Ex-MUSHROOMHEAD Vocalist WAYLON REAVIS’s 'A KILLER’S CONFESSION' Announces 'VICTIM 2' Album Featuring a Surprising NIRVANA Cover

A Killer’s Confession, the band led by former Mushroomhead vocalist Waylon Reavis, is gearing up to release a new album titled Victim 2. It’s set to arrive on September 19 through MNRK Heavy.

The group recently released a new single called “Facts” (watch below), which is the third preview from the upcoming record. The band will also hit three major festivals in July to promote the release:

• July 16: Rock Fest, Cadott, WI
• July 19: Upheaval Fest, Grand Rapids, MI
• July 20: Inkcarceration, Mansfield, OH

What’s on the album

Victim 2 includes 11 tracks, blending heavy guitars with electronic and pop elements. There’s even a cover of Nirvana’s “Heart-Shaped Box”. The tracklist is:

1. Hopeless Gray
2. In Case of Emergency (feat. Jmann)
3. Hollow
4. Facts
5. Heart-Shaped Box (Nirvana cover)
6. Headstone
7. Baptized by the Fire
8. Darkside
9. The Suffering
10. Endless Silence
11. Hand of God

A dark story across three albums

This album is the second in a trilogy that tells the story of a serial killer. The character targets people who have committed terrible crimes. He believes he’s delivering justice, but his choices come with serious consequences.

In Victim 1, the killer went after people tied to the Seven Deadly Sins. Victim 2 shows the character struggling with guilt and questioning his mission. According to Reavis, the final song, “Hand of God”, addresses this internal conflict.

Influences and experimentation

Reavis says the idea for the album came after a conversation with his booking agent, Andrew Goodfriend. He also found inspiration in the 2001 film Frailty, where a killer believes he’s doing God’s will by eliminating demons in disguise.

Musically, the band doesn’t stick to one sound. There are industrial guitars, EDM beats, and trap influences. The track “Hollow” mixes heavy riffs with a catchy chorus and electronic layers.

“I love EDM, I love trap, dubstep, industrial,” says Reavis. “I’m doing what the song tells me. I sing some pop stuff, but the lyrics dig deep.”

He says the voices in the story appear in pitch-shifted vocals to represent the killer’s darker side. Covering “Heart-Shaped Box” halfway through the record marks a turning point where the character begins to reflect on what he’s become.

Looking ahead to Victim 3

Reavis says Victim 2 sets the stage for a much darker final chapter. The vigilante will be forced to face justice for his actions. Reavis wants listeners to feel conflicted about the character, to understand his motivation, but not excuse it.

“He became what he hated,” Reavis says. “The message is, if you feed that dark urge long enough, you’ll turn into the thing you were trying to stop.”

A personal connection to the subject

The album’s theme is rooted in real experiences. Reavis once worked at a treatment center for children and has supported victims of child trafficking. He also organizes an annual Toys for Tots benefit concert and hopes to raise another 5,000 toys this year.

According to Reavis, the fictional story is a way of processing real-world anger. But he makes it clear that he doesn’t endorse the killer’s actions or mindset.

Different teams for different goals

Reavis handles both studio and live work but with different teams. In the studio, he works closely with Dusten “Dusty” Boles and Evan McKeever. The touring version of the band features other musicians, handpicked for their live performance skills.

“I don’t like doing the same thing over and over,” Reavis says. “I want to try new things. If it makes your head move, it’s good. Doesn’t matter what style it is.”

He says that A Killer’s Confession thrives on mixing genres and trying unexpected ideas. The goal isn’t to invent a new genre, but to keep the music fresh and challenging.

Got a tip for us? Email: [email protected]