Killswitch Engage

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KSE, circa 2006.
Background information
Origin	Westfield, Massachusetts, USA
Genre(s)	New Wave of American Metal Metalcore
Years active	1998–present
Label(s)	Ferret (1999-2001) Roadrunner (2001-present)
Website	Official website
Members
Howard Jones Adam Dutkiewicz Joel Stroetzel Mike D'Antonio Justin Foley
Former members
Jesse Leach Pete Cortese Tom Gomes

Killswitch Engage (a.k.a KSE or Killswitch) is a metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts. The band are currently signed to Roadrunner Records.

1 Music
2 History
3 Lyrical themes and Christian connection
4 Members
5 Discography
6 References
7 External links
8 References

[edit] Music

The sound of Killswitch Engage is characterized by a mix of powerful riffing, double kicking drum patterns, and dynamic vocals. Other notable features of their sound include the use of complex single-note articulations, power chord riffs, twin-guitar harmonies, and pinch harmonics such as pick squeals and artifical harmonics. The band use mainly melodic vocals; however, screaming and growling can be heard occasionally.

[edit] History

Following the demise of his old band Overcast in 1998, bassist Mike D'Antonio explored the underground Massachusetts hardcore punk and heavy metal scenes in search of members for a new band. In 1999, D'Antonio met Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel, guitarists for Aftershock. Dutkiewicz took the role of playing drums, while Stroetzel remained on guitar. The trio searched for a vocalist and eventually hired Jesse Leach, formerly of Corrin and Nothing Stays Gold. The now four-member band took the name of "Killswitch Engage," a name proposed by D'Antonio after watching an episode of the FOX program The X-Files entitled "Kill Switch". The episode's writer, William Gibson, came up with the title after a chance meeting with the industrial band Kill Switch...Klick; the two bands are otherwise unrelated.

While on tour with In Flames and Shadows Fall, Ferret Records took notice of Killswitch Engage's aggressive live show. The band signed with the record label and began recording their debut album.

The band's self-titled debut album was sufficient to earn them a deal with Roadrunner Records. Soon after signing with Roadrunner, the band decided to become a five-piece by bringing in former Overcast guitarist Pete Cortese. However, Cortese left soon after. In 2002 they released their second album, Alive or Just Breathing. This album greatly increased the band's exposure and placed them on the Billboard Magazine Top Heatseekers chart. The CMJ New Music Report described the record as "more addictive than crack cocaine that's been smothered in nicotine AND drenched with chocolate".[1] The band was once more made a five-piece when Dutkiewicz moved to guitars, with former Aftershock drummer Tom Gomes taking the vacant spot left. This move allowed the band's songs to include two guitars.

Leach left the band shortly after the release of Alive or Just Breathing. He had married his fiancée while on tour, but was separated from her due to the demanding tour schedule. Subsequently, Leach fell into a deep depression. During shows, he began screaming with more emotion than technique, and exhausted his voice. After the last show of their tour in Seattle, he sent the band an e-mail in which he explained his situation (see the World Ablaze DVD). This, coupled with the band's touring commitments, prompted Leach's departure in June 2002. Leach was replaced by Howard Jones, of Blood Has Been Shed, who has remained the band's vocalist since.

The new lineup played on the Road Rage tour in the UK and the Netherlands in 2002 with 36 Crazyfists, and continued touring throughout the rest of the year. In 2003, the band released the song When Darkness Falls, which appeared on the soundtrack of the 2003 horror film Freddy vs. Jason. The same year they also played the Ozzfest festival, after which drummer Tom Gomes left the band to live in Los Angeles with his wife and pursue their current band, (Something Of A Silhouette). He was replaced by Jones' fellow Blood Has Been Shed band member, Justin Foley, previously of jazz metal band Red Tide. Foley's first tour with the band was the MTV2 Headbangers Ball in 2003.

Jesse Leach (Left) and Howard Jones (Right)

The band's third album, The End of Heartache, was released on May 11, 2004 and was the first release to feature Jones as vocalist. The album ultimately went on to sell more than 250,000 copies in the U.S. It also debuted in the top 40 of the Australian album charts on May 17, 2004, following a successful tour of Australia with Anthrax.

In late 2004, the band supported Slayer on their U.S. Jagermusic dates and headlined shows with From Autumn to Ashes, Eighteen Visions, and 36 Crazyfists. In addition, The End Of Heartache became the main single for the movie Resident Evil: Apocalypse. In December, 2004, the song was nominated in the Best Metal Performance category for the 47th annual 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, featuring All That Remains vocalist Phil Labonte and former Killswitch vocalist Jesse Leach.

During the summer of 2005, the band returned for another spot on the Ozzfest tour.

On November 1, 2005, Alive or Just Breathing was re-released as part of Roadrunner Records' 25th anniversary. It was re-released with a second disc that contains In The Unblind, When The Balance Is Broken, Numbered Days (Demo Version), Transfiguration (Demo Version of Fixation on the Darkness), Just Barely Breathing (Demo Version), Fixation On The Darkness (With Howard Jones On Vocals), and AOJB Studio Out Takes, as well as the music videos for My Last Serenade, Fixation on the Darkness, and Life to Lifeless.

On November 22, 2005, Killswitch Engage released a live DVD titled (Set This) World Ablaze which had a live concert the band taped during their stop at the Palladium in Worcester, MA on July 25, 2005. In addition to the live performance, the DVD also features an hour-long documentary about the band, and all of their music videos. As I Lay Dying and Once Beloved also performed at this sold-out concert.

