Written: 16th February 2025
Now more than twenty five years into their career, (melodic) metalcore act Killswitch Engage have consistently found an audience that is testament to their ability to appeal to fans of different genres. Having appeared on stage with bands such as Iron Maiden, Slipknot, My Chemical Romance, Mastodon and Parkway Drive, they have been a consistently in-demand live act. This Consequence is the band’s ninth album and their first since Atonement, which was released six years ago.
At thirty-five minutes, This Consequence (with the exception of their debut album) is the band’s shortest offering to date. It is still crammed with the hallmarks of their distinctive sound; however, there was a renewed commitment to the cause during the recording of the album as vocalist Jesse Leach explains, “Making this record lit a fire under my ass and made me rethink everything. It had to be next level. It had to be different enough for people to really recognize we’re putting forth an effort—or what’s the point of doing this? There was no repeating ourselves. It was very carefully planned out and passionately written. It sounds like Killswitch, yet there’s also a fresh spirit to it.”
Opening track Abandon Us wastes no time in laying down some persistent, heavy staccato riffs and some emblazoned vocals from Leach. With intense verses and a melodic clean voiced chorus, Killswitch Engage display their various guises from the outset. Lyrically, Abandon Us focuses themes of betrayal and the broken promises of leaders, while urging collective action. By my own volition isolated and set free / The symptom of your violence and the dissident in me / Untrusting of the promise of a figurehead to lead / When they've broken all their promises and left us here to bleed. On a strong opening track, the guitar solos play with melody and the quintet continue their love of fiery vocals over more harmonious tones.
Second track Discordant Nation is a two and a half minute onslaught that seizes our attention. While still containing moments of melody, it is a slightly more brutal affair than Abandon Us. Leach sounds fired up as he delivers some of the most guttural roars on the album. Living through discoordination in our society / A boiling point of our frustration and mass anxiety / Anyone can see undeniably diversion is the new disorder / Forced complacency / Assimilated to the syndicate. This harshness is contrasted by the opening of Aftermath, which finds gentle, almost post-rock type guitars lulling us into a false sense of security before they fully ignite shortly after the forty-second mark. With its more straightforward chorus, the band continue to show that they value hooks as much as the inherent anger that runs through much of their music.
The two previously released singles – Forever Aligned and I Believe - conclude the first half of the album. The former of these is an examination of how certain people become incredibly important in our lives. “When you find someone who won’t give up on you, forge a friendship, or have a family member who makes you a better person, you realize what love actually is,” notes Leach. It is set to a rhythmic, galloping pulse with guitarists Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel – as they do over much of the album – engaged in a delightful, dual-guitar attack. “Even with all of the brutality, the hook is right up there with some of our best,” smiles bassist Mike D’Antonio. Forever Aligned begins with an impassioned Leach spitting his lyrics with fury until this resolves in the eminently singable chorus. For those fans that enjoy the band’s melodic elements, there are moments such as the short linking section that will find much favour. Calculating divinity to understand the spirit unseen / Now we are aligned / We are aligned. I Believe utilises a simpler approach and features more clean vocals - an excellent performance from Leach - than any other other song on This Consequence. Due to its position in the middle of the album, and although not a track completely without power, it allows for a short moment of respite, even though some listeners might contend that a little of the accumulated momentum is lost. Nevertheless, I believe (pun intended) that albums can thrive on variety and I Believe provides this.
As we move into the second half of the album, Where It Dies begins with a stomping, groove that - despite its three and half minute running time - allows the introduction to develop for almost a minute of this. It is among the most infectious moments of the album. Simple but effective. The growling vocals return and with it, the intensity that dissipated a little with I Believe.
The thundering Collusion finds Leach delving into the weighty subject of oppression, resistance and destructive forces of war and greed. Once again showcasing the extremes of the band’s sounds, the track – among my favourites on the album – includes such diverse embellishments as a melodic chorus (that will work extremely well in the live arena), a bludgeoning groove that drives the track endlessly forward and a segment of utterly pulverising vocals. What can't be seen is our captivity / Covert and crafted to create our dependency.
Throughout This Consequence, there is the feeling of a band completely at home with their new music. “It felt like everyone put a ton of effort into this,” Mike D’Antonio adds. “It’s the first time since ‘Alive Or Just Breathing’ that we really hashed everything out together in the same room. It was a combined effort, and there are even some things you’ve never heard from Killswitch.” A balance of encouragement and challenge meant that Leach had to make sure he was always giving his best. “We pushed him to do more vocal demos and were super tough on him,” recalls Adam. “He was so open to feedback though, and he definitely got the lyrics right. I love it when he and I are face-to-face, and ideas are flying around. We work especially well together when we’re in the heat of the moment. All of the demoing made for a better record, and there was so much communication between all of the band members.”
The Fall of Us – one of the heaviest tracks here, at least during the verses – steps up the vehemence once again. This is maintained on Broken Glass, which tramples and ravages with malignant zeal, standing out as the album’s most nefarious composition. Blast beats from drummer Justin Foley and a huge bass sound from D’Antonio add to the underlying malevolence. “I’m most stoked on Broken Glass. It definitely doesn’t sound like anything we’ve ever done before,” says Adam. The shortest track on the album, it snarls and bites thus mirroring the harmful nature of lies within the song's metaphorical title. It certainly brings something different to the album and This Consequence is all the better for its inclusion. A fusion of mellifluous lines, potent energy, savage energy and an outstanding guitar solo, final track Requiem brings together everything that makes this a successful album.
There is a noticeable vitality to the band’s playing and they have emerged with revived determination. “This band is still just a group of friends who get together and play music—but to some of the biggest crowds we could’ve ever imagined,” Mike leaves off. “Even after all of this time, there’s a lot of love being thrown around.” With this, the band acknowledge the part played by those who have stuck by them. “The goal is to make the fans happy,” concludes Adam. “When you come to a show, it’s about fun. I love the connection we have. If the crowd is having a good time, we’re having a good time. This record is for everybody who has been with us for all of these years.”
Due to the longer gap between albums this time and all that has happened in the world since, This Consequence feels like the beginning of the next chapter in the evolution of Killswitch Engage. The band are on fire, and while it is unlikely to ensnare listeners who have not previously been drawn to their music, it is a worthy addition to the band’s discography. Fans of melodic metalcore will enjoy how the album interweaves sheer strength, fiery ire with the use of a melodious allure, and all wrapped up in some of the angriest lyrics the band have ever produced. Potent, vigorous and dextrous.
This Consequence is released on 21st February.
