhere between antique and experimental. Opener “Dragons” piles on abrupt shifts, racing beats and drowning vocals, along with strains of the serene and statuesque sounds to come. 7/10 Trial Track: ‘Vamps’”

- Lorraine Carpenter
- Montreal Mirror (August 2010)


"MUSIC REVIEW It Kills — It Kills"

MUSIC REVIEW It Kills — It Kills
“The future of their band I See Rowboats remains unclear, but in the meantime Haligonians Lisa Lipton, Soloman Vroman and William Robinson have forged ahead and formed the new group It Kills. While the name may conjure up images of some new Montreal grindcore act, the trio follow more in their former band's footsteps, marrying The Dears emotional upheaval with Godspeed You! Black Emperor's sprawling post-rock vibes on these 11 mostly instrumental tracks. But that's not to say this is I See Rowboats minus two; "Le Coup" starts as a slow violin and cello lament before taking off like a freight train, while songs like the choral-driven "Sinners," which brilliantly segues into "Sailors," finds the trio embracing a level of ambition previously only hinted at. Filled with haunting, heartbreaking and revelatory compositions, It Kills is one of the best Canadian debuts we're likely to hear this year.

Rating: 4 / 5”

- Ian Gormely - CHARTattack (September 2010)


"Review – It Kills “It Kills”"

“While listening to this album the feeling that was most prominent in my mind was divine retribution. I felt as though I was listening to the soundtrack of the apocalypse. And it was an absolute killer experience- if you’ll pardon the pun.
It Kills are a trio from Halifax, and the music they play can be loosely described as… um… I’m not really sure how to describe it. It can almost be called an instrumental album, but there are vocals here and there. It’s certainly not rock because the orchestral instruments. I’ll have to settle with the label of “alt-pop,” although that still doesn’t even begin to do this record justice.
It all begins with the longest and most attention-grabbing song, “Dragons,” which clocks in at almost eight minutes. It morphs and shifts, seemingly consisting of three different parts. While there are some vocals in the song, the words are totally indistinguishable. And that’s the beauty of it. Lyrics are not even needed on this album- the voices of the three group members are instruments in themselves.
Over the course of the album you will hear violins and lots of them- sometimes playing at a frantic pace, making you think you’re in immediate danger; sometimes slow, making you feel as though you’re witnessing a funeral.
The group vocals, as I said, are nothing short of magical. I really felt as though I was in a trance, as the group “aaahhh’s” add to the feeling of impending doom. The songs are also so cohesive that I had to play a few songs again because the tracks slip into one another without so much as a pause.
There truly isn’t anything negative to be said about this album- it is such a gripping experience, and you have to hear it to believe it.
Rating: Hunting Call (Excellent) +swoop*”

- Michael
- Greyowl Point (August 2010)


"It Kills It Kills Self-Released"

“Ambient and dramatic. It Kills meander around themes of desolation, mourning and reflection with eleven post-rock gems too easy to loose yourself in. Harmonies echo from the quiet sea of strings and bubble from the gentle voices of the trio. The lead off track, “Dragons,” is a dynamic piece of work pushing and pulling the listener between polar opposite themes. One theme is a driving, mournful melody and the other is quiet choral music. The rest of the album explores the merging of the two aforementioned themes quite nicely. The trio use their voices in parts for brilliant melodic accompaniments with the string sections providing a bit of structure and a keyboard come in with rhythm and further melody.
While capturing a classical romanticism, the songs also delve into the more contemporary realm of post-rock. Plenty of repetition pushes the listener into a trance. The compositions primarily use electric guitar, keyboard and bass with violin coming in from time to time. The overall result is something like Radiohead. It’s a great soundtrack for crisp autumn days and cool summer nights.”

- Kat Dornian - !Earshot (September 2010)


"LP Review"

“The post-rock post-earth gravity of this debut record from Halifax's It Kills is nearly mythical in its control of lore. With a relatively sparse supply of instruments, the haunting trio peels the music out from under its ribs, carrying it like a bleeding torch, seasoned with all the pain and duty that such beauty demands in its conception. The music is an event unto itself: choral, majestic, harrowing—when it kills, it opens the gates of heaven.”

