The new album by Killswitch Engage is a big deal. Why? Because it’s the band’s first record with original vocalist Jesse Leach after a decade of absence. The Soundwave veterans have returned back to their roots with the most genuine metal sound they possibly could.
‘The Hell In Me’ is a great start to the record with a mirrored atmosphere of ‘Temple From the Within’ – a classic hit from their 2003 album Alive Or Just Breathing. The melodic guitars and pounding drums match the ferocious growls from Leach and clean backup vocals of guitarist Adam D.
Early on in the record is one of the best tracks, ‘New Awakening’. It combines the heavy riff-driven metal of Killswitch Engage with the melodic choruses seemingly familiar to the Howard Jones (ex-vocalist) era of the band.
Disarm The Descent continues to burst with rich talent and perfection in tracks like ‘You Don’t Bleed For Me’ and ‘The Call’. The band gush out sustained riffs as a catalyst for each song to the extent that they reach a cathartic blow-out in the choruses.
The record winds up with heavy tracks including ‘Time Will Not Remain’ which again build up chaotically only to cease with melodic harmony between verses.
Killswitch Engage will have felt intense pressure to deliver the goods for this album as fans’ expectations were high. Needless to say they have exceeded not only the fans’ expectations, but their brethren from metal bands worldwide.
