Killswitch Engage – This Consequence (Review)

A new Killswitch Engage record is always something like ordering your favorite food. You’ll eagerly anticipate it although you know what you’re getting. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still satisfying and tasteful. The Boston Metalcore Originals are now returning with their ninth record entitled This Consequence since their inception in 1999. And as you might have guessed already, it basically offers more of the same. But that doesn’t make it bad. In fact, the band offers one of their most delicious meals in ages (ok, I’ll stop with that now).

After establishing themselves as THE household name for Metalcore in the early 2000s with the landmark and genre popularizing releases of Alive Or Just Breathing and The End Of Heartache, the band unfortunately began to lose traction after 2006s As Daylight Dies. While still bumping out fairly succesful and critically acclaimed releases, the band who also went through a singer change after Howard Jones left in 2012 and original singer Jesse Leach returned, never quite managed to gain back that momentum they had in their early days. Part of that may come from the fact that their general formula of thrashy and melodeath influenced riffs, coupled with the harsh verses and cleanly sung melodic choruses is fairly limited in its possibilities to integrate further elements without compromising the bands identity.

The other thing we need to consider is that the genre the band helped to put on the map, just developed into a more streamlined, down-tuned and bounce reliant djent hybrid, which the band never adapted to. But looking at This Consequence this couldn’t be more of a compliment and also serves as a testament to the bands reliability and consistency throughout the years. While the ten new tracks might not offer any significant novelties, it is obvious that the band successfully managed to find a new sense of passion and urgency in their songwriting while creating this concise record.

The band sounds re-energized and re-joiced compared to some of their previous offerings. This most likely comes from the more cooperative approach the band states as an integral part of the songwriting process. The relatively short runtime of barely 35 minutes serves as a great plus as well, since there are hardly any duds to be found and the replayability is highly increased. Additionally the aggression is turned up a notch again with pretty much no ballads to be found and even some prominent death metal and hardcore influence in the albums back-half. Namely the ferocious “The Fall Of Us” and the slow-burning “Broken Glass” as well as the blastbeat laden “Discordant Nation“. The former might actually be one of the bands heaviest tracks to date and should inject a huge grin on old school fans faces as it offers break-neck pace, melodic tremolo riffing, huge breakdowns and an earworm chorus that makes you feel like it’s 2006 again.

Of course, there are also some songs on here that are more in line with the trademark “Killswitch-by-numbers” anthemic songs such as the pre-released singles “I Believe” and “Forever Aligned” but that doesn’t make them bad as the band clearly still knows how to write captivating melodies and effectful riffs to accompany Jesses signature clean vocals. While his delivery and lyrics can become a tad bit cheesy sometimes, especially on former releases, the singer mostly avoids these instances here. Alongside the bands renewed focus on aggresion, the singer also pushes himself with more gutturals and screeches thrown in the usual mix for good measure and though his lyrics might still come of as a little one-note to some, his delivery is convincing and technically magnificient.

Taking into account the bands history and their legacy they built their career upon, This Consequence might be the best Killswitch Engage record since As Daylight Dies and that should be proof enough for every fan of the band to pick this up as soon as possible. The band sounds reinvigorated and as hungry as 20 years ago. Sure, there is nothing new on the surface but the ingredients have thankfully been mixed with new flavours and spices again.