- Joe Gurba - Vue Weekly (July 2010)


"East Coast Represent:: Rich Aucoin, It Kills, Jenn Grant, Fred Squire And Ghettosocks/Extremities"

“It Kills – I’ve already gushed about the talent this trio offers up a few times (including a Top records of 2010 so far tag), but for those unfamiliar with the emotion laden combination of classical strings and acoustic guitar It Kills is hard to describe. I’ve tried by saying they are kind of like a Sigur Ros that grew up in Halifax instead of Iceland, but really the cinema ready songs are good enough to stand above casual/lazy sounds-like descriptions. There music is spiritual, and personifies the human touch instrumental music often lacks.”

- Ack - Herohill (July 2010)


"Best-Of ’10:: Half Way There (Lps)"

“From the ashes of I See Rowboats comes a compact trio that uses classical training and Godspeed like emotions to turn their instrumental songs into crystal clear visions. Each melody triggers countless memories and transports you to whatever dark or whimsical fantasy land you want to create. It’s amazing how much can be said just with instruments and well placed vocals, but It Kills crams countless volumes of emotion into each 4-minute gem. This is a must-have record folks.”

- Ack
- Herohill (July 2010)


"Reviews: It Kills Self Titled"

“If you had to pick one word to describe the immensely dense songs Halifax’s It Kills puts out, it would be emotion. I’m not talking sung/screamed yelps, frantic guitars or sad sack wordplay. No, Lisa Lipton, William Robinson, and Solomon Vromans, fuse classically trained strings with inspired acoustic work and choir like falsetto or tribal chants to channel emotion much deeper and powerful than should be possible with so few words.

It’s easy to hear the beautiful arrangements, each one constructed so meticulously, and start dropping names like Sigur Ros or The Album Leaf, but instead of moving across glacial planes with crystalline fractures, the trio experiments with darker sounds or adds a warmth to their epic sound scapes more akin to summer breezes across the prairies or rolling African hills. There is something rural, almost spiritual about the drums and soaring oohs and ahhs that help shape uplifting numbers, but the trio isn’t afraid to retreat into the tormented shadows either. Those emotional highs and lows give the album a more realistic feel and force a connection with every listener. “Jump Kid” is ominous – and honestly, mildly unsettling – but the triumphant piano chords of “Sinners” and inspired defiance of “Sailors” that follow, clear the dark clouds until you feel like nothing can stop you.

When you consider the last band Lisa, William and Solomon were a part of – the absolutely fantastical I See Rowboats – the bar was already set fairly high for this record, but the trio succeed in unexpected ways. While ISR could turn a room pin-drop silent with a performance, some of that emotion and power was lost on record. It Kills converts the spontaneous energy of a live show into a record that can soundtrack almost any moment of your life. The confident surge of the piano on “Old Song” challenges the violin and Lisa’s vocals, refusing to give ground and the band brings the intensity to a feverish level. William’s guitar and the thumping drums of “Dragon” accomplish the same soaring heights. In fact, as I walked around Toronto during NXNE with It Kills owning my ears, life started to seem like it was made from limitless possibilities; not in some made for the big screen, “The-Shins-will-change-your-life” type moment, simply that It Kills make those moments of your days better. If you ask me, that’s something more tangible to hold onto than a scene from someone else’s movie.”

- Ack
- Herohill (June 2010)


Discography

It Kills - Self Titled - Released June 2010

Photos

Bio

It Kills is the latest project from Halifax-based musicians Lisa Lipton, William Robinson, and Solomon Vromans, the longtime collaborators behind the acclaimed I See Rowboats. Known for their articulate compositions, It Kills’ rare live performances feature carefully built compositions featuring strings, guitar, piano, driving rhythms and passionate vocal punctuations.