Killswitch Engage

Formed in 1999 in Westfield, Massachusetts, Killswitch Engage emerged from members of hardcore bands Overcast and Aftershock, bringing together a core around Mike D’Antonio and Adam Dutkiewicz that became part of the rise of the East Coast American metalcore scene. Killswitch Engage quickly developed a sound combining heavy riffs, thrash-like rhythms, a hardcore legacy and prominent melodic lines, driven by the alternation between screamed vocals and clean passages. The self-titled debut was released in 2000, followed by “Alive or Just Breathing” in 2002, which established the foundations of a style where massive breakdowns, sung choruses and melodic death influences coexist. With “The End of Heartache” (2004) and “As Daylight Dies” (2006), Killswitch Engage secured a lasting place on the international metal scene, touring clubs, festivals and major metal tours. The vocalist changes between Jesse Leach and Howard Jones marked different aesthetic phases, before Leach’s return and the release of “Disarm the Descent” (2013), “Incarnate” (2016) and “Atonement” (2019), where the band refined a balance between rhythmic aggression, guitar harmonies and more open choruses, while remaining rooted in the melodic metalcore that has characterized Killswitch Engage since its beginnings.