My Last Serenade: check out the must-be-seen awesome new promo video for My Last Serenade! Click HERE for a Real Media stream. Oh, and for the first time ever on our site, we also give you the video in a streaming QuickTime format. Looks like television, sounds like the stereo – a true experience. We shit you not. To view, you just have to MAKE SURE YOU HAVE QuickTime 5 (the FREE VERSION will do just fine) on your computer machine and then click HERE! . You can also request it on Kerrang! TV – selection no 834. For KTV requests, call 09067 533433. And a new website… While you’re online, make sure you visit the brand new Killswitch Engage official website at www.killswitchengage.com The Queen’s Jubilee Is Coming… God Save Kerrang! Yes, get your mits on this week’s (15/5) issue of Kerrang! magazine. Page 52. Killswitch Engage KKKKK perfect score album review. So you can read it and weep with ease, here is the review in all it’s awesomeness. Once you’re done reading, go buy the issue and turn to page 55 for a 퉌£2 off the album at Virgin discount voucher (and a nice lil feature on Ill Nino). You can read more reviews for KSE in our press room. GET WEBBED! Download yourself some very cool desktop wallpaper designed exclusively for Roadrunner UK by Mike D’Antonio, KsE bassist. Thanks going out to Mike… the desktops in this office now look very cool indeed… And if you use AOL Instant Messenger, just click here to download yourself a special KsE buddy icon. Want more? Check out this fabulous KsE E-Card complete with song samples, biography, and more! Watch this space… more KsE coolness coming soon……. WATCH VIDEO! The band are currently touring the US with Soilwork, Hypocrisy and Scar Culture right up into June! However, we have a little something to share with you in case you can’t catch those shows. Check out this very cool promo LIVE video for Life To Lifeless shot at the Palladium in sunny Worcester, MA at the US New England Metalfest on April 5, 2002. “Life To Lifeless” gives you a real sense of the energy in the room as Killswitch Engage tore the place apart. Captured by the man behind last years Hellfest DVD in a room packed with 4,000 seething metal fans, this is worth the watch. Weather heads towards late(r) Autumn…there is a chill in the air – it’s cold, Aussie cold. 17-18 degrees Celsius. There is a priest, or at least a man dressed as a priest. He is set to deliver a eulogy. The setting is a bluestone chapel. Inside, a man sitting at the organ is solemnly playing “Nookie”. Outside is a graveyard. There is a freshly dug grave with a casket next to it. People are throwing in baggy shorts, a seven string guitar, a turntable, a tracksuit, and the like. Killswitch Engage’s Alive Or Just Breathing is filling this cold night’s air. What the hell are we talking about??? Actually, what we just described is going on in Australia this weekend, a burial showing a changing of the times. Metal is back, my friends. Look it straight in the face and let it kick you right in the ass. Snarl, then smile. Roadrunner Australia, being the clever ‘punters’ they are, organized the above event in honor of Killswitch Engage and their upcoming album. It’s true. Invites were sent out, people loaded onto buses, buses which rode them asses to the funeral site of the ‘yo-yo’ style of rock…if ya know what we mean. And the people, they shall welcome the sounds they hear outside in the graveyard. For it is metal. And it has been missed. Food and drinks are served. Midgets, goats, and strippers were to be at the wake afterwards…but somewhere along the way that idea got nixed. Metal is back, my friends. Smile.

