Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Killswitch Engage - Killswitch Engage (2000)

Sometimes I think about metal bands that are more popular but have yet to suit my interest and wonder, "Why the f*** am I overlooking a band that's so famous in one of my favorite metal genres?" I've listened to one other album and a few other songs from Killswitch Engage, but they did not hit the point of perfect enjoyment for me. It was hard for me to find the appeal of this band...until now!

This was before Killswitch Engage started taking on a cleaner modern approach in which the whiny choruses in some songs may be the reason why they don't hit me hard. The debut's sound apparently continues that of bassist Mike D'Antonio's previous band Overcast. There is very unique structure compared to the generic sh*t of what I heard.

Like the movie Michelle Yeoh won the Best Actress award for shortly before this review, everything everywhere all at once kicks through in "Temple from the Within". Without an intro, the instrumentation hits you non-stop. A great mid-paced start to this perfect experience! A good thrashy track, "Vide Infra" has more spoken/shouted cleans to fit with the screams. The brutal blasts of "Irreversal" level up the intensity, defining the sound to expect in the album.

"Rusted Embrace" has some awesome vocals here. "Prelude" is quite g****mn good for an instrumental. It's too bad not a lot of the more serious metalheads give the earlier material like that track more appreciation. It segues to "Soilborn" which is really solid.

Next track "Numb Sickened Eyes" is a killer track worth listening to. However, its ending a bit annoying and I feel the need to skip it. Still it doesn't affect the album's perfect score that's still staying steady. "In the Unblind" has more effective mixing. The powerful screaming, guitar soloing, and drumming is a great reminder of the album's strength. The outro track "One Last Sunset" ends the album smoothly, though they probably could've added some clean singing. Still a nice exit...

Although not everyone would ever enjoy this band's debut, I consider it a fantastic experience. Several years after a previous album review attempt, I finally found what makes the band one of the best of the genre, despite its difference from their later material. This is true melodic metalcore fans of the genre should enjoy. Greatly recommended!

Favorites: "Temple from the Within", "Irreversal", "Rusted Embrace", "Soilborn", "In the Unblind"