Sep. 09, 2009 - Issue #725: Sex in the City 2009

Killswitch Engage

The spice of life: Metalcore band engages a wider variety on latest album

After more than 10 years and four albums, it was important for heavy metal band Killswitch Engage to not fall into the trap of repeating itself, of recreating an easy formula and banging out songs the way a factory worker works an assembly line. To that end, the group knew it needed to make a change to the way it had always made albums; guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz had long been the band's principle producer, but for the newest record it was time to shake things up.

"Adam was definitely closely involved with the album but we ended up using Brendan O'Brien," explains vocalist Howard Jones, rattling off a list of rock 'n' roll luminaries the producer has worked with which includes AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen and Rage Against the Machine, amongst others. "He was into what we do, and so Adam and I flew down to Atlanta to talk with him and he was a really cool, mellow guy—a lot of energy but still real mellow. We thought, 'Let's give this a shot.' It was time for us to change things up a bit. Using a different producer was a big thing."

Changing up the responsibilities in the studio allowed the band to focus on different aspects of the songwriting, Jones explains, and for him to personally try out a new approach to recording.

"[O'Brien's] approach, it's a little different; Adam recording vocals, he can be—I mean, we have a lot of fun—but at times he can be a little heavy handed and harsh. Brendan just pushed me to go for it, try some different stuff—it was a more at ease atmosphere. But both things work so I really don't have a problem with that," he laughs. "It was really just a chance for us to focus on the songwriting and make stronger, more varied songs and I think that that's really the main difference when you listen to this album compared to the other ones—there's a larger variety in the songs." V

Tue, Sep 15 (6 pm)
Killswitch Engage
With In Flames, Protest the Hero
Shaw Conference Centre, $39.50

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