Curious about the songs? What follows below are a few words on each song from Jesse, the singer of KsE. Numbered Days Numbered Days is about the system of Babylon, and how the time will be coming soon for them to tumble and fall. I really believe the time is approaching swiftly. Self Revolution Self Revolution is exactly what it says. It’s time to make a change within yourself, and that’s up to the individual. Fixation On The Darkness Fixation on the Darkness to me is really about what the title says. It’s really just looking inside yourself, we all have that darkness, and we all have the light, and just finding the balance between those two things. But for that particular song, I’m really looking at the dark side of things and that change can be made, and there are ways to overcome your situation and your problems, and the dark side of your soul. My Last Serenade My Last Serenade has a lot of meanings for me. It’s really about burning bridges. There comes a time when you have to leave people behind and just let them know that you care and there’s only so much love you can give somebody until they drag you down with them. Life To Lifeless Life To Lifeless was my way of dealing with September 11th, and there are really no words for it, so I just leaned on the old philosophy: we live, we die, some people live to live some more. Life continues and if it doesn’t continue, there is an afterlife, I firmly believe that. So things happen for a reason. Just Barely Breathing Just Barely Breathing is really my question to people. They need to look into themselves and ask themselves are they really alive? Are they really living life to the fullest? Or are they just getting by? And if so, if you’re not happy, you need to make a change, make a difference in this world. To the Sons of Man To the Sons of Man is a direct song to the people, and really the lyrics speak for themselves. Temple from Within Temple from Within is my ode to spirituality and the way that I feel towards life. Times when I feel I can’t keep pushing, I find a way and I know it’s not me, it’s another force so that’s me paying my respects. The Element of One The Element of One is also an ode to my wife, the love she has given me and the love I have experienced from family members, and being torn away from them, in a touring situation, being away from home. I wrote that song to deal with being away from home, away from the people that I love and having to be on the road. Vide Infra Vide Infra is the good old unity song. It speaks about how there is no one who is better than another person, and we should all have the chance for equality and just overall to embrace love and respect for your fellow man. Without a Name Without a Name is just an instrumental song. It contains very emotional riffs. You listen to it and it can conjure up different things for different people. It’s a very emotional piece of music. Rise Inside Rise Inside is really the Killswitch Engage Anthem. It tells people that no matter who you are in your life, I’m here for a reason and I’m doing the best I can to do that. We really need to embrace love and not forsake each other as human beings and realize that we are all one deep down inside. Believe it or not, I’m willing to stand up and speak my mind and tell them how I feel about things.

So, hot off the email. Words from Mike of Killswitch Engage all about the video shoot for ‘My Last Seranade’.. Without further ado… read on: “Just got back from LA. Wow what an experience making the “MY LAST SERENADE” video was. Truly an amazing time was had by all in KsE – from the catering to the directing, everyone was extremely nice to us and made us feel right at home. Here was our brutal schedule: Fly in to LA from Boston (6.5 hour flight) at 9pm (12pm Mass time) Wednesday night, Got to the shoot at 5:30am Thursday morning, shot till 5PM, Grabbed a flight from LA to Boston (4.5 hours) arrive in Boston Friday morning at 6:30 AM…. and now I am at work putting in a full time day (what a life, who needs sleep?) Paul the director was great… totally cool, made us feel comfortable and had awesome ideas for the shoot (Paul is a graphic designer/photographer/video director… he does it all, actually he is Marilyn Manson’s personal graphic designer… he does some incredible shit). His positive attitude and enthusiasm for the video was second to none. All credit goes to him and his fine crew. The video consisted mostly of us on a circular red stage doing a live performance with crazy florescent red lights all around us. Also included was some footage of an actress (Tracy) that was filmed for an intro and outro for the song, but we did the bulk of the work. Paul and crew shot everything in every way shape and form possible. Some of the hardest stuff to get the hang of was doing the slow motion (which is actually sped up) sequences and fast motion (which is slowed down) sequences. I gotta tell ya, it was a total work out, just like high school gym class except ALL DAY…. we must have played the song 100 times. We were all sleep deprived, covered in sweat, and exhausted from the heat of the lamps and yet we had the time of our lives. Guaranteed we will remember the experience forever! Special thanks to Paul Brown (director), Melissa (producer), Tracy (the hot chick in the video) and Lea (stylist). Everyone ruled.” Mike also let it be known that Duff of Guns ‘n’ Roses dropped by, as you do… The band is currently shooting their debut video – “My Last Serenade” – a track from the forthcoming Alive Or Just Breathing (May 20 street date). Collectively, they flew from Boston to LA last night (24th). After a stopping off at various LA hot spots, such as Taco Bell (see tomorrow’s interview with Adam), the band was fitted for some threads. As this is being written, the band is finishing up the ‘shoot’ part of the video. At the moment, performing live performance footage – word is the music is being played at 1/4 speed, so it looks real slow motion like…dig? The video, being shot in Culver City, will call it a wrap shortly. Then, the band takes the red eye back to Boston. Paul Brown, the man behind Coal Chamber’s “Fiend” video, is heading this effort.

