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12 Songs, 40 Minutes
EDITORS’ NOTES
After the departure of singer Howard Jones, Killswitch Engage began work on its sixth studio album with founding frontman Jesse Leach, who hadn’t worked with the band since 2002’s Alive or Just Breathing. But don’t think of 2013’s Disarm the Descent as a nostalgic reunion album. The opening cut, “The Hell in Me,” is an eruption of metalcore played faster than anything heard on preceding Killswitch Engage recordings. Leach balances his throat-grating screams and shrieks with melodic and soulful crooning. When both voices are simultaneously singing ”Lead me out of the darkness,” it sounds like his inner Jekyll and Hyde are battling for his mortal soul. The standout single “In Due Time” boasts lightning-fast fretboard work by guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, whose backing vocals blend with Leach's so closely on the melodic parts that at times a third harmonic overtone can be heard popping out of the mix. Of the four special-edition bonus tracks, “Blood Stains” is the heaviest. Both “Numbered Days” and “My Curse” showcase the band’s uncanny strength in a live setting.
EDITORS’ NOTES
After the departure of singer Howard Jones, Killswitch Engage began work on its sixth studio album with founding frontman Jesse Leach, who hadn’t worked with the band since 2002’s Alive or Just Breathing. But don’t think of 2013’s Disarm the Descent as a nostalgic reunion album. The opening cut, “The Hell in Me,” is an eruption of metalcore played faster than anything heard on preceding Killswitch Engage recordings. Leach balances his throat-grating screams and shrieks with melodic and soulful crooning. When both voices are simultaneously singing ”Lead me out of the darkness,” it sounds like his inner Jekyll and Hyde are battling for his mortal soul. The standout single “In Due Time” boasts lightning-fast fretboard work by guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, whose backing vocals blend with Leach's so closely on the melodic parts that at times a third harmonic overtone can be heard popping out of the mix. Of the four special-edition bonus tracks, “Blood Stains” is the heaviest. Both “Numbered Days” and “My Curse” showcase the band’s uncanny strength in a live setting.
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- 12 Songs, 40 Minutes
- Released: Mar 29, 2013
- ℗ 2013 Roadrunner Records, Inc.
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'Disarm the Descent' was the first studio album with lead singer Jesse Leach since 2002's 'Alive or Just Breathing'. Until then, of course, the band had evolved over these last 10 years before Jesse came back to them, you can also comprehend it on their album of 2013. But Jesse had evolved, too! This album really shows that his voice and Killswitch Engage's typical sound harmonize nearly perfectly and that a comeback was more than justified.
Jesse's clean voice sounds melodic, rather high and sometimes emotional, but not whiny at all. This is really great about him! His vocal range, with clean, harmonic singing and from guttural yelling and screaming to growling, had become great, too.
Howard Jones, the former lead vocalist, was a great singer for Killswitch Engage, too. His voice is even similar to Jesse, but has a bit different color. I prefer Jesse's vocal color.
Every song on the album has harsh and occasionally partly clean-sung verses and clean-sung, addictive and memorable choruses with earwig character and sometimes overlapping vocals. Together with a much tighter songwriting than on Killswitch Engage's first two albums, on which the vocals seemed a bit thin and everything a bit arbitrary, and a crystal-clear production of guitarist and backing-vocalist Adam Dutkiewicz, in general highly respected for this, makes 'Disarm the Descent' a very qualitative album worthy to listen! Nothing seems too thin or arbitrary anymore. It doesn't offer much variety and experimentation, but it really doesn't have to because of the previously mentioned characteristics.
In detail, there are some differences between songs. For example, 'A Tribute to the Fallen' has a more drifting rhythm than most of the songs on the album and a remarkably outstanding outro, on which you can hear a mix of a resounding guitar and something like an organ. The outro finally transforms to a smooth transition to the next track, 'Turning Point'. Another outstanding track is 'Always', the only ballad-like song on the album. It particularly delights me that Killswitch Engage also releases a ballad on an album because it shows me that they don't want to show with their music that they are pure tough guys, but that they're also able to feel sentimentality. The song really touches me emotionally and sometimes even has the potential to make me cry.
The extreme metal elements clearly outweigh the hardcore ones. You can hear blastbeats (f. e. on 'The Hell in Me' or 'The Call') or just fast and intensive drumming most of the time. Together with emotional vocals from Jesse, 'The Call' stands out as the most emotional outbreak on the album. Powerful palm mutes are also very common. These characteristics are similar to thrash metal.
The guitar solos some songs have are quite short, but always fit perfectly. Occasionally, the (generally distorted) guitars play very harmonic and melodic parts, even in vocal passages. I can speak generally here because every song on the album has these. In this case, I particularly like 'Turning Point', that begins with powerful palm muting and a following cool-sounding guitar part.
That was all nothing new for the band, but they perfected these characteristics on this album. Everything is used especially targeted!
My favorite song on the album is 'In Due Time' with its very positive-sounding chorus giving me goose bumps. It was also a good idea to release this song as the first of the album by releasing an official video for it showing that Jesse is back finally.
The only not perfect song for me is 'The New Awakening'. Although beginning similar to the following track, 'In Due Time', the main riff doesn't fit that much to the chorus and the harmony between verses and chorus doesn't seem easily-done. On the rest of the album, everything seems so easy as if the band just did what they wanted to do and everything just worked, but I miss this feeling on 'The New Awakening'. The bridge full of palm mutes in the song for example just seems to exist to create a fairly acceptable transition between the repeats of the choruses. It doesn't make the album worse though and I also like this song, like every on the album.
