Los Angeles-based Blade Killer – whose NWOBHM-inspired anthems and energetic live performances have earned the group a strong following in Southern California – have finished recording their debut full-length, High Risk, with Allen Falcon at Birdcage Studios (Exmortus, Naked Aggression); it's due out later this year via M-Theory Audio.

“Although the album had taken us longer than expected, it has definitely been a learning experience for all of us. We had to re-record it a few times actually, as we wouldn’t release something for you that we weren’t happy with and couldn’t stand behind 100%,” explains bassist Kelsey Olivia. “Initially, lineup changes with our drummer really caused issues with the recording timeline, but we managed to figure things out, get through it and moved forward with our new band mate Peter Lemieux (Widow, Walpyrgus). We faced a number of roadblocks while recording this album, I will not go into detail about all of them haha, but let’s just say we’ll be doing things much differently for the second album.”

“There’s a lot I took away from this experience, and although it’s easy to dwell on the issues we faced, I choose to only see the good among all this. It’s brought us closer as a band, and with that being said, I’m extremely proud of what we’re about to release. I had worried so much for so long about getting this album released, and after a while I just learned to allow things to happen the way they were supposed to. Instead of fighting the process I learned to work with it and see the opportunities that came our way because of it.”

The album is currently being mixed by Enforcer vocalist/guitarist Olaf Wikstrand (Tribulation, Cauldron), who will also handle mastering duties. Says bassist Kelsey Wilson, “It made sense to have Olaf handle the mixing because he clearly understands the sound and feel of what we’re going for, seeing that he comes from a heavy metal background. It’s been so easy working with him, and we’re eager and excited to hear the first mixes of the songs.”

Blade Killer will premiere material from High Risk live at two high-profile festival appearances in the coming weeks – Muskelrock (Sweden), the group's first-ever European performance, and the Strikefest (Los Angeles), where the band will share the stage with the likes of Nasty Savage, Exciter and Morbid Saint.

“Muskelrock is right around the corner, and we’re thrilled to be a part of this year's fest, especially since it’s their 10-year anniversary,” Wilson says. “For me personally I’ve always wanted to play this fest in particular since it still has such a genuine underground feel. It’s a great opportunity for Blade Killer's live debut in Europe. We play Friday evening and we’ve added a few new songs from the upcoming album High Risk, plus some limited-edition merch will be available only for this exclusive show.”

In recent months, Blade Killer has performed alongside such groups as: Eternal Champion, Sumerlands, Thor, Evil Dead, Bat, Exmortus, Hell Fire, Grim Reaper, Voltax and Spell. The group will announce additional live appearances surrounding the release of High Risk in the months ahead; stay tuned for additional details.