In-Demand Soundwave Drummer Forced To Choose Band

The maiden outing of Killer Be Killed — an eagerly awaited supergroup boasting members from acts such as The Dillinger Escape Plan and Sepultura — at next month's Soundwave Festival has suffered a minor setback after drummer Dave Elitch confirmed that he would not be able to perform with the band due to scheduling conflicts.

Those conflicts come in the form of Elitch's membership in fellow Soundwave drawcards Antemasque, which also sports Elitch's ex-Mars Volta bandmates Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. Given the festival's two-day set-up this year, it has become a physical impossibility for Elitch to make the commitment for both bands.

Since Antemasque is something of a larger concern for Elitch, according to Killer Be Killed/Dillinger frontman Greg Puciato, the drummer has opted to keep up appearances with his usual outfit, with Converge drummer Ben Koller being called in to fill the sizeable gap left by Elitch's absence.

In confirming the news on social media today, Elitch took care to ensure no blame was laid at the festival's feet, saying that such logistical concerns are "extremely complicated on multiple levels". Festival promoter AJ Maddah also weighed in to the discussion, further asserting that the end result was the "bands' choice".

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