Onward and Upward. These are exciting times for Killswitch Engage – in less than one month’s time their Roadrunner debut Alive Or Just Breathing will be released, in even less time than that, the band heads out on their first ever national U.S. tour, and in even less time than that, KsE will shoot their first ever video. KsE vocalist, Jesse David Leach, happened to be in the Roadrunner NY office on Apr 23rd taking care some things. Gracious as always, he sat down to answer a few questions for us – ranging whatever the hell you can think of right now, to whatever the hell you can think of right now…and it goes a bit like this: Roadrunner: First off, congratulations. I understand you recently got married…or is that not for public knowledge? Jesse David Leach: Best day of my life. I’ll proclaim it from the rooftop, let the groupies know before they start forming! Thank you. Yes, married this past Saturday (20th) in Rhode Island. Pictures coming to the Killswitch Engage website soon. RR: Congratulations on the marriage once again. So, earlier this month, you guys were forced to withdraw from playing a couple shows with Candiria due to your throat. How is it? Jesse: Up in the air right now. I’ve seen a couple specialists about it, one earlier this afternoon. (for the record, let it be known that Jesse hit up a doc on the West Side of Manhattan…apparently the same dude that Lenny Kravitz and James Taylor have visited – platinum plaques for their albums hang on Dr. K’s office walls) RR: How did this throat situation happen? You sound just fine, how did you know you had a problem? Jesse: Well, when I get off the stage I tend to talk a lot…actually, I’m just not a touring guy yet. I’m used to playing weekends and working on the weekdays. RR: Dude, makes perfect sense. Most recently, Daniel (singer of Five Pointe O) had a similar problem when hitting the road extensively for the first time. You’ll adjust. How did you realize you had a problem? Jesse: Realized it when the low end of my screaming wasn’t there. I know my body well enough to know when something wasn’t right. RR: You ready to start touring now, ya think? Jesse: God willing…we shall see. April 12th was my last time singing. I actually had to do a full week of no talking, no nothing – walking around like an idiot with a pen and pad. The week before my wedding, too…having to buy liquor, make arrangements. I suffer for my art (laughingly). RR: Alice In Chains, you a fan? Jesse: Absolutely. I grew up listening to them. RR: Your first national tour is but a couple weeks away. Jesse: Absolutely. We’ve done week long tours here and there, but for the most part I’m a weekend warrior, working 9 to 5 on the weekdays. RR: What will you pack? Jesse: Mostly stuff to take care of my voice – teas, herbal remedies, anything to help the voice out. Cliff bars, Luna bars, and vitamin supplements…it’s hard to find vegan food out there. (for the record, yes, Jesse is pure vegan…as is vegan Sean in the RR art dept. – we affectionately refer to Sean as ‘Porkchop’) Tom (drums) & Mike (bass) are vegetarian. Joel (guitar) and Adam (guitar) are ‘other’, they’ll pretty much eat anything around. BUT, nobody is preaching. Nobody likes that. RR: And as for clothes? Jesse: I wear the same pair of pants everyday, so it doesn’t really matter. Not a big clothing guy. RR: And the music you’ll pack? Jesse: Top of the list would be Bruce Cockburn (it’s French), Paul Simon… RR: Paul Simon, really? Jesse: Oh yeah. Also Radiohead, The Verve, any kind of reggae I can fit into my bag – my main thing, love reggae – and of course Dead Can Dance Spirit Chaser, one of my favorite albums. Listen to that every day, can’t get sick of it…just amazing. And Colony from In Flames, love it. RR: Yeah, then why don’t you marry it? Ha! Actually, that’s a pretty wide variety. Jesse: I love reggae, classic rock, and folk. I was raised on classic rock. Got into hardcore at fifteen when I heard Minor Threat. Just wanted to hear heavier and heavier after that…I was hooked. I love performing it (hardcore). RR: Last cd