In a few words, Killusonline can be summed up as “chaotic-death-grind-rap-core,” according to drummer Theo Galetka. However, such an illustrious definition still falls short of fully describing the excitement that Killusonline brings to the Minneapolis scene.

Since the rejuvenation of live music in this weird post-mid-COVID landscape, Killusonline have made a name for themselves with their frenetic, frenzied live act. The band members take pride in it, promising “the most lit live show you’ve ever been to” in their Spotify artist bio. Beyond delivering on this promise, it’s clear that they take pride in their artistry and are deeply committed to pushing the envelope harder than a disgruntled mail carrier. 

Formed in 2019 in Minneapolis, the Killusonline members are lead vocalist Mory, drummer Theo Galetka, guitarist Max Folina, bassist Sean Clements, and keyboardist Mary Miranda. With only three singles on Spotify, Killusonline remain ephemeral. For now, their legacy exists in the form of the memories made from their live performances.

One live set that lit up every face in the band upon recollection was a house show in Minneapolis this past September. “I looked down, and there's blood all over my synth,” Miranda recalls. “I looked at my nails, because I'm a nail biter, and I was like, ‘Oh, s***.’” Luckily, the blood wasn’t from Mary’s chewed cuticles. Instead, it came from someone who had hit their head on a pillar in the basement — normal house show things. That show also had Mory hanging from the rafters, a sweat-drenched Folina performing in the crowd, and Galetka accidentally starting a mosh pit while tuning his drum set. Galetka ran into a fan who had attended at a record store recently. What started as the usual “great show, etc.” conversation ended with the fan explaining how they got their lip piercing torn out in the pit. While he was sad to hear about the injury, Galetka was glad to hear they had a good time. 

“Chaotic-death-grind-rap-core" might be a slightly esoteric genre descriptor. Guitarist Max Folina expands on Galetka’s answer, explaining, “I think it's a culmination of all of our interests. I'm really into crazy deathcore stuff, and we all have some interest in rap music. Some of us are really into jazz, we’re all into a bunch of different stuff.” Theo explains further, “All of us have such different musical backgrounds and interests. At the end of the day, when we come together the energy fuels us ... At the moment, metal and rap are the first things that come to mind. Whatever we settle on will be a combination of our collective tastes.” Miranda, who joined the band earlier this year, was drawn in by their use of noise. “The electronic aspect on top of the instrumentals was a really cool combination. I think that makes Killus unique,” Miranda says. 

Killusonline almost never happened. “I hit up Mory over Instagram and had an interesting interaction with him,” Clements explains. “Basically, he had this Instagram account that had no followers, no pictures, no nothing,” says Mory. It probably didn’t help that this random, blank account messaging Mory was named “killuskilluskillus.” Luckily, after a tense exchange of direct messages, Clements got a chance to explain everything to Mory. Together, with Clements’ former bandmate Folina, Galetka, and eventually Miranda, Killusonline was born.  

After some practice sessions in Galetka’s basement, the band knew they had something special. The ultimate proof of concept for the band would come in the form of live performances. “Our live show is definitely where we found our stride,” Galetka says. "I feel like the music we make is just so visceral, rhythmic, and intense that when we get into the song, it’s go time, you know?”

Killusonline’s cohesion as a band, and more importantly as a group of friends, shone through the laptop screen during an interview over Zoom. “When I'm on stage, the s*** that Sean be doing definitely hypes me up,” said Mory. “I look over and he’s jumping off of his amp.” Clements admits it’s something they love to do, making a point to run up and push Mory at the start of every show. Killusonline feed off of each other to create a self-sustaining engine of energy. “It almost feels like the same camaraderie as if you were playing a team sport, in a weird way. It’s even like being in a musical or something. We're all working together towards this thing and you really are just in tune with what each other is doing,” Galetka says.

This past Friday, Killusonline performed at the Underground Music Café in downtown Minneapolis. Sebastian Carreon, the event’s promoter, says he was drawn in by the band’s energy, comparing them to Rage Against the Machine. “They know how to rile up a crowd and unify everybody,” he says. “They bring a lot of people together from every corner of Minnesota.  I just thought that would be super sick to be a part of.”  

Many in the crowd that night shared this sense of unity and immersion. "I've seen them two or three times now. They have a unique sound that a lot of people just connect with. It makes me really happy because I feel like the energy in the room when they perform is a lot different than other bands. Everyone's just hype as f*** to see them," crowd member Kiara Decker said at the show. There was also Chloe, who noted their refreshing intensity; Olivia, who said she loved their energetic, angry music; and, of course, Tyler, who noted that everyone in the room is “locked in” when Killusonline performs. With so many common threads, it would be easy to assume there was a script these people were reading from. However, to assume that would be to ignoring a simple fact: Killusonline are just that good. 

Minneapolis artist Papa Mbye was also in attendance Friday night. "'Raw' is the word,” he said, describing Killusonline’s sound. “Every performance that I go to just makes me want to go to another show. You can tell that they’re all friends, and they all enjoy what they're doing. I feel like that's what makes their music great.” Alex Kimball, musician and guitarist in Mbye’s live band, also praised Killusonline’s raw sound: "They're bringing hardcore back in a cool way that isn't corny and overproduced. There are too many post-hardcore bands like Memphis May Fire and Asking Alexandria that are just trash. But these guys are rough. There's no f***ing editing going on.”  

Although their sound is raw, Killusonline take great care in the construction of their music and hope people can hear it shine through the chaos. "I know I be screaming this s*** when we perform it,” Mory confesses. “But if you listen to what I'm saying, I'm saying s*** n****s don't be saying... You just gotta listen to the music. You gotta feel it, bro.” Mory and the band accept that some are going to get the deeper message, and some will just vibe to the music. Saying what they have to say is all that matters to the band. “We want to bring something to the table that's a little bit unique,” Clements says. “Something that might make people raise their eyebrows. Like, ‘Okay, they're doing something new.’” The band is also focused on capturing the energy of their live performances in their future recordings, along with adding some slower songs to their live performances so that crowds don’t get too burnt out.  

With Folina currently studying abroad in London and Galetka on tour with Miloe, Killusonline say they’re most focused on getting new songs released and refining their sound. “There's a pretty big growth mentality,” Clements confirms. “Whenever we're faced with a situation of doubt, we just keep going, have faith, and persevere. It's a very positive mentality, which is maybe weird for a band called Killusonline." More than anything, the band is focused on building community with each other and Minneapolis itself. “It's just overwhelming, the sense of optimism for the project from people I talked to,” Galetka shares. “Even if there was no one f***ing with us, we would still have this overwhelming sense of optimism because when we come together, it's just great.” 

Check out Killusonline’s latest single “end of the world” and their video performance on Flavor World: