- Jamie Rowe – Lead Vocals
- Jamey Perrenot – Guitar / Producer
- Julia Lauren Bullock – Bass / Vocals (Live)
- Rob Bodley – Drums (Live)
I think one of the things we do best here at Rock the Joint Magazine is to get behind new bands that we like and recommend to you, our readers. And here’s a boast, we have been hitting figures of around 2,000 readers a day recently, so we are feeling proud!
This piece includes an interview and a review, done by my colleague Anna-Louise. But first of all, I will use the press pack to introduce the band.
“KALAMITY KILLS is a hard rock band forged in the heart of East Nashville, Tennessee. Formed in 2022 by vocalist Jamie Rowe and guitarist/producer Jamey Perrenot, the band emerged from the ashes of a solo project into a fully realized sonic assault—fueled by raw emotion, modern aggression, and a deep respect for rock’s roots. With a sound that fuses the swagger of classic hard rock with the intensity and polish of modern metal, KALAMITY KILLS strikes a rare balance between power and vulnerability.
Best known for their debut self-titled album Kalamity Kills, the band quickly turned heads thanks to high-profile collaborations with members of KORN, 3 DOORS DOWN, LA GUNS, CONQUER DIVIDE, and UNDEROATH. Their music has earned national airplay on SIRIUSXM’s Octane, landed on the Billboard Active Rock charts, and crossed over into viral success without ever chasing trends.
More than just a studio project, KALAMITY KILLS is a growing force with a full live lineup, including bassist/vocalist Julia Lauren Bullock and drummer Rob Bodley. Their songs—ranging from explosive anthems to brutally honest ballads—tackle themes of faith, failure, hypocrisy, redemption, and the messy beauty of being human.
KALAMITY KILLS is for the outsiders, the misfits, the ones who’ve been burned and are still standing. Loud. Unapologetic. Unforgettable.”
The Interview:
Kalamity Kills was born from a solo project that grew into a full band. What moment or spark made you realize it couldn’t just be one person’s vision anymore?
Jamie: The album began as my solo project, but when we got to the mix stage, I felt it was apparent that Jamey Perrenot had really gone above and beyond to get it to sound like it does. It made sense that one day, after a drum session, I said, “Let’s just make Kalamity Kills a 50/50 situation.” He agreed, and here we are today. He put a lot of time far beyond what a hired producer would have, and also put his own money into it once the budget dried up. You can see that I wrote all the songs on the debut, but if you look forward, we tend to co-write everything. It works well.
Your record is fan-funded through Kickstarter—meaning it exists outside traditional industry machinery. How did that freedom shape the music, and do you feel it gave the album a different kind of “soul” than a label-backed release?
Jamie: It was great because there was no one telling us what to do sonically, lyrically, etc. The fans took a chance on something they hadn’t yet heard. That was a fantastic feeling. The only pressure we had was to make sure they were more than satisfied when it finally arrived. I did all I could to involve them in every step along the way with updates and sneak peeks. A label would have rushed us and tried to speak into the music, no doubt.
You’ve worked with some great names in the business—Ray Luzier, Ace Von Johnson, Greg Upchurch. When you bring outside players into the mix, how do you balance their identities with your own sound so it still feels authentically “Kalamity Kills”?
Jamie: We have been blessed to have some friends who play in well-known bands. While we let them “do their thing”, they do have guideline tracks that we have already put in place, so in a way they are just recreating what the vision already was. But the players’ personalities and styles always show up, and that’s the goal!
There’s a raw honesty in songs like “Dark Secrets” and “Burn,” but also a sharp, almost satirical edge in tracks like “Hellfire Honey.” Do you see rebellion and vulnerability as two sides of the same coin in your songwriting?
Jamie: I strive for authenticity in all my writing these days. That means being vulnerable and sometimes abrasive. “Dark Secrets” and “Burn” were all based on seasons of my own life. A song like “Hellfire Honey” came from my work as a photographer a few years ago, where I encountered some internet models who would tell me how many ‘Christian married men’ were their biggest subscribers. Typical modern religion vibes of pointing a finger at everyone but themselves. There’s some satire in that one. If there’s rebellion, it’s just from a “fed-up” standpoint. Things I see in this world that makes me say “thanks, but no thanks.”
Reimagining Information Society’s “What’s On Your Mind? (Pure Energy)” was a bold swing. What attracted you to that particular track, and how did you go about making it yours without losing its quirky charm?
Jamie: This goes back to not being signed to a label… no one would want a band to redo 2 80s songs on their debut album. But we had no rules. This track was one I always loved as a teen, and when I came across it again on YouTube, I instantly heard the arrangement in my head that we have for Kills. Getting Kia from Conquer Divide was a plus on that one, too! I wanted to respect the original but make it sound like we could have written it as well.
Jamie, your history in the Christian music scene (and we do note we see ourselves-quietly- as a Christian music magazine) adds weight to songs like “Sinners Welcome.” How do you navigate transforming personal frustration or hurt into something that feels empowering rather than bitter?
Jamie: “Sinner’s Welcome” was written from noticing a lot of people on social media trying to play the role of God and saying basically “you are not a follower of Christ because you don’t believe exactly as I do.” Which is wild because there are over 30,000 Christian denominations all claiming to interpret the same text. Someone is wrong haha! I think there are people with good intentions that miss the point that Jesus came for us all with a message of love…love of God and love for one another. We don’t really see much of that these days it seems. “Sinner’s Welcome” was my way to let people know…you are invited into the kingdom of heaven by God. People suck, God doesn’t. That’s what I think. Also I want to note that I am a believer but Kalamity Kills isn’t a Christian band. We are for everyone.
