Killswitch Engage takes responsibility with a ninth album.
Almost six years after their last studio effort, Adam Dutkiewicz (guitar/vocals, Serpentine Dominion, Times of Grace), Mike D’Antonio (bass, Death Ray Vision), Joel Stroetzel (guitar, live for Times of Grace), Jesse Leach (vocals, Times of Grace) and Justin Foley (drums, ex-Red Tide) unveil This Consequence, still on Metal Blade Records.
Abandon Us kicks off with a bang, bringing us back to the band’s jerky metalcore, which immediately hits home, letting the catchy rhythm win us over before the chorus softens things up with clean vocals and heady melodies. The track flies by on its own, then joins Discordant Nation, where Jesse‘s powerful vocals are occasionally backed up by Adam‘s one, while the rhythm section blazes along, remaining only slightly wiser on the melodic break. Aftermath offers us a brief respite before returning to its energetic saturation, whether for the violent verses or the unifying chorus, then Forever Aligned offers us a heavier sound with jolts that bode well for future live performances. We’ll also note the fury of the saturated vocals, before returning to touches of modern Heavy on I Believe, which acts as a slightly angry but still accessible ballad, then Where It Dies returns to the roots of the style with its piercing leads and raw groove, coupled with powerful vocal parts with a little echo of nostalgia for the first albums. The band picks up the pace again with Collusion, a composition that remains in this lively dynamic, sometimes doubled by heady leads before returning to its thick fury, but there’s a real outburst of violence with The Fall of Us, which also places more complex virulent touches in its eruptions of rage. The break is particularly dark and suffocating, but Broken Glass takes over, lining up its own heavy riffs following the savage blast, but the track is short, and quickly gives way to Requiem, the final composition with which the band reassures us with heartfelt riffs that they’re still in top form!
Killswitch Engage‘s recipe remains unchanged, and it obviously always hits the mark! Whether you’re a fan of sick breaks or furious riffs, This Consequence will keep you happy, sometimes even returning to the basics of their violence.
85/100