Killswitch Engage [2009]

Westfield, MA-based metalcore kings Killswitch Engage's fifth full-length album (and second eponymous release) was co-produced by Brendan O'Brien (Bruce Springsteen, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Mastodon) resulting in the group's most commercially viable collection of progressive/thrash/emo-metal to date. Where 2006's AS DAYLIGHT DIES hinted at an accelerated focus on the more melodic aspects of extreme metal, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE cements the notion. After a typically brutal opener that epitomizes the band's penchant for scorching death metal verses and sweeping, melodious choruses, the quintet spits out the radio-ready "Starting Over." Flanked by dual guitar leads that echo classic Iron Maiden shot through with a truly great vocal take from lead singer Howard Jones (who sounds remarkably like a classically trained Trent Reznor throughout the album), it's one of the disc's finest moments. The remainder of the record follows a significantly different template, trading tight machine-gun riffs ("Save Me," "A Light in a Darkened World") for angst-fueled midtempo dirges ("Lost," "This Is Goodbye") that might disappoint fans who feel that the punk-infused slow-burn post-hardcore albums like ALIVE or JUST BREATHING and END OF HEARTACHE are the barometers for which all future endeavors must be compared.