Rock as a genre often wrestles with nostalgia versus progression. Covering “I Still Believe” is a clear nod to the past—yet the whole record feels definitely modern. How do you strike that balance between honoring legacy and pushing boundaries?
Jamie: That’s a nice compliment. We sound modern because I love modern music. Especially from a production standpoint. But I still love classic songwriting structures from the past. Those great songs from the 70s/80s/90s that we still hear today…because they were good! Modern hard rock has great energy but sometimes the song is forgotten 3 months after it’s released. We try to find a balance. We still include guitar solos because we love that part of classic rock. It doesn’t hurt to have a world-class guitarist in the band who is capable of writing top quality, melodic solos. But again, we also include breakdowns and drop tunings along with the use of programming which brings it all into the modern hard rock world.
The album closes with “Amen,” a quiet exhale after the intensity. When listeners finish the record, what do you hope lingers with them in the silence that follows?
Jamie: That song was originally just a verse and a chorus. I view it as a musical prayer of sorts. One of gratitude. Gratitude is a big thing in Kalamity Kills. We are thankful for much. But I liked the idea of ending the record on a quiet, intimate note. When I played the verse/chorus for Jamey Perrenot, he said you should write another verse and make it a complete song. So I did and while it doesn’t get much attention, it’s one of my favorite tracks. I hope a listener will unwind and take a look at the good in their lives…even the chance to be alive is a gift. I hope others will see that.
Lastly, what was the last album you listened to from beginning to end, and did you enjoy it?
Jamie: YUNGBLUD’s “IDOLS” album is a sort of masterpiece in my eyes. I hear so much passion in it. I can listen to it from top to bottom with ease. And I do a lot. I hear a lot of classic rock influence as well as British alternative from the 90s in it…all translated in a 2025 language. I absolutely love it. “Hello, Heaven, Hello” is like 3 great songs in one. That has inspired me in my current songwriting.
With that interview in our back pocket, let’s turn to the review.
The album has 11 songs and runs to just over 42 minutes.
“Anthem” opens with a touch of piano and reminds me of the early days of silent movies when before a horror film (or whatever) you got the piano. Then it rips into this heavy riff and a mix of heavy prog rock with metal and a fusion of melody in the chorus! “I come alive to watch you fall.” It has an interesting “valley of the shadow of death” little harmony section as well as the band shifts sound.
“Dearest Enemy” is up next and a fast drum beat pounds a heartbeat to a song telling us about those keyboard enemies who desire to grab the attention. Guitar breaks and attitude all the way!
“What’s On Your Mind? (Pure Energy) delivers a modernist sci-fi rocker. It’s a strong album track, fitting well into the mood of the whole. The vocal play was good, I liked the re-work from the original, it has a new taste!
“Dark Secrets” which leave you broken and alone…there is a lament in this song, a sadness that comes through. A message to those who seek to mess with others, your dark secrets will eat you up! A heavy drum adds to the melancholic beat.
“The Chemistry of Meant to Be” – reflects on the cool September night when we first met. It’s basically a heavy love song with the chemistry that becomes a drug. There is an acidic riff that underpins the anarchy!
A.L.I.E.N. returns the sound to that sci-fi rock that I detected earlier. The track pounds and places us in the depths of a sonic trip delivered through those drums and tortured guitars.
“Hellfire Honey” slows things down a bit and “moralising hypocrites” should watch this show! A bit of social commentary on these troubled times!
“Burn” (which I misread on my screen initially as Bum!) is more of a dreamy track, not a ballad as such, but certainly slower than many tracks her, some spoken segments and a vocal delivery that connects to the emotions and the pain.
“Sinners Welcome” that Mark asked about in the interview segment above is one I liked. I liked the confident strut in the vocal delivery and the sense of don’t give a fuck what you haters think that I enjoyed. It took me toward Kiss around their “Revenge” era.
“I Still Believe” is another I connected with. I enjoyed the melody, the vocals were bang on and I enjoyed the positivity of the message. It was an uplifting song with that power harmony chorus. Solid track! It’s linked on the clip at the end, and it is The Lost Boys Movie number!
“Amen” closes the album. The bell tolls and the piano picks up again and delivers a simple melody. “I am thankful for these days” – and so am I. No matter who is out there wanting to destroy us, how lucky we are to not be alone and have people around we love. Amen.
In summary: Kalamity Kills is the kind of record that proves rock is alive and snarling in 2025—unapologetic, heavy, and threaded with just enough vulnerability to hit you where it hurts. With their blend of grit, honesty, and anthemic power, this band is not just one to watch, but one to believe in.
Or, to put it another way: Kalamity Kills doesn’t just play rock—they remind us why we fell in love with it in the first place.
And we hope you liked the feature, dear reader! If you did, please check out the other pages of the magazine; we have many great features, merchandise pages, shops, editorials and even a poetry page. Content is free here, but we work hard for you, and to support the magazine, please show your appreciation on the support button below and buy me a coffee!
You can stream music from KALAMITY KILLS here
By Mark C. Chambers
and
Anna-Louise Burgess (review)