you purchased? Jesse: Opeth Black Water Park. Hands down one of my favorite metal albums of all time. RR: Last cd you burned? Jesse: Never burned a cd in my life – always give respect to the artists. Never owned a computer, either (laughs). Eventually I’ll get there…a little behind. RR: First ever Killswitch Engage video will be shot this week, for the song “My Last Serenade”. How do you feel about that? Jesse: Yeah, the 25th, this Thursday. Don’t know how I feel about it. Not looking forward to lip synching. We fly out to LA on Thursday morning and fly back early Friday morning. A full day. It’s gonna be one big, long day. Should be interesting to see how the video turns out. RR: Surely it will be great. By the way, you have some previous acting experience, in the 1999 film “Outside Providence”. A pretty sizeable role, no less. How did that come to be? Jesse: My uncle directed it. But it was by no means a ‘family sliding’ thing, he was hard on me. No free rides – he won’t allow it, and I won’t have it. RR: And your character? Name? Personality? Jesse: Decenz. He was one of the neighborhood guys, a good ole boy from Pawtucket, RI – a blue collar town. A big stoner, drinker – partying and rock & roll… RR: And May 21st, Alive Or Just Breathing hits the streets, any closing words on the work? Favorite song? Jesse: The whole thing was an emotional roller coaster. Toughest thing musically, best work to date. It’s a work in honesty – all of us, it’s us. As for favorite song, it’s all one big song to me. All important for what they are. AND THIS concludes our interview with KsE vocalist Jesse David Leach. Thank you, Jesse. …for a sneak peek of what is to come, check out www.AliveOrJustBreathing.com… Exciting times for Killswitch Engage, indeed…

And because Marketing Matt missed it the first time we wrote this on the site, we shall repeat it once again – KsE singer Jesse Leach has a sizeable acting role in the film “Outside Providence”, which was written by “Something About Mary” directors, the Farrelly Brothers. His character is perpetually stoned throughout the movie. And why did Matt happen to bring that fact up today? He was looking for someone to direct the upcoming KsE video for the track “My Last Serenade” – yes, a video is in the works. Matt figured ‘why not the Farrelly Brothers?’ See, he mistakenly thought they were the uncles of Jesse. Not true. Besides, the Farrelly Brothers are busy on another project. Expect a KsE video in house sometime in early May.

This past weekend, in the booming metropolis that is Worcester, MA., over 4000 metal and hardcore fans congregated at the Palladium for a weekend of fucking loud music. Starting Friday (Apr 5th) @ 3pm, people packed in to see over 50 bands play on 2 stages during the course of the next 48 hours. Though only one Roadrunner act played the festival – Killswitch Engage. (1) For the third year running, Killswitch Engage played the festival – for the first time, they played the main stage. Friday night at 8:30pm, it all started for KsE. Like something out of an old NYC Biohazard show during the Urban Discipline era, the sides of the stage were packed – filled with the likes of Shadows Fall & Poison The Well, among other acts, and friends. Interesting fact: though one could not tell, vocalist Jesse, whom had been sick for a couple days before the show, actually puked on the side of the stage during the set. Rock. Pictures from the Killswitch Engage set can be found online at www.ReturnToThePit.com. Next up for KsE, hitting the road with Candiria in the US, and yours truly will be checking that tour out on Sunday 14th April in S Amboy, New Jersey – live photos to come….oh, and a great lil’ fuckin’ album by the name of Alive Or Just Breathing in stores starting May 20th. (2) Overcast. KsE bassist Mike D hit the stage with his previous band, Overcast. Mike, apparently wearing a big, shit eatin’ grin on his face during this one night reunion set, played with ex-Overcast alumni Brian (current Shadows Fall vocalist) and Pete, whom originally played guitar for KsE.

