KILLSWITCH ENGAGE reassert their metalcore royalty status.
Atonement MUSIC FOR NATIONS Jesse Leach returns from the brink with a belter
AS ONE OF the most respected and imitated bands in our world, every new Killswitch Engage album carries a sense of occasion, but their eighth album, Atonement, arrives amid particularly frenzied anticipation. Just last year, frontman Jesse Leach was forced to undergo throat surgery, leaving him unsure if he’d ever be able to sing again and the band facing an uncertain future, but emotional first single Unleashed put any such fears immediately to bed. The vocalist sounds better than ever throughout here, with both his gut-punching roars and transcendent cleans elevating a band already on excellent form. The most talked-about track here will easily be The Signal Fire, a collaboration with ex-Killswitch frontman Howard Jones that people have been losing their shit over since the band announced it on Instagram last year. Tearing out of the blocks with a thrashing riff, amid guitarists Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel’s trademark gleaming death metal leads, Howard and Jesse lead their two-pronged attack with devastating power, their voices entwining for its massive chorus. It’s classic Killswitch and an absolute belter.
Whereas 2016’s Incarnate was bruised and reflective in tone, Atonement all but bursts its seams with positivity and triumph. The Crownless King, which features the distinctive growl of Testament’s Chuck Billy, is one of the many moments when Jesse’s lyrics spill over into political territory, with cries of ‘We defy you!’ Covering similar ground, Us Against The World and
As Sure As The Sun Will Rise revel in rhythmic grooves, irrepressible melodies and huge choruses. These aren’t the most immediate songs Killswitch have ever put together, but only a few listens are needed before they’re lodged firmly in your cranium. Yet what will stick with you long after closer Bite The Hand That Feeds brings things to a rabid finish is the metalcore godfathers’ consistent ability to make their sound feel perennially fresh.
FOR FANS OF: Trivium, Lamb Of God, Machine Head