Killswitch Engage - Disarm The Descent (Album Review)
Tuesday, 02 April 2013
Written by Alec Chillingworth
Metalcore. It's become something of a dirty word nowadays, hasn't it? Usually associated with skinny jeans, false angst and uninspired breakdowns, the sub-genre that once threatened to dominate the universe now lays largely abandoned by the media, left alone like the weird kid in the corner of the class. Credited for exposing this behemoth of a musical style to the mainstream, Killswitch Engage have returned with original vocalist Jesse Leach back in the fold. Not to dismiss Howard Jones' efforts on classic tunes from 'The End Of Heartache', but you'd be a fool if you regard their 2002 opus 'Alive Or Just Breathing' as anything other than a modern classic. Obviously, due to the astronomical expectations set by this beast of an LP, the band have never quite managed to equal or surpass it. Now they're all reunited and chummy again, can we hope for something a bit better than their lacklustre self-titled release back in 2009?
Well, Jesse Leach seems to think so. Within the first few seconds after pressing the play button, this album grabs you like a testicle clamp implemented by Satan himself. Leach's thunderous roar on opening track 'The Hell In Me' is truly savage; whilst not as raw and unpolished as his previous contributions to Killswitch, his titanic bellow still possesses enough sheer brutality to make Vinnie Jones whimper. His vocals are undoubtedly the highlight of the album, switching from an ungodly screech to melody-tinged cleans with a ridiculous sense of ease. It's plain to see that Leach has evolved since his departure back in 2002, allowing him to comfortably create melodies and hooks that hold a candle to Howard Jones' anthems. Because that's what these songs are. They're 100% certified anthems. The choruses to tunes such as 'The Call' and 'In Due Time' just have 'crowd participation' written all over them, simply oozing with catchy hooks that promise to sink into the collective consciousness of audiences worldwide. The man is ten times the vocalist he was on 'Alive Or Just Breathing', and his efforts on this album genuinely produce gut-wrenching, fist-pumping levels of win.
Of course, Jesse's outstanding vocal capabilities would be wasted if the music on 'Disarm The Descent' was absolute guff. Fortunately, it's not. Main axe-slinger Adam Dutkiewicz sounds like he's actually bothered to churn out some decent riffs this time around, dismissing any claims of his writing becoming stale after the band's so-so self-titled album back in 2009. The riffs are razor-sharp and attain the attention, never dragging, but sticking around just long enough to embed themselves in your skull. Gothenburg-style guitar wizardry peppers early album highlight 'New Awakening', sprinkling the usual Killswitch formula with a healthy dose of influence from At The Gates and In Flames.
It'd be unfair to to just credit Adam and Jesse with the success of the album, and there's loads of stuff on here that the rest of the band happily take credit for. The bass during the verse of 'You Don't Bleed For Me' is enough to rattle the ribcages of large water-dwelling mammals, whilst Justin Foley dispenses blastbeats throughout 'The Hell In Me' like a certified motherfucker. The band haven't been so comfortable in their own skin since 'The End Of Heartache', and the re-hiring of Leach seems to have given them all the collective kick up the backside they so greatly needed.
'Disarm The Descent' isn't a major change of style for Killswitch Engage. They're sticking to a similar blueprint that's garnered them the stupendous levels of success and praise they've become accustomed to over the years. But it's being done with such a sense of vitality and pure, honest musicianship; it almost feels like they've risen from the ashes, if you really want to get that cheesy. Yes. Killswitch have risen from the ashes of mediocrity like the angriest, most life-affirmingly nasty phoenix the world has ever seen. They're not re-inventing the wheel, and they really don't need to. Killswitch Engage are back, and that's all that matters.
'Disarm The Descent' is out now on Roadrunner Records. The band hit the road next month for a UK tour.
Thu May 2nd 2013 - The Ritz, Manchester
Fri May 3rd 2013 - O2 ABC, Glasgow
Sat May 4th 2013 - The Institute, Birmingham
Sun May 5th 2013 - O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Mon May 6th 2013 - Solus, Cardiff
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Well, Jesse Leach seems to think so. Within the first few seconds after pressing the play button, this album grabs you like a testicle clamp implemented by Satan himself. Leach's thunderous roar on opening track 'The Hell In Me' is truly savage; whilst not as raw and unpolished as his previous contributions to Killswitch, his titanic bellow still possesses enough sheer brutality to make Vinnie Jones whimper. His vocals are undoubtedly the highlight of the album, switching from an ungodly screech to melody-tinged cleans with a ridiculous sense of ease. It's plain to see that Leach has evolved since his departure back in 2002, allowing him to comfortably create melodies and hooks that hold a candle to Howard Jones' anthems. Because that's what these songs are. They're 100% certified anthems. The choruses to tunes such as 'The Call' and 'In Due Time' just have 'crowd participation' written all over them, simply oozing with catchy hooks that promise to sink into the collective consciousness of audiences worldwide. The man is ten times the vocalist he was on 'Alive Or Just Breathing', and his efforts on this album genuinely produce gut-wrenching, fist-pumping levels of win..jpg)
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