TIP OF THE DAY: Yes the internet is a wide web indeed… and so today, we’ll halt your hunt for smiles and give it to ya straight! Direct from Mike of KsE himself comes this mighty link… so check it out HERE! No, it’s not free porn (sorry), but it will make you smirk. And while you’re happy surfing.. check out a super cool ecard for KsE… you can find it at: www.aliveorjustbreathing.com Yes, those are indeed new band photos you can see.. fresh from the shoot. The building in the background is actually an old closed down mental asylum… supposedly haunted too we hear. None of KsE have ever been patients there. Learn something new every day. RECRUITMENT – If you like this band, why not apply to join our e-team and help promote them? We’re currently looking for some new faces from all over England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales to be part of our e-team. So if you fancy being part of the Roadrunner team, all you have to do is click on the street team link or go to: www.roadrunnerrecords.com/rruk to sign up! Alive Or Just Breathing: Released May 20th. Ever wondered what our bands get up to in the studio? Check out our photo special of Killswitch Engage in The Making Of ‘Alive Of Just Breathing’. All photos viewed at your own risk…

Ever wonder how the band came to be called Killswitch Engage? We asked Mike earlier today, and here’s the tale: “well I had the Killswitch part for a while.. I was watching THE X-FILES and the word popped up and I thought it was cool. The Engage part came cause there needed to be some sort of adjective to “enhance” the Killswitch Part. At 1st no one liked it “it is too STAR TREK” everyone said… but it grew on everyone after a while.The final decision to keep the name came when they fell in love with the logo.” Mike also comes up with most of the song titles. You learn something new every day. So, you remember we told you that the band were hunting a new drummer? That Adam was going to return to guitar? Tom Gomes is the new sticksman. What can we tell you about him? Fresh from the mouth of Mike comes this: “he was the drummer for Adam and Joel’s band AFTERSHOCK, so we all know him from that. He is 24 I think and he has been raised a vegetarian since birth. He plays drums like a machine… very steady and consistant”. What else in the world of KsE? Mike reports, “the record is being tweaked at the moment by Andy Sneap… but it is VERY close. It will be done this week”. He also tells they are hopeful of touring with Candiria in the near future – unfortunately only in the US, but good to get out on the road playing shows for the first time in 6 months. Having spent the weekend slaving away to meet art deadlines, he also writes “artwork for the record is in and ready for the pressing plant. As far as the artwork goes… it was my 1st attempt at watercolors… I had fun. Most of the components (real objects) of the cover were scanned in by me. I broke a clock to get some gears… I cut up paper for the front image. The cover is about 15 different images rolled in one. I just like trying new stuff. I go about things “improperly” on purpose to see if the outcome can work to my advantage – lots of trial and error. I like the look of mixing “true life” items in with photoshoppy backgrounds… my girlfriend was mad that I broke the clock for the gears – all in the name of art!” Yes, Mike is indeed the designer. Remember we told tales of the US press trip below? It started off a little uncomfortably too… “Adam lost feeling in 1/2 his body due to a pinched nerve… he is doing good, but it is hard to function… most of it is due to sitting in a bad chair at the recording studio.. and he says he fell asleep on the plane on the way home and slept wrong.” We’re sure A&R man Mike and mixer Andy weren’t involved in any foul play at the studio – not that we’ve heard of anyway. Mike tells us that Adam is doing much better now, just waiting for feeling to return in his fingers. “He practiced with us Sunday and everything sounded great.” Stressful times though – get well soon Adam. Adam returned back from the mix sessions in the UK with Andy Sneap on Monday (Feb 25). Sneap is now working solo, doing a few final tweaks on the mixes, and then mastering. The band’s UK press officer has been out in the US hooking up some cool Kerrang! & Metal Hammer folks with the band. We got an email from Mike, KsE’s bassist. What did it say? “Everything went well yesterday with the gang.. boy did they look tired! The best part was the hotel they got booked at.. be sure and ask her about that one! fun times Miked”. Now you are as curious as we were, yes? One enquiring email later, Mike replied, “From what they told me it was a gay hotel complete with drag queens, gay porn magazines and poodles! The way they described it was great! It was amazing. I told them they must have thought the name of the magazine was “Man Hammer” instead of Metal Hammer! Miked KsE ” Fun and games indeed, these tales from the road. Never a dull moment. Friday Mar 15 at the Elysium (in Austin, Texas), KILLSWITCH ENGAGE will be