I'm also not that delighted with the abrupt beginning of the album with 'The Hell in Me'. Although the song is really delightful to me' because it has got a clean and extra addictive chorus, a short introduction to the album would've been appropriate.
Furthermore, instead of 'Time Will Not Remain' I would have wished the song 'Blood Stains' of the bonus track version of the album as the final track on the regular version I possess. While 'Time Will Not Remain' is a generic song to me on the album, 'Blood Stains' is another personal highlight because the mood is more positive. It also sounds more like a final track, especially in its chorus.
A general weakness of the band is the lyrics. They seem as meaningless as the platitudes in German pop-songs played in some German radio stations. Yes, they contribute to and quite harmonize with the (actually rather positive) general atmosphere of the album, but seemingly don't mean anything in the end. There doesn't even seem to be any message in the lyrics. To be fair, many metal bands have this weakness and all in all, it's not fatal at all in this case.
The generally rather positive mood of the album makes it for me even better than my second-favorite album of the band, the follower 'Incarnate'. But to be fair once again, I have to admit that on 'Incarnate' they evolved again a bit further by offering more variety of the songs.
Nevertheless, everyone who likes metalcore with more extreme metal than hardcore elements might be highly recommended to 'Disarm the Descent'. For me, it's the best pure metalcore album ever!
Anyone claiming they always knew KILLSWITCH ENGAGE would reunite with original vocalist Jesse Leach witnessed neither the distressing circumstances surrounding their original separation, nor the commercial triumphs quickly enjoyed by the remaining band members and his very able replacement, Howard Jones.
Indeed, until dwindling inspiration, shrinking album sales and frayed personal relationships (not necessarily in that order) gradually conspired to push Jones out the door and KsE up against the wall, a reunion with Leach seemed both unlikely and, well, unnecessary.
But now, of course, the reunion is well underway, and, while we still refuse to award brownie points for retroactive 'told you sos,' fans obviously have every reason to be excited about the release of 'Disarm the Descent' - KsE's sixth studio album, and first with Leach in almost 11 years.
After all, the band's last outing with the singer, 2002's era-defining 'Alive or Just Breathing', remains, by most accounts, the gold standard of American melodic metalcore and therefore, KsE's career; so what better chance for the band to revive its ailing fortunes than with Leach back in the fold, and a massive chip on their collective shoulders?
So it goes without saying that the reconstituted band employs a back-to-basics approach throughout 'Disarm the Descent', wisely foregoing innovation in order to revisit the formula no one's really managed to improve upon since 'Alive?' and, one would assume, giving fans exactly what they've been hankering for all these years.
However, whether KsE succeeds or fails at this endeavor will frankly have a lot to do with individual listeners' personal standards and expectations, because only a serious amount of hair-splitting will ultimately decide whether infectious new singles like 'Beyond the Flames', 'In Due Time' and 'Turning Point' ? with their trademarked Gothenburg melodies, serpentine riffs and wobbling harmonics - will stand up as bona fide new classics, or a mere recycling of past glories.
What's more, some of the harshest conflagrations of dark and light on display here - songs like 'All We Have' and 'The Call', which alternate their harmonic hooks with bursts of quasi-black-metal velocity and ferocity - remind us that extremes of horror and beauty virtually define the KsE appeal; so it's interesting to realize just how streamlined those contrasts had become, of late, in part because of Howard Jones' effortlessly smooth, huggy-bear power operatics.
By comparison, Leach's vocal duality almost sounds a little strained (and the murmured asides he first helped popularize are conspicuously absent), but, as it turns out, this helps explain why his emotions come across that much more believably - then and now.
One thing is certain: the memorable songwriting touch that always differentiated KILLSWITCH from even their biggest competitors, and which was astonishingly absent from 2009's eponymous LP, is back in force on 'Disarm and Descent', along with Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel's exhilarating twin-guitar interplay and a bevvy of unusually flamboyant guitar solos.
No, 'Disarm the Descent' isn't perfect, faltering near the finish line by sneaking an ill-fitting, semi-ballad ('Always') where simply dropping a few songs would have worked better; but, for most all intents and purposes, this is obviously the album KsE needed to make - for themselves and fans - and it's now for the rock and roll fates to decide whether it brings the band failure or redemption.
