Killswitch Engage Country Massachusetts, USA Years active 1998 – Present Genre(s) Metalcore Label(s) Ferret Records Roadrunner Records Members Howard Jones Adam Dutkiewicz Joel Stroetzel Mike D'Antonio Justin Foley Killswitch Engage is a metalcore from Westfield, Massachusetts, USA. Contents 1 Music 2 Band history 3 Current Band Members 4 Former Band Members 5 Discography 6 References 7 External links Music Killswitch Engage's sound mixes crushing riffs, double bass drum patterns, and furious screaming mixed with clean vocals and melodic elements. Their music is heavily influenced by the Gothenburg music scene. A key feature of the band's sound is the use of complex single-note and power chord riffs featuring dual-guitar harmonies, often punctuated with pinch harmonic squeals. Band history Following the demise of his band Overcast in 1998, bassist Mike D'Antonio trawled the underground Massachusetts hardcore and heavy metal scene in search of a line-up for a new band. In 1999, D'Antonio met Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel, Aftershock's guitarists. Dutkiewicz became the drummer, 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 television program The X-Files entitled "Kill Switch" While on tour with In Flames, the record label Ferret took notice of Killswitch Engage's aggressive live show. The band then signed with the record label and began recording their debut album. This and their debut self-titled album was sufficient to earn the band a record deal with Roadrunner Records. Soon after their signing to Roadrunner records, the band decided to become a five piece by bringing in former Aftershock drummer, Tom Gomes. In 2002 they released Alive or Just Breathing, a successful record which greatly increased the band's exposure and placed them on the Billboard Magazine Heatseeker 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." Leach left the band shortly after the release of its second record, Alive or Just Breathing. Leach had married his wife while touring, and he was always separated from her. This brought Leach into a deep depression. During shows, he would scream with all of his emotion and blow out his voice. So, one night he sent the band an email, and because he was too emotionally distraught to confront them personally, he explained his situation and resigned from the band. citation needed] This, coupled with the band's touring commitments, prompted Leach's departure in June 2002. Leach was replaced by the band's current vocalist, Howard Jones, of Blood Has Been Shed The new lineup played on the Road Rage tour in the UK and 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 to the 2003 horror film Freddy vs. Jason. The same year they also played the Ozzfest, 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, who also played in the jazzmetal band Red Tide. Justin' first tour with the band was the MTV2 Headbangers Ball tours. Jesse Leach (Left) And Howard Jones (Right) The band's third album, and the first to feature Jones on vocals, was The End of Heartache which was released on May 11 2004. The album ultimately went on to sell more than a quarter of a million copies in the U.S. It also debuted on the top 40 of the Australian album charts on May 17, 2004 following a successful tour of that country with Anthrax. In the later half of 2004, the band supported Slayer on their US Jagermusic dates, and headlined shows with From Autumn to Ashes, Eighteen Visions and 36 Crazyfists. In addition, the track 'The End Of Heartache' became the main single for the movie "Resident Evil: Apocalypse", and 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 live performances of Fixation on the Darkness (which is sung by their current lead singer Howard Jones), Life To Lifeless and My Last Serenade accompanied with two bonus tracks, the rerecorded Irreversal, featuring former vocalist Jesse Leach on chorus vocals, and My Life For Yours, the Japanese bonus track for the original release. 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, KSE 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 hourlong 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 there is no friction between him and the band, and they graciously forgave him for the way he left. The band all makes various comments on the transformation of the band and how they're all still friends. The band returned to Chicopee, Massachusetts on February 19, 2005, to play an unnanounced show in front of fans from the band's beginning days. The show was an album release party for guitarist Joel's brother's band, Once Beloved. According to Roadrunner Records' official website, KSE will begin work on their next album this year, and it is rumored to be released on November 7th, 2006. They also recorded a cover of Dio's Holy Diver for a Kerrang! compilation album entitled High Voltage. On the March 3, 2006 edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown!, Superstar Randy Orton came out to new entrance music performed by the band, titled "This Fire Burns". However, he reverted to his old theme, sung by Mercy Drive, the next week. "This Fire Burns" was the theme song for the WWE Judgement Day pay-per-view as well as featured in the WWE Wreckless Intent album. "This Fire Burns" has apparently been mixed up with the songs "The End of Heartache" and "Fixation on the Darkness" on many file sharing sites, but the full, real version of the song has been leaked as well. The band will play the Carling Weekend Reading and Leeds Festivals in August. Current Band Members Howard Jones - Vocals Adam Dutkiewicz - Guitars/Vocals/Drums (Drums From 1998-2002) Joel Stroetzel - Guitars Mike D'Antonio - Bass Justin Foley - Drums Former Band Members Jesse Leach - Vocals - Now in the band Seemless with Pete Cortese Pete Cortese - Guitars Tom Gomes - Drums Discography Studio Albums Killswitch Engage (2000) Alive or Just Breathing (2002) The End of Heartache (2004) TBD (November 7th, 2006 (tentative)) Concert DVDs (Set This) World Ablaze (2005) (DVD) References Killswitch Engage web site page on band history All Music Guide Killswitch Engage article Wise Men Promotions interview with Joel Stroetzel, June 27, 2004 Retrieved January 27, 2005 External links Official Site MusicBrainz guide to Killswitch Engage Search Term: "Killswitch_Engage" Categories: Articles with unsourced statements | American musical groups | Berklee College of Music alumni | Metalcore groups | Death metal musical groups | Massachusetts musical groups