Former NOTHINGFACE Bassist's IN FOR THE KILL: 'The Deadliest Surprise' Lyric Video Released

The official lyric video for "The Deadliest Surprise", a brand new song from former NOTHINGFACE bassist Bill Gaal's IN FOR THE KILL project, can be seen below. The track comes off the project's sophomore full-length album, "This Is The Sweetest Kind Of Lie... You Are The Deadliest Surprise", which will be released on April 17 via S6 Records.

IN FOR THE KILL's melodies are the product of Gaal's methodical devotion to crafting hypnotic rock 'n' roll rife with massive hooks and pounding grooves. For the album, the former NOTHINGFACE bass player stepped into the role of musical auteur — penning all ten songs, playing guitar and singing, producing and mixing the music — in his Van Nuys studio, Elektrik Sound. Enlisting NOTHINGFACE basher Chris Houck behind the kit, Gaal created a deadly dream of a record.

A successful producer and composer, Gaal's work can be heard on hit television shows like "The Ghost Whisperer" as well as films such as "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "3,000 Miles to Graceland". However, IN FOR THE KILL is closest to his heart.

"A big part of what makes IN FOR THE KILL work is that I'm capable of handling every aspect of the project on my own," explains Gaal. "From songwriting to mixing, I don't have to rely on anyone else. Since I'm not on a schedule, I can take the time to make the best record possible. Also, I can be selective about the musicians involved."

He certainly chose the right guys for "This Is The Sweetest Kind Of Lie… You Are The Deadliest Surprise", starting with longtime collaborator Chris Houck. "He was the perfect fit for this record," Gaal goes on. "Chris and I grew up together on a lot of the same music, so he really understood where I was trying to go with these new songs. Because of our history, it was great recording and writing again. There is a special thing that happens when we play together. It's in the first three NOTHINGFACE albums, and it's in this new one."

Some of Gaal's other co-conspirators include CAPRA drummer Michael Johnson, who co-produced vocals, and PRONG's Mike Longworth, who dropped in some "really killer leads" on the tunes. Together, they tapped into something corrosively catchy. Think The BLACK KEYS produced by Trent Reznor…

About the sound, Gaal affirms, "I've always listened to more rock than metal. Although IN FOR THE KILL is not a metal band per say, the music on the new record is still pretty dark. Some of themes deal with heavy things that have happened in my life. I still have the same aggression in me that I did when I was writing for NOTHINGFACE; it's just filtered more through my lyrics now. The guitars are heavy, the bass playing is heavier, and the drumming is undeniably great."

You can hear loud and clear on the likes of "The Gold And The Gun" and "If Darkness Could Kill". Both tracks illuminate the dangerous diversity at the heart of Gaal's songwriting and performing. The latter even shows another side of the artist punctuated by his airy croon and haunting Mellotron organ. "That's my version of a love song," he reveals. "I wrote the lyrics in a moment of desperation when all I wanted to do was be alone with my wife and cut out all of the bullshit of the outside world. I wanted to flip a switch and get rid of everyone else except us. It's not exactly the most gentle sentiment."

In many ways, "The Gold And The Gun" sums up where Gaal is right now. "It's about the false idea of 'success.' When we were trying to achieve what we thought was success in NOTHINGFACE, I spent so much time trying to get somewhere that I didn't even take the time to enjoy the moment. You have to be careful how you define the world or you'll miss out on a lot of great moments."