KILLSWITCH ENGAGE

Massachusetts metalcore act Killswitch Engage mix crushing riffs and armageddon vocals, ignoring any current trends and opting instead for some of the meatiest metal since the glory days of Metallica. Formed by bassist Mike D'Antonio in 1999 who recruited former Aftershock members, Joel Stroetzel (guitars) and Adam Dutkiewicz (drums), the lineup was completed with the addition of former Corrin and Nothing Stays Gold vocalist Jesse Leach. The band took their name from an X Files TV episode entitled Kill Switch. Signed to Roadrunner Records for their eponymous debut album the band only began to make waves after the release of their second album, Alive Or Just Breathing which coincided with the departure of vocalist Leach, to be replaced by Howard Jones. The band's 2003 track, When Darkness Falls appeared on the suitably menacing horror flick soundtrack, Freddy Vs. Jason. The band's third album, the first to feature Jones on vocals, The End of Heartache, was released in 2004 and went on to sell 250,000 copies in the US.