Killswitch Engage performing in 2014 | |
Background information | |
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Origin | Westfield, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Genres | Metalcore |
Years active | 1999–present |
Labels | |
Associated acts | |
Website | killswitchengage.com |
Members | |
Past members |
Killswitch Engage Disarm The Descent Full Album
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, bassist Mike D'Antonio, and drummer Justin Foley. The band has released seven studio albums and two live performance albums. Their latest album, Incarnate, was released on March 11, 2016.[1]
Killswitch Engage rose to fame with its 2004 release The End of Heartache, which peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200, and was certified gold by the RIAA in December 2007 for over 500,000 shipments in the United States. The title track, 'The End of Heartache', was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Metal Performance, and a live DVD titled (Set This) World Ablaze was released in 2005. Killswitch Engage has performed at festivals such as Soundwave Festival, Wacken Open Air, Reading and Leeds Festivals, Ozzfest, Download Festival, Rock on the Range, Rock Am Ring, Mayhem Festival, Monsters of Rock, Pointfest, Knotfest and Heavy MTL. The band has sold over four million records in the U.S. and has been considered notable within the New Wave of American Heavy Metal, and has also been considered one of the earliest leading forces of the metalcore genre.[2]
- 1History
History[edit]
Early years and debut album (1999–2001)[edit]
Killswitch Engage formed following the disbandment of metalcore bands Overcast and Aftershock in 1999.[3] After Overcast broke up in 1998, bassist Mike D'Antonio collaborated with Aftershock guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz. Dutkiewicz, now playing drums, recruited guitarist Joel Stroetzel from Aftershock and vocalist Jesse Leach of the band Nothing Stays Gold (who were signed to a record label owned by Dutkiewicz's brother Tobias, who was also the vocalist in Aftershock) to form a new band, Killswitch Engage.[3] The band's name is derived from an episode of the television series The X-Files entitled 'Kill Switch', written by William Gibson, who gave the episode this title after meeting the industrial band Kill Switch..Klick.[4]
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In 1999, Killswitch Engage recorded a demo containing four tracks, including 'Soilborn', the first song written by the band.[5] The demo was first released at the band's first show, opening for melodic death metal act In Flames, in November 1999.[3][5] They released their self-titled debut album the following year. Although initially the album was not a financial success and did not land on any charts, it attracted the interest of Carl Severson, who worked at Roadrunner Records at the time. Severson handed Killswitch Engage to several Roadrunner representatives. Mike Gitter, a talent agent of the company, contacted D'Antonio, attended several of the band's shows, and offered the band a recording contract with Roadrunner. Realizing that Roadrunner had the resources to promote and distribute Killswitch Engage releases, the band accepted his offer, declining several offers from smaller labels.[6]
Alive or Just Breathing (2001–2004)[edit]
For a brief time in 2000 and 2001, ex-Overcast guitarist Pete Cortese joined Killswitch Engage, but left when he became a father.[6] Killswitch Engage began writing new material for their second album in November 2001. Mixed in January at Backstage Studios by producer Andy Sneap,[7] the album was titled Alive or Just Breathing, after lyrics in the song 'Just Barely Breathing'. A music video for the single 'My Last Serenade' increased the band's exposure, and the album peaked at number 37 on the Top Heatseekers chart.[8]
Following Alive or Just Breathing's release, the album having been written and recorded for two guitarists, the band decided to expand and become a fivesome; Dutkiewicz moved to guitar and former Aftershock drummer Tom Gomes filled in the vacant drummer position. After Leach was married on April 20, 2002 and began touring again he fell into a depression. Leach left the band a few days before the band was meant to play a show and sent the band members an e-mail telling them he had quit. D'Antonio said in an interview that 'after three years of hanging out with the dude, and considering him a brother, to just get an email was a little bit harsh.'[9]
The band immediately started to search for a replacement vocalist and found Howard Jones of Blood Has Been Shed. Jones disliked the band's sound when he first heard it. He commented, 'I was like, 'Meh.' I come from hardcore and dirtier metal, and Killswitch sounded so clean. But the more I listened to it, I realized there's some really good songs here'.[10] After hearing about Leach's vocal problems, Jones contacted the band and was accepted as the replacement. Philip Labonte of All That Remains tried out for lead vocals but lost to Jones, who had to quickly memorize seven songs for his debut at the 2002 Hellfest.[10]
The new lineup played on the Road Rage tour in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands in 2002 with 36 Crazyfists and Five Pointe O. Touring continued through the New Year's Day, and in 2003 the first song to feature Jones, 'When Darkness Falls', appeared on the soundtrack of the 2003 horror film Freddy vs. Jason.[11] Following the 2003 Ozzfest, drummer Gomes left the band because he wished to spend more time with his wife, to pursue his band Something of a Silhouette, and because he was tired of touring.[12] He was replaced by Justin Foley of Blood Has Been Shed, and Foley's first tour with the band was the MTV2Headbangers Ball in 2003.[13][14]
The End of Heartache (2004–2006)[edit]
The End of Heartache was released on May 11, 2004, and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200 with 38,000 sales in its first week,[15] and it also peaked at number 39 on the Australian Albums Chart.[16] The album went on to sell more than 500,000 copies in the U.S and was certified gold on December 7, 2007.[17] The album received mostly positive reviews, with Jon Caramanica of Rolling Stone calling the album a 'stunning collection, retaining much of their signature musical brutality'.[18] Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic commented 'riffs upon riffs are piled sky-high into each number that follows, it's the unpredictable rhythmic shifts used to build and then relieve internal pressure that fuel the Killswitch Engage power source'.[19]
