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Killswitch Engage - The End of Heartache Audio CD

A fair review of the Killswitch Engage "The End of Heartache" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Killswitch Engage reviews here, or go back to the Killswitch Engage tabs.

Killswitch Engage Band: Killswitch Engage
Title: The End of Heartache
Rating:
Release Date: 2009-06-23
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Bid Farewell 2: Take This Oath 3: When Darkness Falls 4: Rose of Sharyn 5: Inhale 6: Breathe Life 7: End of Heartache 8: Declaration 9: World Ablaze 10: And Embers Rise 11: Wasted Sacrifice 12: Hope Is...

Meh...
Overall, the album is o. TEoH has its moments but they're few and far between. k. , if you like the genre, but I wouldn't recommend it (but I would recommend their next one: "As Daylight Dies"). Of course, the die-hard fans will love anything and probably flame me but, for everyone else: this is pretty average stuff.

Not bad but not recommended.


The End of a Great Band
The first record (self-titled) and the planet-breaking (Yes, it is THAT good) Alive Or Just Breathing record were like discovering metal all over again. I discovered Killswitch just as former lead singer Jesse Leach was leaving the band. Everything was clean but heavier than hell, the guitar work was incredible, all around just awesome discs. The thing that REALLY set them apart, though, was Jesse Leach. His style of singing and even more importantly the lyrics were something I've never seen in metal and sadly, probably won't again.

Alive Or Just Breathing dealt with all kinds of lyrical subjects, from 9/11 to missing his wife while on the road to standing together in unity to anti-discrimination. . . . . if you can think of a subject worth screaming your face off about, it's on that record, and it's written in incredible style.

So imagine my surprise when I went to go see them live, and there was a different singer. I was told that Jesse had left the band because he couldn't stand to be away from his wife (he was newly wed at the time) and had to go be with her. Understandable, and I can't fault him for the choice. Howard did a terrific job live, I was very happy with the thirty bucks I paid to see them, and I went home anticipating this record (practically drooling).

Here is where my opinion breaks from the majority of Killswitch fans. I bought this record, and put it on, and found that musically, they had changed somewhat. The metal was still pretty heavy, guitarwork still solid, drumming/basswork good. . . . . . . . . . . but the problem was, Killswitch worked so perfectly because they mixed heavy and melodic in equal and well-measured doses. This record was where they started WAY overdoing the "dramatic epic vocal part". Ok. I don't need to hear a chorus more than three times (max!) in a song. Anything more than that, and guys, you're using pop song structure.

The other problem was that right around this time, Killswitch became a "Hot Topic" band. You know exactly what I mean. Killswitch bracelets. . . . . . underwear. . . . . . anything you can think of that Hot Topic could make a fast buck off of got a Killswitch logo slapped on it. That's a really fast way to lose my buying dollar and also any respect I might have had. We used to call it "selling out". . . . . . . . .

The main problem I have is with the vocals. I have nothing against Howard and I've heard from several people he's a really nice guy, and I believe it. He seemed really cool at the show I saw them at. The problem I have is that once Leach stopped writing the lyrics. . . . . . . everything. . . . . . basically went Goth-overdrive. . . . . "the darkness falling, i'm so sad, you broke my heart, blah, blah, blah". Now if they'd been doing that the whole time, it wouldn't be a big surprise. But the problem was, going from Leach's incredible lyrics about anti-discrimination. . . . unity. . . . standing up for yourself AGAINST yourself (who else writes about that???). . . . remaining true to yourself (Yes I know this sounds cheesy. Listen to Alive or Just Breathing and you won't think so anymore) straight downhill into angsty-ville really cooked my fish. I listened to the whole record, but you know what? Couldn't make it past the fifth listen. TOO MANY CHORUSES. WAY too many.

I bought the new one As Daylight Dies, but that one basically just upped the ante on the "hyper-goth" sound Heartache started, and yes, you guessed it, more singalong choruses than you can throw a rabid alligator at.

I'm not here to insult the guys in the band. They have always seemed really cool. All I'm saying is, their records used to really mean something incredible and rare. . . . . and now it's just another Hot Topic name.

Truly sad. .


Heavy and Catchy, whats not to like???


this album is choc full of great riffs and awesome vocals, in fact, im starting to think this is the kind of vocalist in flames are trying to imitate. I love this album plain and simple, and this is coming from a guy who lives for death metal like kalmah, amon amarth, mors principium est, insomnium, meshuggah and much more. well there later stuff anyway.

all in all this is a great album and in my opinion much better that as daylight dies. check it out!!.


not for everyone
It lacks vocal melodies for the most part, and contains unmemorable guitar riffs and solos that were influenced by old school metal bands such as Metallica. You have to really appreciate loud, intense vocal growls to get into this album. The music is just too obnoxious and annoying for me.
.


nice
Killswitches song the end of heartache was a major breakout on the residentevil apocalypes soundtrack after hearing the song at the end of the residentevil apocalypes movie i knew that was KS, so enstead of buying the residentevil apocalypes soundtrack i just brought the killswitch engage album that had the song in it. awsome again from killswitch great metal like killswitch always has. And that album was great from KS all their albums were great especially their album alive or just breathing that album was awsome but this album was great to nice album.


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