Album Review: Killswitch Engage - Disarm The Descent

More than a decade on and it's something of a renaissance for melodic metalcore Yanks Killswitch Engage with their sixth album. Since 2000's self-titled debut, the quintet has been a revolving cast of characters, the reasons pinned down to health issues rather than the tired 'creative differences' spin. With original screecher Jesse Leach back at the helm, the Killswitch world comes 360 degrees. Disarm The Descent sounds every bit the return to their halcyon days and those thousands of sweaty, red faces at this year's Soundwave Festival is a jolly good sign the diehards are more than down with it.

A typical explosion out of the ring is expected and there are no promises broken there; The Hell In Me rents a hole in space with Leach's blistering vocal, offset as always by guitarist and singer Adam Dutkiewicz's honey-dipped pipes in comparison. Shredding guitars, low, chugging riffs and an offbeat kick ensure Beyond The Flame's restrained sentiments are in stark contrast to the unforgiving bass runs in the chaotic The New Awakening. The dual vocals are really where Killswitch make this occasionally unwieldy monster approachable, especially in single In Due Time where Leach sets up a jaunty verse over a clean riff for Dutkiewicz to smooth it out with a cascading chorus line.

The fist-to-chest onslaught is underpinned by Leach's darker lyrical bent in the anthemic All We Have and closer Time Will Not Remain, a tidy summation of the songwriting foresight these lads are capable of in the space of one album. There's even room for a more indulgent, emotive pummel-bag piece Always, allowing Dutkiewicz to dig deep amid some shredding guitar and sweet acoustic.