‎Disarm the Descent (Special Edition) by Killswitch Engage on iTunes

16 Songs, 54 Minutes

EDITORS’ NOTES

After the departure of singer Howard Jones, Killswitch Engage began work on its sixth studio album with founding frontman Jesse Leach, who hadn’t worked with the band since 2002’s Alive or Just Breathing. But don’t think of 2013’s Disarm the Descent as a nostalgic reunion album. The opening cut, “The Hell in Me,” is an eruption of metalcore played faster than anything heard on preceding Killswitch Engage recordings. Leach balances his throat-grating screams and shrieks with melodic and soulful crooning. When both voices are simultaneously singing ”Lead me out of the darkness,” it sounds like his inner Jekyll and Hyde are battling for his mortal soul. The standout single “In Due Time” boasts lightning-fast fretboard work by guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, whose backing vocals blend with Leach's so closely on the melodic parts that at times a third harmonic overtone can be heard popping out of the mix. Of the four special-edition bonus tracks, “Blood Stains” is the heaviest. Both “Numbered Days” and “My Curse” showcase the band’s uncanny strength in a live setting.

EDITORS’ NOTES

	TITLE		TIME
	The Hell In Me		2:57
	Beyond the Flames		2:53
	New Awakening		3:30
	In Due Time		3:17
	A Tribute to the Fallen		4:02
	Turning Point		3:11
	All We Have		3:19
	You Don't Bleed for Me		3:21
	The Call		2:50
	No End In Sight		3:29
	Always		4:33
	Time Will Not Remain		3:12
	Blood Stains		3:21
	Slave to the Machine		3:07
	Numbered Days (Live 2012) [Bonus Track]		3:45
	My Curse (Live 2012) [Bonus Track]		3:53

4.5 out of 5

1.1K Ratings

Jesse is Back

For all of you praising Howard. Listen to Alive or Just Breathing... and actually read the lyrics and feel the lyrics and you will see what kind of band Killswitch Engage truly was. Howard stepped in and took the band in a completely different direction, a mainstream direction, which ruined the quality of the music. Howard first said when he joined the band he was worried because he was into a heavier sound than they had, but then he took basically everything that was heavy about Killswitch Engage and threw it out the door. Focusing his lyrics on love and heartbreak with catch phrases for feeding to the corny mainstream. Yes he is a very talented vocalist, but was never cut out to fill Jesse's shoes. The band should have been renamed at the time.

Now also on top of all of this, Jesse and the rest of the band share a lot more chemistry and when you see them live with Jesse you are blown away everytime. I seen one of the first shows Jesse returned for at Tresspass America tour and I can tell you his voice is better than ever. He covered the only few songs of Howard's I have respect for and completely outshined Howard in every way. He even covered Holy Diver as the close to the set and it was again another excellent vocal performance.

Yes for those of you Howard fans you probably won't like the original KsE line-up, but that is because you fell in love with a different band which should have went under a different name. Yes, Howard and Jesse have similar voices to an extent but they were nowhere near each other in writing style so like I said plenty of times already the band should have been renamed when Jesse was replaced.

In Due Time...

What a great track to release early. Pretty stoked for the rest of the Album. Jess has a different feel than Howard, but it's a good thing… A great thing! Been following this band since it's beginning and I'm happy to see Jess back at the helm.