There’s something beautifully reckless about KaiserKillers that feels like plugging straight into the best parts of rock history and getting jolted awake. With their latest single “Heavenly in Black,” released on April 4, 2025, the Huddersfield-born trio prove that sometimes the purest sound comes from a fusion of grit, heart, and a little bit of accidental pyrotechnics. Yes, KaiserKillers are back and they’re setting more than just their drummer’s hair on fire.
Formed from the ashes of The Isolationists and Martin’s Dad, KaiserKillers are the second act nobody saw coming but everyone needed. Johnny Zero, Cristi Mac Seáin, and Stix McIntosh have chemistry you can hear in every riff and snare hit. Their music stands proudly at the crossroads of punk’s sharp edges and the lush, jangling melodies of 60s and 90s rock legends. Think Buzzcocks playing poker with the Byrds while the Smiths heckle from the back, and you’re somewhere in the chaotic, melodic universe that KaiserKillers inhabit.
Their influences are clear, but what sets KaiserKillers apart is their ability to blend all of it into something distinctly theirs. On “Heavenly in Black,” that hybrid is unmistakable. Recorded at the legendary Strawberry Field studio in Colchester and polished to perfection by Francis Gorini at London Mastering Studio, the track hits you like a sugar rush with attitude. It’s fast, it’s messy in all the right ways, and it’s got melodies sweet enough to stick in your head for days. Johnny’s guitar work is exuberantly layered without feeling overcrowded, while Cristi’s basslines bounce with irrepressible charm. Stix’s drumming is tight and feral — thankfully fire-free this time around.
At its core, “Heavenly in Black” is a love song wrapped in leather and late nights. Inspired by Beverly, a girl Johnny once knew who complained that her name never made it into songs, the track feels like an anthem written for the overlooked and the unforgettable. It’s a celebration of beauty and individuality, seen through the slightly cracked lens of PowerPopPunk storytelling. And true to KaiserKillers’ ethos, it’s delivered with both a wink and a wallop.
Of course, no KaiserKillers story would be complete without a bit of mischief. During recording, Johnny created a signature ‘ring’ sound not by reaching for fancy studio gear, but by hanging a spanner from a wire and hitting it with a toffee hammer. It’s exactly the kind of homespun genius that defines KaiserKillers: inventive, unpolished, and completely captivating. In an industry often obsessed with overproduction, it’s refreshing to see a band lean into joyful imperfection and make it sound so damn good.
The band’s growing collection of radio appearances across the UK and the U.S. — from Boogaloo Radio to Jiggy Jaguar and Radio Wigwam — speaks to their expanding cult following. Fans love them because they’re real. They’re the band who, when given a stage and a moment, might accidentally set their hair on fire — but who will never, ever deliver a phoned-in performance. Every note KaiserKillers play feels lived-in and alive.
Critics have called their sound “real mod vibes” and praised their unapologetic rock and roll spirit. But labels don’t really do KaiserKillers justice. As the band themselves put it: they were either “thawed out of a cryogenic trance to create sumptuously layered guitar magic with intricate lyrical overlay” or they just “did a bit of strumming and got lucky.” Either way, “Heavenly in Black” is a knockout track that captures everything that makes KaiserKillers impossible to ignore.
In a world where pop and punk often seem like distant cousins forced to share a family reunion, KaiserKillers make it sound like they were always meant to jam together. With “Heavenly in Black,” they deliver a slice of pure, unfiltered PowerPopPunk brilliance — and if you’re not blasting it on repeat yet, it’s only a matter of time.
