Killswitch Engage

A friend of mine who is a huge Killswitch fan called this record a horrible piece of shit. But he did so in a descriptive way that told me that I might like it. If these extreme metallers were going to chill it down and get all mopey and heart-breaky, then my ears might find a connection.

For starters, they got Brendan O'Brien as a producer. If anything screams "We're trying to cross-over to a wider audience!", it's getting B O'B as your producer. Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Rage ATM, KoRn, Incubus. This is a guy who gets shit onto modern-alterno-rock radio.

The production is evident right away. First track, "Never Again" (no- not a Kelly Clarkson cover) The verse is a razorblade-vocal screamfest & the chorus is repetitive, simple, and melodic. The video has prettier people in it than the band. Slipknot employs this tactic a shit-ton, and it's safe to say that they're way more successful. I'll bet that KSE is trying to find a common audience tangent.

To my friend's credit, he may have a point. If he is upset that the singer has employed some new relationship woes into his songwriting, then he's got very little to be satisfied with here. There are several examples of some cliché trite bullshit.

Can we start again?/We thought love was everlasting
- "Starting Over"

I've made so many mistakes and I've broken so many promises
I've searched inside and I'm empty/Will you save me?
- "Save Me"

Drifting from your memory/I'm lost without your love
- "Lost"

While the band makes room for those big choruses, for the rest of the time, they are working the room full of Iron Maiden riffs with flair. The single throws down an obvious tween-girl sing-along slow breakdown part. See video below.

So what can my friend expect? Either these tactics will be successful, meaning that future albums will employ the same on at least half the songs, and his enjoyment will be wained forever. Or it will fail, the band will go broke under the huge production costs, keep trying, but will grow more cynical as "the scene" changes, and will ultimately break-up. My advice to my friend.... at least you got 4 albums that you liked... (2/5 stars)