Killswitch Engage

In 2002, Jesse Leach departed the band citing vocal problems and personal issues. Rather than dissolving, Killswitch auditioned Howard Jones, vocalist for local band Blood Has Been Shed, and found the fit immediate. Justin Foley, also from Blood Has Been Shed, joined as drummer when Tom Gomes exited after Ozzfest 2003. The resulting album The End of Heartache (2004) debuted at number 21 on the Billboard 200, was certified gold, and earned the band their first Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance for the title track. It is widely considered among the gold standards of the genre. As Daylight Dies (2006) cemented their commercial peak, going platinum in the United States and producing My Curse — a single that became an anthem for a generation of metal listeners — alongside a definitive cover of the Dio classic Holy Diver. The band headlined major festivals including a main stage slot at Reading in the UK in 2006 and toured extensively as main support for Slayer.

Howard Jones departed in 2012, having been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and publicly citing a loss of passion for the music. The return of Jesse Leach — who rejoined for the band's tenth anniversary tour and then contributed to a full new album — was one of the most anticipated reunions in modern metal. Disarm the Descent (2013) debuted in the top ten, and In Due Time earned the band their second Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance. Incarnate (2016) debuted at number six on the Billboard 200. Atonement (2019) peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200, topped both the Top Rock Albums and Hard Rock Albums charts, and earned a third Grammy nomination — notably featuring a vocal duet between Leach and Jones, a reunion that surprised and moved the band's longstanding fanbase. Their ninth album This Consequence was released in February 2025.

Adam Dutkiewicz has become one of the most sought-after producers in heavy music, working with All That Remains, As I Lay Dying, and other major metalcore acts, further extending the band's influence beyond their own catalog. Killswitch Engage is credited with establishing the template that defined an entire generation of heavy music: crushing riffs rooted in Swedish melodic death metal, technically demanding drumming, and choruses built for large venues.

Wayne Dennon photographed Killswitch Engage as part of an archive that documents the full range of American heavy music. Few bands have held their position at the center of a genre for as long, and their live performances — from club tours in Western Massachusetts to arena and festival stages worldwide — have always reflected the same commitment to intensity and craft that made Alive or Just Breathing essential the moment it arrived.