'The End of Heartache' became the main single for the movie Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and in 2005 the song was nominated for Best Metal Performance for the 47th Grammy Awards. In late 2004, The End of Heartache was re-released as a special edition album, with a second disc featuring various live performances, a Japanese bonus track, and a re-recorded version of 'Irreversal'. During the summer of 2005, the band returned for Ozzfest, and on November 1, 2005, Alive or Just Breathing was re-released as part of Roadrunner Records' 25th anniversary. On November 22, 2005, the live DVD (Set This) World Ablaze was released, which contained a live concert at the Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts, an hour-long documentary, and all the band's music videos. The DVD was certified gold in the US on April 8, 2006.[17]
As Daylight Dies (2006–2007)[edit]
Killswitch Engage played the Reading and Leeds Festivals in August 2006, having already played Australian dates without Dutkiewicz, who was suffering from back problems and needed corrective surgery. On May 23, 2006, the song 'This Fire Burns' was released on the WWE Wreckless Intent album.[20] The track was intended to be the new theme song for WWE wrestler Randy Orton; however, it was scrapped and later became the theme song for the WWE Judgment Day 2006pay-per-view. 'This Fire Burns' was used as the entrance theme for WWE wrestler CM Punk (along with his stables the Straight Edge Society and The New Nexus) from 2006 until 2011 and was later re-released as 'This Fire' on the As Daylight Dies Special Edition.[21]
Recorded in three months, As Daylight Dies was released on November 21, 2006 and peaked at number 32 on the Billboard 200 chart with 60,000 sales in its first week. 'As Daylight Dies' proved to be one of their biggest albums yet.[22] It also entered the Australian Albums Chart at number 29.[16]Mixed by Dutkiewicz, the album received mostly positive reviews—Thom Jurek of Allmusic called it 'a Top Five metal candidate for 2006 for sure'.[23]Decibel Magazine contributor Nick Terry said 'To call As Daylight Dies addictive would be an understatement. That it outdoes its already impressive enough predecessor could almost go without saying'.[24] Cosmo Lee of Stylus Magazine commented 'the album is astonishingly badly sequenced', though he praised the album as being 'less emotionally heavy-handed, and a lot more fun'.[25] As of November 27, 2007, As Daylight Dies has sold more than 500,000 units in the US.[26]
The album's first single, 'My Curse', peaked at number 21 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and is featured in the video games Sleeping Dogs, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Burnout Dominator and Burnout Paradise and is available as downloadable content for the Rock Band series. 'The Arms of Sorrow' peaked at number 31 on the same chart. The band's cover of Dio's 'Holy Diver', originally recorded for a Kerrang! compilation album titled High Voltage,[27] peaked at number 12 on the Mainstream Rock charts.[28] Early in 2007, the band had to cancel three of its European tour dates with The Haunted due to Dutkiewicz's back problems. He required emergency back surgery and was replaced on the tour by Soilwork guitarist Peter Wichers.[29]
Due to Dutkiewicz's back problems in early 2007, he was replaced by Damageplan and The Mercy Clinic frontman Patrick Lachman during the No Fear Tour.[30] Dutkiewicz recovered and was able to finish the No Fear tour, and the band began filming its video for As Daylight Dies's second single, 'The Arms of Sorrow'. On August 6, 2007, Dutkiewicz was forced to leave the Warped Tour so he could fully recover from his back surgery and continue daily physical therapy. He was replaced by Killswitch's guitar technician Josh Mihlek for select songs, until his return on August 14, 2007.[31]
Second self-titled album (2007–2011)[edit]
Killswitch Engage entered the studio in October 2008 to start recording their next album with Dutkiewicz and Brendan O'Brien co-producing the album.[32] In mid-February, bassist Mike D'Antonio confirmed in an interview with Metal Hammer that 'drums were finished', and that he had 'finished up the last few bass fixes'. He also stated that Howard [Jones] was in Atlanta finishing vocals, and that 'it shouldn't be too much longer now.'[33] From March to May, Killswitch Engage was a part of Disturbed's Music as a Weapon IV festival along with Lacuna Coil, Chimaira, Suicide Silence, Bury Your Dead and more. On April 14, the band announced the name of their album as Killswitch Engage, the second time the band has self-titled an album. The album was released on June 30, 2009,[34] debuting at No. 7 on the Billboard 200, marking the band's highest chart position for an album.[35] In July and August, Killswitch Engage took part in Mayhem Festival with headliners Marilyn Manson, Slayer, Bullet for My Valentine and others. In February 2010, Killswitch Engage announced that vocalist Howard Jones would not be performing with Killswitch Engage during their winter tour with The Devil Wears Prada and Dark Tranquillity; during the time, All That Remains vocalist Philip Labonte was substituting for Jones until he could return.[36] At least one source speculated that Jones' hiatus was due to back pain.[37] On March 18, 2010, original vocalist Jesse Leach returned to the band for a series of songs. From then on, Leach and Labonte performed as substitute vocalists for the remainder of the tour.[38]
In 2010, the band contributed the track 'My Obsession' to the God of War: Blood & Metal soundtrack.[39] The band was later added as late replacement to 2010's Download Festival in June, after original sub-headliner, Wolfmother could not attend as scheduled.[40] Afterward, Killswitch Engage took a break from the road, and its members pursued other interests. Adam Dutkiewicz formed the band Times of Grace with Leach and released the debut album 'The Hymn of a Broken Man' on January 18, 2011.[41] Along with Dutkiewicz and Leach, Times of Grace added Joel Stroetzel to their tour lineup.[42] Justin Foley provided the drum tracking for the band Unearth on their album 'Darkness in the Light', released on July 5, 2011. Foley also traveled with the band for their 2011 summer tour.[43] D'Antonio started the hardcore band Death Ray Vision, with Shadows Fall vocalist Brian Fair and former Killswitch Engage guitarist Pete Cortese.
