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Killswitch Engage
Metal, probably more than any other genre of Rock music, is physically demanding. Every night is full-on mayhem. Worse when the group is touring.Two Massachusetts based groups bit the dust so members from each decided to try again. Former Overcast bassist Mike D’ Antonio (Mike D) linked with ex-Aftershock guitarists Joel Stroetzel and drummer Adam Dutkiewitz. Vocalist Jesse Leach completed Killswitch Engage’s original line-up.
A run of impressive local shows resulted in an opening spot supporting In Flames. That, in turn, led to signing with the indie Ferret Records and the release of “Killswitch Engage” in ’00.The group moved to Roadrunner Records for their ’02 release, the Dutkiewitz produced, “Alive Or Just Breathing,” with “Just Barely Breathing” and “Numbered Days.” It was the pinnacle of the group’s tenure with Leach.
Just Barely Breathing
Numbered Day
The album continued Killswitch Engage’s hardcore sound and they were rewarded with airplay and touring opportunities. But all was not well.
Leach abruptly departed citing vocal problems. He was hastily replaced by Blood Has Been Shed vocalist Howard Jones. His first Killswitch Engage gig was the Hellfest Festival where he amply demonstrated that the group had made the right choice. Killswitch Engage also hit the Ozzfest Tour and MTV2 Headbanger’s Ball.
When Dutkiewitz moved from drums to guitar it allowed another former Aftershock member, Tom Gomes, to join. Killswitch Engage then embarked on a European tour. ’04 release “The End Of The Heartache” had yet another drummer, Justin Foley, and featured “Rose Of Sharyn” and “When Darkness Falls” with the latter blasting through the closing credits of the film “Freddy Vs. Jason.”
Rose Of Sharyn
When Darkness Falls
Killswitch Engage’s ’06 effort, “As Daylight Dies,” contained the lead single, “The Curse.” As a result, band was named the Act of the Year and Outstanding Metal/Hardcore Band of the Year at the ’07 Boston Music Awards. They did not attend.
The Curse
The band returned to the studio in ’08 with Brendan O’Brien (Mastodon, Audioslave, AC/DC, Velvet Revolver) and Dutkiewicz producing.
The fifth album, and second self-titled set, was released in ’09. It peaked at #7 on the Billboard 200 chart, marking the band’s highest position on that survey. The following year, they contributed the track “My Obsession” to the “God Of War: Blood & Metal” soundtrack.
My Obsession
While a ’10 headlining North American tour was underway, Jones left due to “unforeseen circumstances.” All That Remains frontman Phil Labonte stepped in.Those circumstances? Well, Jones allegedly had an affair with porn star Allie Foster and got her pregnant and then demanded she have an abortion. In a Twitter post, Foster slammed the vocalist calling him, among other things, a ‘dirtbag’.But Jones rejoined the group for a string of shows in May, ’10. That seemed more like a short-term solution to a long term problem.Killswitch Engage issued a statement via their website in early ’12 announcing plans to move forward without Jones. “We love Howard and are thankful for the nine years that we’ve had him in the band. Howard is a part of our family and always will be, and we wish him well.”Jones now had the time to better manage his type 2 diabetes, which had worsened due to a hectic touring lifestyle.Just months later, Killswitch Engage played a show in Worcester, MA (the kick off of their tour). The concert was their first since the return of Leach four months earlier.Killswitch Engage’s “Disarm The Descent,” was their first album with Leach since ’02’s “Alive Or Just Breathing.”
“From the music, to the lyrics, to the artwork, we are all proud of what we have accomplished,” said Leach. “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.”
Produced by Dutkiewicz, the ’13 set featured the lead track, “In Due Time,” which was nominated for “Best Metal Performance” at the 2014 Grammy Awards but lost to “God Is Dead?” by Black Sabbath.The album sold 48,000 copies in the U.S. in its first week to debut at #7 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on both Top Hard Rock Albums and the Top Rock Albums.But if that success wasn’t enough to cover the rent, Dutkiewicz earned an income supplement in ’15 when he appeared as a contestant on the daily TV game show The Price Is Right. He walked away with over $51,000 in prizes. Not bad for a half-hour’s worth of work.Then there was another TV related contribution. The track “Loyalty” appeared on the “Catch The Throne: The Mixtape Volume 2” to promote the HBO TV series Game of Thrones.The group’s seventh album, “Incarnate,” dropped in ’16. “The definition of incarnate is ‘in the flesh.’ And this record is who we are right now,” stated Leach. The set debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200.
Two years down the road, Killswitch Engage, having signed with Metal Blade Records, revealed that Jones would return to perform a duet with Leach on the song “The Signal Fire,” which became the third single from the band’s eighth studio set, “Atonement.” “He (Jones) does a verse. I do a verse,” Leech stated in an interview. “We sing the chorus together. It’s a real heavy shitkicker.”
The Signal Fire
Shortly after the album’s release the band cancelled a handful of tour dates due to Leach undergoing vocal cord surgery.
Next up, the band released an EP titled “Atonement II: B-Sides For Charity,” containing six songs that did not make the album with all proceeds going to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s COVID Relief Fund. They followed that with “Live At The Palladium” (recorded in Worcester, MA).
“This Consequence” arrived in ’25. It was the band’s ninth album and sixth with Leach.
“This Consequence’, to me, is the combination of everything the past five years has thrown at us as a band, as humans, and society as a whole,” reflected Leach. “This album is just as much about everybody and their stories as it is for me about my journey personally.” “Sonically, I love the combination of everybody’s ideas and contributions on this album. It feels more like a collaboration than the past few records have been. When all is said and done, I wouldn’t change anything about this album.”
The album featured the single “I Believe.” “‘I Believe’ is about undying hope,” noted Leach. “During difficult times perspective is everything. Knowing deep down that ‘this too shall pass’ has been a beacon of light for me.”
I Believe
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Killswitch Engage
Jason Leach (left in ’02 and returned in ’12 – replacing Howard Jones) – Vocals
Joel Stroetzel – Guitar
Mike D’ Antonio (Mike D) – Bass
Adam Dutkiewitz – Drums/Guitar
Tom Gomes/Justin Foley – Drums
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