– Word is Killswitch is still banging out the recording of their debut Roadrunner release, Alive Or Just Breathing, at Zing Studios in Massachusetts. – Word is recording is around 65% done (do not ask how that figure was calculated), with mostly vocals taking up the percentage that needs completed. – Speaking of vocals, word is that Shadows Fall frontman, Brian Fair, will be joining the band in the studio this weekend to lay down some lines. Did you know, Brian and Mike used to be in Overcast? – Speaking of lines, song titles at present include “Temple From The Within”, “Numbered Days”, “Transfiguration”, “Just Barely Breathing”, “Self-Revolution”, “My Last Serenade”, “In The Unblind”, and “Vide Infra”. – Word is there is another handful of untitled songs being tracked, along with the possibility of an instrumental being put on the release. – Word is also that there might be another batch of studio pictures creeping up after the weekend…we shall see… Taken straight from an email from Mike D’Antonio, comes the following words…”Things are going great with the band, the record is almost done, just 1/2 the vocals are left. Andy Sneap mixes and masters the LP the 1st 2 weeks of Feb in England. All in all it should be ready for a May release. We start to tour around March and will go through the rest of 2002 prob. The cover art is basically done at this point, we are waiting on the lyrics and song orders to complete.” We can confirm release is tentatively set for May 13th. Talking from Zing Studio, Killswitch Engage frontman Jesse Leach sheds some light on the ongoing Killswitch recording process: “It’s been a slow process for us but things are turning out great. I definitely hand it to [producer] Adam D. – he’s the man. We’re taking our time, dissecting things. It’s made me push myself to my limits – getting a lot more passion and deliver out of what I’m doing.” The next few weeks will find Killswitch joined in the studio by Shadows Fall frontman Brian Fair. Fair is an old friend of the band and a former bandmate of KsE bassist Mike D’antonio from seminal metalcore legends, Overcast. “It’s an honor and a blessing to have him do guest vocals on the album,” says Jesse of Shads-man Fair. “He’s an energetic singer who we all know and respect – for quite some time now.” The debut is titled Alive Or Just Breathing. The band writes the following: Creating an LP for Roadrunner is no easy task. Not by a long shot. Painstaking effort, endless hours locked indoors, enduring blistered broken strumming hands… with these sacrifices for our album, we ensure true perfection in our music. This comes from the A&R mouth of Mike… “Production will be helmed by drummer Adam Dutkiewicz who also produced the band’s 2000 Ferret Records debut. The album will be mixed in January in Nottingham, England by Andy (Machine Head/Skinlab) Sneap.” Yes you read that right! Nottingham, England! We are happy to offer up a new download from Killswitch Engage, a track called “Numbered Days”. You can hear it here. “Numbered Days” is a hint of what’s to come from Killswitch Engage. “THE TIME APPROACHES!” screams Jesse Leach as the band comes storming in. If nothing else, “Numbered Days” is a scream-to-arms. A cry for purification. Desperate music for desperate times. If the song is brutal, the sentiment is pure, white and scalding. Listen closely to the lyrics. In light of recent events, this song – which was written and demo’ed last Winter – is especially chilling. “Numbered Days” was among the first songs demoed for KsE’s upcoming LP, tentatively titled Alive But Just Breathing. Recorded by drummer and LP producer Adam Dutkiewicz, the demo itself – which was never even mixed! – was recorded very quickly which added to the overall power, tension and vibe of the song. ‘Numbered Days’ was included on the Kerrang! cover-mount CD on the Dec 1st issue. Presently, Killswitch Engage are busily writing their Roadrunner debut with plans to hit the studio at the end of October. Tracks finished at present include: “Numbered Days”, “Transfiguration”, “Just Barely Breathing”, “Pull”, “Self-Revolution” and “My Last Serenade”. While the LP will also include a rerecorded version of the song “Temple From The Within”, the band are also rerecording the songs “In The Unblind” and “Vide Infra” from their Ferret Records debut. Once the record is finished, the band will convene with metal mixer extrodinaire, Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Stuck Mojo, Skinlab, Arch Enemy) to deliver a record that one RR staffer is calling “Roadrunner’s most credible record since Roots.” Get ready for pure heaviness and emotion set to sound. Soul music mainlining raw feeling and the heaviest of tuning. You may have seen the Massachusetts-based foursome destroy crowds at past and recent gigs with the likes of the Soul Brains, VOD and Cradle of Filth. You may have even heard their already metalcore classic Killswitch Engage on ultra-cool indie Ferret Records. Now, Killswitch Engage take the next step with next year’s Roadrunner debut, tentatively titled ‘Alive Or Just Breathing’, due in early 2002. The whisper-to-a-scream sound of Killswitch Engage is the combination of four distinct players and personalities. Bassist Mike D’Antonio’s previous band, Overcast, set the stage for what is being called “The New Wave of American Metal”, a riveting sound also played out by the likes of Shadows Fall, God Forbid and Lamb of God. Drummer Adam Dutkiewcz and guitarist Joel Stroezel took that sound to heart in the band Aftershock while frontman Jesse Leach first howled the heartfelt in Rhode Island’s Corrin in the USA. Killswitch Engage takes all of that miles further. It’s music so emotive, so melodic, yet so heavy that you won’t be able to brush it off. It’s pure Molt (as in “Molten”) served up at a time when “heavy” is just so much dispensable radio fodder. Killswitch Engage is the real shit. We present to you the following 4 ‘fun’ facts about Killswitch Engage: 1-Bassist Mike D’Antonio’s previous band, Overcast, is responsible for setting the stage for today’s metalcore movement, inspiring the likes of God Forbid and Lamb of God. Overcast’s singer, Brian Fair is now the dreadlocked throat of Massachussetts metallists, Shadows Fall. 2 -Singer Jesse Leach has a sizeable acting role in the fim, “Outside Providence” which was written by “Something About Mary” directors, the Farrelly Brothers. His character is perpetually stoned throughout the movie. 3-Drummer Adam D. runs recording sessions at Zing Studios in Easthampton, MA. He recently produced records by Unearth, Everytime I Die and Autumn To Ashes. 4-Killswitch Engage really does practice in guitarist Joel Stroezel’s bedroom. Thanks go to the man that signed the band, Mike ‘Metal Mike’ Gitter, for the above info. To get better acquainted with Killswitch Engage, the band are featured on the original soundtrack release ‘Ginger Snaps’ – out now on Roadrunner. Check out the Ginger Snaps news section for more details. You can hear an MP3 in our Downloads section! To learn even more about the band… you can read their biography or check out their website at www.killswitchengage.com.