Jones' departure and Disarm the Descent (2011–2015)[edit]
In an interview with FTC, Gun Shy Assassin, Mike D'Antonio had stated that the band was currently in the works for a sixth studio album. D'Antonio stated, 'Currently, everyone is individually writing demos for the next Killswitch Engage record. There is no release date yet, but I would assume it will be out early 2012.'[44] Adam Dutkiewicz followed that up with a statement on the Killswitch Engage Facebook, saying 'YO! Its Adam D! We're about to begin writing our new record. Thanks to all of our fans for waiting so friggin' patiently..now let's turn on the 'riff faucet' and RAGE!'[45] On December 1, 2011, Mike D'Antonio posted online that Killswitch Engage should be entering the studio around February/March 2012 to record their sixth album expected around summer 2012. He also stated that the band had eight demos finished for the new record.[46]
On January 4, 2012, the band announced via the band's official website, along with their other official sources, that Howard Jones had left the band after his nine-year membership with them.[47] In the statement, the band did not disclose the reason for this decision out of respect for Jones, but simply thanked him for his nine years with the band and wished him well, as well as thanking the fans for their support as they began the search for a new lead singer;[47][48] Jones later explained he departed the band to manage his type 2 diabetes which was worsened by a hectic touring lifestyle.[49] Soon after the announcement of Jones's departure, rumors began that Phil Labonte of All That Remains would officially take over lead vocals due to his previous history with the band, although Labonte quickly dispelled the rumor.[50] Many vocalists were considered in the search for a new one for the band. The band's search for a new singer concluded in February with the announcement that original lead vocalist Jesse Leach would return to the band, as the band felt that Leach's energy, as well as his overall comfort and command of both the old and new material, made him the clear choice during auditions.[51] Following Leach's return, the band continued to the process of recording their new album and touring. On April 22, 2012, the band performed Leach's first show since 2002 at the New England Metal and Hardcore Fest.
On June 20, 2012, the demo version of a new song titled 'This Is Confrontation' was leaked on YouTube. Not long after the song was leaked, the videos were soon deleted. Later, the band took part in Metal Hammer's 'Trespass America Festival' headlined by Five Finger Death Punch with additional support from God Forbid, Emmure, Pop Evil, Trivium and Battlecross.[52] The band performed this song live, confirming the song's title 'No End in Sight'. Not long after the album was confirmed, the song was streamed publicly again. In October 2012, with Jesse back at the helm, Killswitch Engage announced they would be celebrating the ten-year anniversary of their seminal album Alive or Just Breathing with a US Tour through November/December 2012, in which the band played the album live in its entirety. Support on the tour came from fellow Massachusetts natives Shadows Fall and Acaro.[53]
The album Disarm the Descent was released April 1, 2013 in the UK. The album debuted at #15 in the UK charts while debuting at #7 in the Billboard top 200[54] April 2 in the US. The first single 'In Due Time' was released on February 5, 2013.[55] The album has received critical acclaim from reviewers, and has been labeled as a 'true standout' and 'nothing short of amazing'. It was announced in December 2013 that 'In Due Time' was nominated for 'Best Metal Performance' at the 2014 Grammy Awards,[56] but lost to 'God Is Dead?' by Black Sabbath.[57] A tour in May 2013 was done to promote the new album. With Miss May I, Darkest Hour, The Word Alive and Affiance as support. As I Lay Dying was originally supposed to be on the tour but dropped due to criminal charges from frontman Tim Lambesis. The band also did a co-headliner with fellow Heavy Metal act Lamb of God in the October 2013 with Testament and Huntress as support for both bands. The band did a small headliner on the east coast for Halloween 2014. With All That Remains, Death Ray Vision and City of Homes supporting.
Incarnate (2015–2017)[edit]
In an interview with Wikimetal, Jesse Leach announced that the band will start demoing new material 'in the coming months'.[58]
On February 25, 2015 the band released a 40-second snippet of a new single titled 'Loyalty'. The track appears on the Catch The Throne: The Mixtape Volume 2 to promote the HBO TV series Game of Thrones. The mixtape also features appearances from various other metal and rap acts such as Anthrax and Snoop Dogg.[59]
On March 30, 2015, Mike D'Antonio stated that the band had completed demoing material for its next studio album.[60]
Killswitch Engage took part in a summer tour in July 2015, opening up for Rise Against with support from letlive.
On December 10, 2015 the band premiered a new song entitled 'Strength of the Mind' on Revolver.[61] The band also did a small Christmas 2015 tour on the East Coast with Unearth, Act of Defiance and '68.
On December 16, 2015 it was revealed that the band's upcoming seventh album, released on March 11, 2016, would be titled Incarnate, with a tour being took part in March of that year with Memphis May Fire and 36 Crazyfists as supporters.
On September 27, 2016 Leach revealed on his Instagram page that the band would be releasing a documentary compiled of live footage since 2012.[62]
On November 25, 2016 the band released a Blu-ray/CD called Beyond The Flames: Home Video Vol.2. The Blu-ray contains live performances that were recorded around the world from 2012 to 2016 and an hour long documentary taking place right after the band's (Set This) World Ablaze had left off, as well as music videos, personal band profiles and more, plus a bonus live CD containing live tracks from the band's legendary 2014 Monster Mosh show. The two disc set had a one day exclusive sale in record stores everywhere on Black Friday. The set is now available for online purchase and digital download on the Killswitch Engage store.
