Album Review: Killswitch Engage - Disarm The Descent

The prodigal son returns. Like a Morgan Freeman voiceover, some sounds are just plain reassuring. As opener, The Hell In Me rapidly reinforces, Jesse Leach rejoining the band he helped establish as one of heavy music's biggest is definitely on that proverbial list. Quite simply, it fits.

Although he departed when the US metalcore titans were on the cusp of major commercial success, many fans continued to clutch 2002's Leach-fronted Alive Or Just Breathing tightly against their heavily tattooed chests. A decade away from the fold hasn't dulled the vocalist's raw passion and soulfulness – or sense of purpose, a message of hope – which fuelled that record and helped render legions of shallow nu-metal acts obsolete. Here, when screaming “I would rather die, than live my life in fear” (New Awakening), or soaring on sublime choruses (chugging In Due Time, A Tribute To The Fallen) he clearly means it. The music itself being written before they enlisted a singer means these Mass-holes take almost zero risks, but the quality of hooks, slick musicianship and palpably renewed energy has breathed new life into a previously increasingly stale formula. The more aggressive, shred-fest approach (channelling rage brought about by dramas surrounding former vocalist Howard Jones, perhaps?) works wonders, too. Other standouts are hook-loaded Beyond The Flames, serene semi-ballad, Always, and All That We Have's sheer intensity. 

If you can hum the melody of a solitary song from Killswitch Engage's previous record, you're doing better than this reviewer. Disarm… doesn't reinvent the band's own wheel, but they sure give it a hefty shove via a slew of well-crafted, memorable songs. Welcome back, lads.