On the DVD, Jesse Leach states that he and the other band members have maintained healthy relations and that he was forgiven entirely for the manner of his departure. The band also makes various comments on the transformation of the band, and how they enjoy prevailing friendships. The band returned to Chicopee, Massachusetts on February 19, 2005, to play an unannounced show for guitarist Joel's brother's band, Once Beloved.

In the fall of 2006, Killswitch completed work on their latest album, As Daylight Dies. In the October issue of Revolver, Adam Dutkiewicz announced that the album was called Petting Zoo. However, as it was Adam who announced the name, it was assumed by some to be a joke. At this time they also recorded a cover of Dio's Holy Diver for a Kerrang! compilation album entitled High Voltage.

The band played the Carling Weekend Reading and Leeds Festivals in August, having played Australian dates without Dutkiewicz, who was suffering from back problems and needed corrective surgery. Other U.S. festival appearances in that year included headlining the likes of Saints and sinners festival in Asbury Park.

On May 23, 2006, the track This Fire Burns was released on the WWE Wreckless Intent album. This was the first new studio song to be released since The End Of Heartache. The song was intended to be the new theme for RAW Superstar Randy Orton; however, it was scrapped and later became the theme for the WWE Judgment Day 2006 pay-per-view. This Fire Burns is now being used as the theme for ECW wrestler CM Punk. The band's vocalist Howard Jones is a well known fan of the WWE product.

The band's latest album, As Daylight Dies opened at #32 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart with sales of 60,000 copies, shifting 22,000 more units than their previous best sales week of 38,000 for The End of Heartache. The album received mostly positive critical reviews, with critics praising the vocal style of Howard Jones and the band's already notable powerful riffs and soft melodies. All Music Guide gave the album four and a half stars out of a possible five, calling it "a Top Five metal candidate for 2006 for sure." The album did, however, receive a few mixed reviews from Metal critics, who criticized the album for breaking away from the style the band established with Alive or Just Breathing in 2002, and their last album The End of Heartache in 2004, and apparently "toning down" their once heavier sound.

The album's first single, entitled "My Curse," is currently at the number 21 spot on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, topping the number 31 spot achieved by the band's breakthrough single of 2004, "The End of Heartache" as well as being featured on the cover of the January 2007 edition of Revolver Magazine.

Recently the band had to cancel three of their European tour dates due to back problems from Adam. It turned out he needed emergency back surgery and was replaced on the tour by ex-Soilwork guitarist Peter Wichers.

The band are just starting their United States tour with label mates Dragonforce, former label mates Chimaira, and He Is Legend. Due to Adam's back problems, he will be replaced this time by former Damageplan frontman Pat Lachman. Adam should be able to play once again by the end of the no fear tour , which is when the band will shoot the second video from their As Daylight Dies album, "The Arms of Sorrow".

Killswitch Engage have also confirmed that they are playing the Download Festival this year, along with other bands including Iron Maiden, Linkin Park, Slayer, Marilyn Manson and My Chemical Romance. Also they have been confirmed to be in Bamboozle 2007 on May 6th.

On April 1st it was announced Killswitch Engage would be joining Bad Religion, Pennywise, and As I Lay Dying for the entire Warped Tour.[2]

[edit] Lyrical themes and Christian connection

Killswitch Engage's lyrics have been noted for their positivity, a trait uncommon in most heavy metal bands.^[1] Although the Band has not labeled itself a Christian rock band, Killswitch Engage has been praised by Christians for their positive, theological lyrical content.^[2] Indeed, former lead singer Jesse Leach is a commited Christian and admitted that some of Alive or Just Breathing's songs were influenced by the Bible. The band has stated that they have continued the positive trend in Leach's lyrics, and that their Christian upbringings are the reason for the band's occasional theological lyrics.^[3]

On the subject of Christianity, Adam Dutkiewicz (who thanks God in As Daylight Dies' liner notes) produced the album Define the Great Line for Christian post-hardcore rockers Underoath, while Howard Jones joined Demon Hunter frontman Ryan Clark in the song "Our Faces Fall Apart" (from Summer of Darkness), which is loosely based on "real legalistic Christian minds" who don't understand Christian metal.^[4]

The band's official bio notes that "Jones' lyrics in particular serv[e] as inspirational statements on the world outside the band's window."^[5]

[edit] Members

[edit] Current

Howard Jones - Lead Vocals
Adam Dutkiewicz - Guitars/Vocals
Joel Stroetzel - Guitar
Mike D'Antonio - Bass
Justin Foley - Drums

[edit] Former

Jesse Leach - Vocals
Pete Cortese - Guitars
Tom Gomes - Drums

[edit] Touring

Peter Wichers - Guitar (2007 Europe Tour)
Pat Lachman - Guitar (2007 US Tour)

[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio Albums

Album Cover	Date of Release	Title	Label	US Billboard Peak	US sales
	July 11, 2000	Killswitch Engage	Ferret Records
	May 21, 2002	Alive or Just Breathing	Roadrunner Records	37 (Heatseekers)	110,000+
	May 11, 2004	The End of Heartache	Roadrunner Records	21	460,000+[3]
	November 21, 2006	As Daylight Dies	Roadrunner Records	32	227,000+

[edit] Singles

Year	Title	Chart positions		Album
Year	Title	US Mainstream Rock	US Modern Rock	Album
2002	"My Last Serenade"	-	-	Alive or Just Breathing
2002	"Life To Lifeless"	-	-	Alive or Just Breathing
2003	"Fixation On The Darkness"	-	-	Alive or Just Breathing
2004	"Rose Of Sharyn"	-	-	The End of Heartache
2004	"The End Of Heartache"	31	-	The End of Heartache
2006	"My Curse"	21	-	As Daylight Dies
2007	"The Arms Of Sorrow"	-	-	As Daylight Dies