Upcoming eighth studio album (2017–present)[edit]
On August 30, 2017, the band announced on their Instagram page that they were in the process of demoing material for their upcoming 8th studio album.[63]
In April 2018, it was revealed that their former singer Howard Jones will appear on their new album performing a duet with Jesse Leach during a song that has yet to be named.[64]
The band cancelled their tour dates from April 26 to May 5 due to the need of vocalist Jesse Leach undergoing surgery on his vocal cords.[65]
According to Music Week, the band has signed with Metal Blade Records for the USA, Music for Nations for the UK, and an international contract with Columbia/Sony. These labels will be releasing their eighth studio album in 2019.[66]
During an interview with the Wall of Sound: Up Against The Wall podcast in October 2018, Jesse Leach revealed more details about the song with former singer Howard Jones stating: “He does a verse, I do a verse, we sing the chorus together it’s a real heavy shitkicker” and that the song was inspired by Howard's new band name Light The Torch and their friendship. On April 24, 2019, the band posted on their Instagram that the follow up to the 2016 album Incarnate will be released in the autumn. No official title or release date has been revealed. [67]
Musical style, influences, and lyrical themes[edit]
Sample of 'My Last Serenade' from Alive or Just Breathing (2002). Sample of 'My Curse' from As Daylight Dies (2006). | |
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Killswitch Engage is considered a metalcore band.[13][68][69][70] Like some 2000s metalcore bands, Killswitch Engage vocally combine singing, screaming vocals, and growls in their music.[13] In 2009, MTV, while naming 'The Greatest Metal Bands of All Time', said that Killswitch Engage have been 'called one of the founders of metalcore'.[71] Jason D. Taylor of Allmusic said Alive or Just Breathing is 'a pure metal album that seemingly has ignored any fashionable trend and instead relies solely on skill and expertise to sculpt some of the meatiest heavy metal since the glory days of Metallica and Slayer.'[72] Both current vocalist Jesse Leach and former vocalist Howard Jones write lyrics that are considered positive.[6] Jesse Leach stated on (Set This) World Ablaze, that the lyrics contain 'unity, positivity, [and] love.'[6] On the lyrical themes of Killswitch Engage, Ultimate Guitar reviewer Amy Sciarretto notes:
“ | Howard Jones has come into his own since 2004's The End of Heartache, and he continues to hit the notes, wax about relationships, faith-issues and other relatable issue (sic) on this second self-titled effort.[73] | ” |
On Killswitch Engage's 2009 self-titled album, Howard Jones states the change in lyrical themes:
“ | I've got enough to draw on to write some stuff that can be dark. Maybe there's still a hint of positivity in it, but there are some songs on there that are not positive at all.[74] | ” |
Killswitch Engage's influences include Van Halen, Black Sabbath, Carcass, At the Gates, Machine Head, Neurosis, Metallica, Iron Maiden, HIM, Megadeth, Suicidal Tendencies, Anthrax, Slayer, Testament, Bad Brains, Agnostic Front, Leeway, and Sick of It All.[75][76][77]
Members[edit]
Current[78][79]
| Former
Live
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Timeline
Discography[edit]
- Killswitch Engage (2000)
- Alive or Just Breathing (2002)
- The End of Heartache (2004)
- As Daylight Dies (2006)
- Killswitch Engage (2009)
- Disarm the Descent (2013)
- Incarnate (2016)
Accolades[edit]
Grammy Award[83]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result[citation needed] |
---|---|---|---|
2005 | The End of Heartache | Best Metal Performance | Nominated |
2014 | In Due Time | Best Metal Performance | Nominated |
Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result[citation needed] |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | Killswitch Engage | Best International Act | Nominated |
2004 | The End of Heartache | Best Album | Won |
2007 | Killswitch Engage | Best International Band | Won |
2014 | Killswitch Engage | Best Live Band | Won |
Boston Music Awards
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result[citation needed] |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | Killswitch Engage | Outstanding Metal/Hardcore Band of the Year | Won |
2007 | Killswitch Engage | Act of the Year | Won |
2007 | As Daylight Dies | Album of the Year (Major) | Nominated |
2007 | Howard Jones | National Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated |
Loudwire Music Awards
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result[citation needed] |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Disarm the Descent | Metal Album of the Year | Nominated |
2013 | In Due Time | Metal Song of the Year | Nominated |
2013 | Killswitch Engage | Metal Band of the Year | Nominated |
References[edit]
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- ^'KILLSWITCH ENGAGE Tour with Shadows Fall, To Play Alive Or Just Breathing in Full'. Metalinjection.net. October 1, 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
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- ^Connor Williams (March 30, 2013). 'ALBUM REVIEW: DISARM THE DESCENT – KILLSWITCH ENGAGE''. Rock Revolt Magazine.
- ^'Black Sabbath Wins 'Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance' Grammy Award'. Blabbermouth.net. January 26, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
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- ^'Killswitch Engage, 'Loyalty' – Exclusive Song Premiere'. Loudwire.com. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
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- ^'Killswitch Engage Get All STAR WARS on the Cover of Revolver, Premiere Video (Exclusive)'. Nerdist.com. December 10, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
- ^'?JeSsE LeAcH ? on Instagram: '4 years in the making.. Full in depth Documentary and various raw live footage...to tell a story, our story. We have some talented and…''. Instagram. Retrieved April 18, 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^Robert Pasbani (August 30, 2017). 'KILLSWITCH ENGAGE Demoing New Material, Teasing Album For 2018'. Metal Injection. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
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- ^'Wall of Sound: Up Against The Wall Episode #56 feat. Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage is OUT NOW'. Wall Of Sound. October 18, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
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- ^Pasbani, Robert (July 31, 2013). 'Here's Footage of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE Performing With AS I LAY DYING Drummer Jordan Mancino'. Metal Injection. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
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- ^'Killswitch Engage'. GRAMMY.com. May 14, 2017. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Killswitch Engage. |
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Killswitch Engage |
- Official website
Disarm the Descent | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 2, 2013 | |||
Recorded | 2012 | |||
Studio | Wicked Good Studios and Zing Studios, Westfield, Massachusetts | |||
Genre | Metalcore | |||
Length | 40:40 | |||
Label | Roadrunner | |||
Producer | Adam Dutkiewicz | |||
Killswitch Engage chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Disarm the Descent | ||||
|
Disarm the Descent is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. The album was released on April 2, 2013, under Roadrunner Records.[1] It is the band's first album with Jesse Leach on vocals since 2002's Alive or Just Breathing.[2] Killswitch Engage announced the return of Leach in January 2012, after vocalist Howard Jones parted ways with the group.[2] The album received generally positive reception from professional critics.
