Killswitch Engage

Hailing from Massachusetts, Killswitch Engage stood among the leaders of metalcore’s surge in the early 2000s. Their potent fusion of New England hardcore and Swedish death metal drove chart achievements, Grammy nominations, and multi-million record sales. Since forming, the group has adjusted to changing metalcore currents while relentlessly seeking fresh musical territory, all without diluting their essential identity. This path runs from the gold-certified, Top 40 album The End of Heartache in 2004 to Incarnate, which reached number one in 2016, positioning Killswitch Engage as one of heavy metal’s strongest commercial and critical forces.

The four founding members assembled Killswitch Engage in Westfield, Massachusetts, already carrying loyal followings from prior projects. Bassist Mike D’Antonio had led and written most material for Overcast, widely viewed as an early metalcore influence. After Overcast disbanded in 1998, D’Antonio spent a year assembling musicians capable of merging hardcore, metal, and melody. In summer 1999 he linked with Adam Dutkiewicz, Aftershock’s drummer, and Joel Stroetzel, Aftershock’s guitarist. Once Jesse Leach, formerly of Corrin and Nothing Stays Gold, came aboard as vocalist, the quartet adopted the name Killswitch Engage.

They launched their career opening for In Flames. The blend of brutality, sophistication, and originality drew Ferret’s attention, resulting in a swift signing. Ferret issued the self-titled debut in June 2000, immediately earning strong praise. The record featured heavy riffs alongside both clean and screamed vocals that ranged from low death growls to higher-pitched screams. Stroetzel crafted a galloping guitar rhythm while the rhythm section maintained momentum, integrating hardcore and metal elements throughout the melodies.

In 2001 the band contributed “Numbered Days” to Boston station WERS’ Nasty Habits live compilation alongside God Forbid, Haste, Unearth, and Poison the Well. That year Killswitch also joined Roadrunner Records and began tracking their second album, Alive or Just Breathing, at Zing Studio in Westfield, Massachusetts. Former Aftershock drummer Tom Gomes expanded the lineup to five pieces, shifting Dutkiewicz to guitar. The track list included “Self-Revolution,” “Just Barely Breathing,” and a re-recorded “Temple from the Within.” Andy Sneap handled mixing and mastering at his English facility. The album emphasized deeper growling bass tones, heavier guitar impact, and thicker, faster double-bass patterns already central to their sound; upon its May 2002 release it earned widespread acclaim and climbed to number 37 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart.

After tours with Soilwork and Hypocrisy, the band faced a setback in June when vocalist Leach departed over vocal strain and personal matters; he later joined Seemless. Although dissolution was never considered, uncertainty lingered until Howard Jones, singer of local metalcore group Blood Has Been Shed, auditioned. The fit proved immediate, and Jones’s commanding yet intense stage presence confirmed the match. He debuted at Hellfest in summer 2002, after which the group toured extensively at home and overseas, converting doubters. Gomes left following their 2003 Ozzfest run and was succeeded by another Blood Has Been Shed member, drummer Justin Foley.

The End of Heartache arrived in spring 2004, entering the Billboard 200 at number 21 and securing a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance. Extensive touring followed, including main support for Slayer plus appearances on Ozzfest and Taste of Chaos, while the DVD Set This World Ablaze appeared in late 2005. In summer 2006 Killswitch played a main-stage slot at the U.K.’s Reading Festival. These activities preceded their fourth album, As Daylight Dies, released that November. In 2009 they returned with a second self-titled album that entered the Billboard 200. Three years later Jones exited; original vocalist Leach rejoined, appearing on 2013’s Disarm the Descent. That record landed inside the Top Ten on multiple charts, and the song “In Due Time” earned a 2014 Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance. Following further tours the band took an extended break.

Early in 2015 they previewed a 40-second clip of “Loyalty,” later included on Catch the Throne, Vol. 2: The Mixtape tied to the Game of Thrones series. Informal demo sessions also began. After a summer tour they entered the studio; December brought the online release of single “Strength of Mind.” Incarnate followed in March 2016, debuting at number six on the Billboard 200 and launching an immediate national tour. In 2017 the group started recording their eighth album, which featured a vocal duet between Jones and Leach. April 2018 brought confirmation that Jones would appear alongside Leach on the track “Signal Fire.” Spring 2018 tour dates were postponed so Leach could undergo vocal-cord surgery. After recovery the band resumed recording and touring, opening for Iron Maiden at two sold-out O2 Arena shows in London that August. They signed with Metal Blade in the U.S., Music for Nations in the U.K., and Sony elsewhere. Killswitch Engage finished Atonement, their eighth studio album, in late spring 2019; once again produced by Adam D., it appeared in August. Album opener “Unleashed” later received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance.