The final tour date of Killswitch Engage was bound to be messy: a royal bloodbath. It looked like it was going to be crazy from the moment  Disarm the Descent hit the shelves, with rock fans flocking to hear what Jesse sounded like being back with Killswitch. What you hear on the album is nothing compared to what they sound like live.

The first band on were, well, I don’t actually know. The name wasn’t on the set list nor on average tickets, and rightfully so. I feel sad for opening acts as most people tend to just drift towards the bar, but in this case it was a good call. The band had potential, but everything about them was cliché from the lyrics to the music. Among other things, the frontman had the personality of a dead fish. Thankfully  Heartist was on next.  

Heartist embraced the stage, coursing with energy, jumping around. Bryce Beckley’s vocals were pitch perfect in accordance to their latest EP “Nothing You Didn’t Deserve”, along with the array of guitar fire from Jonathan Gaytan and Tim Koch led to a winning performance.

Watch “WHERE DID I GO WRONG?”

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After Heartist were thrash titans Sylosis. After looking at some YouTube videos (having not heard them before), I was slightly concerned about what they would sound like live. They blew the whole audience away with cut throat riffs, the ability to form walls of death in the first couple of songs, and Josh Middleton being able to sing whilst playing guitar at an electric speed.

 

 

 

Watch “FEAR THE WORLD”

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Pumping out some upbeat 80s music was the calling card for Killswitch Engage to come on stage to face a sweaty, heaving crowd. Jesse was in his prime, leaving all the stage banter for Adam D. After they hit the stage “The Hell in Me”, fists started to fly. Amongst fans was the speculation about Jesse covering Howard’s songs, but he nailed each and every one of them, from “Rose of Sharyn,” “End of Heartache,” and “Arms of Sorrow.” The new songs live were just out of this world. “In Due Time” was the most chaotic, combining Adam and Joel’s twin guitar effort to Justin Foley looking unfazed, calm through the fierce drumming (the magic must come from his beard). At the end, fans were treated to an emotional speech by Jesse saying, “Thank you for being the most loyal fans ever,” after which they introduced a drinking game to the other bands during their signature hit “My Last Serenade.”

Killswitch Engage need to play every card in their arsenal to prove to their fans that Jesse can do what Howard did. They did in on their latest album, and live they proved that there is a reason why they are one of the biggest metal bands on the planet.
 

CONNECT WITH KILLSWITCH ENGAGE HERE ON:

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE 

  

CONNECT WITH HEARTIST HERE ON:

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE
 

 pictures courtesy of Luke Denham