'In Due Time', the first single from the album, was nominated for 'Best Metal Performance' at the 2014 Grammy Awards.[3]
- 4Reception
Background[edit]
Vocalist Jesse Leach stated about the album that 'It is with a grateful spirit that we prepare for this record's release'. 'From the music, to the lyrics, to the artwork, we are all proud of what we have accomplished. To me, this is by far my best vocal performance, much thanks to Adam's guidance and faith in my abilities. I am very grateful to be where I am in life, back in an amazing band with a record we are all excited for the world to hear. Thanks to all the fans for their warm welcome back and their undying love for Killswitch Engage.'[4]
The album was produced by Adam Dutkiewicz and mixed by Andy Sneap.[5] The album's artwork was created by bassistMike D'Antonio and his graphic design company DarkicoN.[6]
Musical style[edit]
Jesse Leach stated in an interview with Loudwire that 'the music is definitely the fastest Killswitch record ever, it’s very heavy but still maintains the signature Killswitch hooky, melodic stuff there too. There’s definitely melody attached but I pulled out some new styles vocally, yelling and screaming and growling and layers and it sounds massive'.[7]
Drummer Justin Foley stated in a documentary, detailing the making of the album, that his drumming parts features more blast beats than the other previous albums.[citation needed]
Release[edit]
The album's first single, 'In Due Time', was digitally released on February 5, 2013, and was made available for streaming on the band's YouTube channel on January 30, 2013.[2][6] On February 27, 2013, the music video for 'In Due Time' premiered on Rolling Stone's website.[8] On March 18, 2013, Killswitch Engage unveiled a second song from the album, titled 'The New Awakening', on their YouTube channel.[9] On March 26, 2013, Killswitch Engage allowed the completed album to be streamed online for 48 hours.[10][11] A Special Edition version of the album, with alternate cover art, is also available digitally and on physical CD/DVD.[12][13] The DVD contains a thirty-minute documentary detailing the making of the album.[13]
Reception[edit]
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 79/100[14] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
About.com | [15] |
Allmusic | [16] |
Altsounds | |
Blabbermouth | |
Decibel | [17] |
Exclaim! | [18] |
Kerrang! | [19] |
Metal Storm | |
PopMatters | [20] |
Sputnik Music | [21] |
Critical[edit]
Critical reception for the album was highly positive; aggregate review website Metacritic assigned an overall score of 79 out of 100, based on reviews from six professional critics.[14]
Gregory Heaney from Allmusic gave the album three out of five stars saying 'In the time since Leach left the fold, Killswitch Engage have matured into a tighter, more refined band than they were for Alive or Just Breathing, and while Leach has certainly grown as a singer in the intervening years, the album doesn't quite recapture that sense of catharsis the band possessed back then.'[16] Dean Brown from PopMatters gave the album a solid eight out of ten stars saying 'Disarm the Descent is the bountiful fruit of the Killswitch’s rejuvenation, and proof that, in life and metal, there are second chances.'[20]
Commercial[edit]
The album sold 48,000 copies in the U.S. in its first week,[22] debuting at number 7 on the Billboard 200 and number 1 in both the Top Hard Rock Albums Chart and the Top Rock Albums Chart.[23][24][25] The album has sold 158,000 copies in the US as of February 2016.[26]
The album debuted at number 15 on the UK Albums Chart[27] and number 6 on the ARIA Chart. Its current UK sales stand at over 83,000.[28]
Track listing[edit]
All tracks written by Killswitch Engage.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | 'The Hell in Me' | 2:57 |
2. | 'Beyond the Flames' | 2:53 |
3. | 'The New Awakening' | 3:30 |
4. | 'In Due Time' | 3:18 |
5. | 'A Tribute to the Fallen' | 4:02 |
6. | 'The Turning Point' | 3:12 |
7. | 'All We Have' | 3:20 |
8. | 'You Don't Bleed for Me' | 3:20 |
9. | 'The Call' | 2:50 |
10. | 'No End in Sight' | 3:29 |
11. | 'Always' | 4:33 |
12. | 'Time Will Not Remain' | 3:13 |
Total length: | 40:40 |
Special Edition bonus tracks | ||
---|---|---|
No. | Title | Length |
13. | 'Blood Stains' | 3:21 |
14. | 'Slave to the Machine' | 3:07 |
15. | 'Numbered Days' (Live 2012) | 3:45 |
16. | 'My Curse' (Live 2012) | 3:53 |
Total length: | 54:46 |
Japanese bonus tracks[29] | ||
---|---|---|
No. | Title | Length |
13. | 'Blood Stains' | 3:21 |
14. | 'Slave to the Machine' | 3:07 |
15. | 'Numbered Days' (Live 2012) | 3:45 |
16. | 'My Curse' (Live 2012) | 3:53 |
17. | 'The End of Heartache' (Live 2012) | 4:54 |
18. | 'Vide Infra' (Live 2012) | 3:49 |
Vinyl bonus track | ||
---|---|---|
No. | Title | Length |
13. | 'Always (Acoustic Version)' | 3:46 |
Personnel[edit]
- Killswitch Engage
- Jesse Leach – lead vocals
- Adam Dutkiewicz – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Joel Stroetzel – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Mike D'Antonio – bass
- Justin Foley – drums
- Technical personnel
- Produced by Adam Dutkiewicz
- Engineered by Adam Dutkiewicz & Jim Fogarty
- Mixed & mastered by Andy Sneap
- Inspiration by Alysha «Girouard» McCooe
- A&R by Dave Rath
- Art direction, Layout & design by DarkicoN Design
- Photo by Jeremy Saffer & DarkicoN Design
- Band photo by Travis Shinn
- Cover model: Brenna Daugherty
- Make-Up, Model: Christine McCarron
- Stylist, Wardrobe: by Lena Utin
Charts[edit]
