Most bands shy away from image. Whether they wear vintage
T-shirts and tight jeans or dress in all-black, they project a
simple and clear message: It doesn’t matter what we look like, just
listen to our music.

This is not the case with Kill Hannah, an alternative rock band
from Chicago. The band embraces its image, an image that is a
careful mix of glam and goth, reminding you of a pop-punk kid who
somehow got his hands on a copy of Vogue.

“People pay money to watch you, not just listen to you. Like
anyone else, we try to be attractive in some way,” said Mat Devine,
singer and guitarist.

Maybe this is because the band is not afraid to look pretty, or
be a little vain. Or maybe it is because they know that despite
what image they project, the complex, lavish rock Kill Hannah
produces is difficult to ignore.

The layered guitars of Dan Wiese and Jonathan Radtke blend with
electronica to produce a sonically bombastic sound.

Couple this with the steady rhythm section of bassist Greg
Corner and drummer Garrett Hammond and what results is an epic rock
that is brought back to earth by the sexually ambiguous and sincere
voice of Devine.

“When I hear Nickelback and the singer sounds like he is trying
to be so manly, I am not convinced. I don’t believe anything he is
saying. I hope that my unique voice adds to the band being
genuine,” Devine said.

Devine’s earnest vocals seem to be the only evidence that this
larger-than-life band had such humble beginnings. The first
incarnation of Kill Hannah was born in the unlikely town of Normal,
Ill., as a dorm-room project for the bored college freshman
Devine.

The band became less of a side project and more of a goal when
Devine dropped out of college and moved to Chicago.

“I was surrounded by people who lacked ambition, and it was hard
to cope with, so it was not a hard decision to leave,” Devine
said.

After almost a decade since he left Illinois State University,
Devine finally saw the fruition of his dream when Kill Hannah was
signed to Atlantic Records. This record deal resulted in their
latest effort, For Never or Ever, released last fall.

The years of rejection that preceded this deal were marked by
few successes, however. As the band’s fan base grew in Chicago,
they became the house band at the Metro, performing before sold-out
crowds at the infamous venue.

Kill Hannah’s ever-growing fan base is no doubt the fruit of
their relentless self-promotion, a labor the band still regards as
very important, even after signing a record deal. The band’s main
goal is to get their name out there, and keep it out there.

“Most people have ADD, so if a band disappears for six months
they will be forgotten,” Devine said.

It is doubtful with their tour schedule that the band will be
forgotten anytime soon. In the fall, Kill Hannah headlined a tour
in support of For Never or Ever. This spring, they are touring with
Swedish ’80s retro band The Sounds and indie pop-rockers Ima
Robot.

“It’s a good tour. It’s cool because all three bands bring their
own fan base out, and that makes a pretty cool-looking crowd,”
Devine said.

This tour stops in St. Louis at Mississippi Nights on Tuesday,
March 2.

Standing out among the “cool-looking” crowd will be the
dedicated Kill Hannah fans wearing their own interpretations of the
band’s signature style. A signature style that is as unique and
concentrated as their sound, as best defined by Devine.

“Imagine eating a lot of wasabi on your sushi and then going and
having a real delicious milk shake.”