Chart (2013) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[30] | 6 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[31] | 15 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[32] | 63 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[33] | 94 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[34] | 6 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[35] | 75 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[36] | 8 |
French Albums (SNEP)[37] | 133 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[38] | 12 |
Irish Albums (IRMA)[39] | 96 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[40] | 55 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[41] | 17 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[42] | 25 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[43] | 48 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[44] | 23 |
UK Albums (OCC)[45] | 15 |
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[46] | 2 |
US Billboard 200[47] | 7 |
US Digital Albums (Billboard)[48] | 7 |
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[49] | 1 |
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[50] | 1 |
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[51] | 5 |
References[edit]
- ^'WATCH KILLSWITCH ENGAGE 'IN DUE TIME' RIGHT HERE!'. Roadrunner Records. February 28, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
- ^ abcRamanand, Liz (January 7, 2013). 'Killswitch Engage Set To Unleash New Album 'Disarm the Descent' on April 2'. Loudwire. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
- ^Connor Williams (2013-03-30). 'ALBUM REVIEW: DISARM THE DESCENT - KILLSWITCH ENGAGE''. Rock Revolt Magazine™.
- ^'KILLSWITCH ENGAGE: 'In Due Time' Lyric Video Released'. BlabberMouth.
- ^'Killswitch Engage: New Album Details Revealed'. Blabbermouth.net. January 7, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
- ^ ab'Killswitch Engage: New Single 'In Due Time' Available For Streaming'. Blabbermouth.net. January 30, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ^http://loudwire.com/killswitch-engage-singer-jesse-leach-discusses-upcoming-album-tour-with-shadows-fall-more/
- ^'Killswitch Engage Strike a Balance 'In Due Time' - Premiere'. Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. February 27, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
- ^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzRGcNPqTeg
- ^http://www.frontarmy.com/music/uk-ireland-exclusive-stream-the-new-killswitch-engage-album/
- ^http://www.altpress.com/news/entry/exclusive_stream_killswitch_engage_new_album_disarm_the_descent
- ^'Killswitch Engage - Disarm the Descent (Special Edition)'. iTunes. Apple Inc. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
- ^ ab'Killswitch Engage - Disarm the Descent (Special Edition CD/DVD)'. Roadrunner Records. Warner Music Group. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
- ^ ab'Disarm the Descent - Killswitch Engage'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
- ^Bowar, Chad. 'Killswitch Engage - Disarm The Descent Review'. About.com. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
- ^ abHeaney, Gregory. 'Disarm the Descent - Killswitch Engage'. Allmusic. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
- ^Dick, Chris (May 2013). 'Killswitch Engage, Disarm the Descent'. Decibel Magazine (103): 94.
- ^Zorgdrager, Bradley (March 29, 2013). 'Killswitch Engage - Disarm The Descent'. Exclaim!. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
- ^'Metacritic Kerrang page'. April 6, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ abBrown, Dean (April 2, 2013). 'Killswitch Engage: Disarm the Descent'. PopMatters. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
- ^Gerhart, Thompson (March 26, 2013). 'Review Killswitch Engage Disarm the Descent Sputnikmusic'. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^'KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's 'Disarm The Descent' Cracks U.S. Top 10; Headlining Tour Announced'. BlabberMouth.
- ^http://www.billboard.com/charts/2013-04-20/billboard-200
- ^http://www.billboard.com/charts/2013-04-20/hard-rock-albums
- ^http://www.billboard.com/charts/2013-04-20/rock-albums
- ^'Upcoming Releases'. Hits Daily Double. HITS Digital Ventures. Archived from the original on February 29, 2016.
- ^'Killswitch Engage UK album chart'. Retrieved April 23, 2013.
- ^Jones, Alan (18 March 2016). 'Official Charts Analysis: Adele's 25 holds on to top spot despite sales dip'. Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved March 18, 2016. (Subscription required (help)).Cite uses deprecated parameter
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(help) - ^http://a-files.jp/killswitchengage-disarmthedescent.html
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- ^'Ultratop.be – Killswitch Engage – Disarm the Descent' (in French). Hung Medien.
- ^'Killswitch Engage Chart History (Canadian Albums)'. Billboard.
- ^'Dutchcharts.nl – Killswitch Engage – Disarm the Descent' (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- ^'Killswitch Engage: Disarm the Descent' (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
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- ^'Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline' (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
- ^'irishcharts.com - Discography Killswitch Engage'.
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- ^'Killswitch Engage | Artist | Official Charts'. UK Albums Chart.
- ^'Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40'. Official Charts Company.
- ^'Killswitch Engage Chart History (Billboard 200)'. Billboard.
- ^'Killswitch Engage Chart History (Digital Albums)'. Billboard.
- ^'Killswitch Engage Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)'. Billboard.
- ^'Killswitch Engage Chart History (Top Rock Albums)'. Billboard.
- ^'Killswitch Engage Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)'. Billboard.