performing at the Century Media Records showcase which will also feature the following artists: Shadows Fall, Diecast, Haste, Scar Culture, etc. The show promises to be nothing short of staggering. Wish we could be there. Note that Shadows Fall frontman used to front the band OVERCAST which featured Mike D from Killswitch Engage on bass. It’s gonna be a big reunion. So how did Mike (bassist) spend his weekend? Sending an email update to us about the band, that’s how. And here, hot off the email, is his report: “So Adam should be in the UK at this point taking 1 plane to Nottingham and another to Leeds. The photo shoot went great, Photographer Daniel Moss was very cool and had lots of ideas for the shoot. We started the day off at 10 AM at boarded up INSANE ASYLUM that had been closed for 15 years… very spooky, lots of noises could be heard from inside the buildings (which have been empty and boarded up for quite some time). After lunch we headed to a tobacco farm for some strange shots under these crazy stringy things. We finished off the day at a broken down railroad track bridge.. very UNSAFE I might add, but Daniel had no problems ordering us on the rickety bridge for some posing. Wrapping up at 6PM it was a hard days work.. and VERY cold I might add, some of us were told to take off our jackets to “add something different to the photos”… we all thought it was just to make us all cold. Fortunately I was the only one who got the flu out of everyone.. oh well, all in the name of rock and roll. fun stuff… talk to you soon Miked”. Thanks Mike, we appreciate the words… we’re sure the photos will look great… and get well soon! Release has been set for May 20th. This is the last weekend Killswitch Engage has in the studio recording their upcoming debut Alive Or Just Breathing?, as next weekend (Feb 8) KsE drummer / producer Adam will be heading here to the UK to mix this debut with Andy Sneap. BUT, before he goes, Roadrunner crew will be heading up to Westfield, MA where the band has been recording, with the purpose of the inaugural KsE photoshoot. Word is that Roadrunner personnel with be spending Tuesday (Feb 5) scouting locations in Westfield for the shoot, and that on Wednesday (Feb 6) the actual deed will occur. So, word coming down from the A&R department is that Killswitch Engage has about four sessions left until the recording of their Roadrunner debut is complete. As of right now, producer and drummer Adam Dutkiewitz is scheduled to fly to Nottingham on Feb 8th to mix this bad boy with acclaimed producer Lord Andy Sneap. Mixing is to commence on Feb 10th. So, what does Andy have to say about this upcoming KsE project? He has been quoted saying the following, and we couldn’t have written it any better ourselves: “KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, a new Roadrunner signing who, if like me you miss power chords, riffs and guitar squeals in this day of detuned, single note, toe touching nu-metal garbage, will not disappoint.” Thoughts on an incredible creation coming from a small studio in Westfield, Mass. So, Killswitch Engage’s A&R Rep here at Roadrunner (Mike Gitter) took RR US web dude Chris into his office early last week to hear the latest of the Killswitch Engage recordings. Four songs he played – “Temple From The Within”, “Transfiguration”, “My Last Serenade”, “Self Revolution”. What did Chris think? “Wow”. At some point while Mike had this new KsE material cranking, his phone rang. Without turning the music down even a fraction of a decibel, Mike picked up the phone…one can guess the guy on the other side asked “what are you listening to?” “Some shitty band,” mused Mike with a smile on his face. Turns out the call on the other line was KsE’s current drummer (more to come on that) and producer of the music, Adam Dutkiewitz. With the music still playing, the two discuss dates…calendars get examined…dates are agreed upon…songs titles are listed…and somewhere along the line the words “Eight more days with Jesse” is spoken (meaning 8 more days of vocal tracking is left). The door to Mike’s office is open. Sitting on the couch outside just happened to be Machine Head’s Robert Flynn (guitar/vocals) and Adam Duce (bass). From their demeanor, expression, and enthusiasm when talking with Mike about the band, you could tell they were impressed with what they were hearing. During his conversation with Robert and Adam, Mike proudly tells “we’ve put out some very expensive records that don’t sound as good as this…and we’re only 60% of the way there.” Some big sounds are coming from a small studio in Westfield, Mass. Indeed. Since that day last week, Mike reports today Jan 15 that KsE is nearing completion of their Roadrunner debut, titled Alive Or Just Breathing. Word is that only vocals on two tracks along with some random touch-up work remain. Did You Know? Adam Dutkiewitz is only the drummer in the band by default. He is actually a guitarist by trade. Apparently, it’s true. Carl, our manager of new media at Roadrunner US, frankly tells “he’s one of those dicks that can do everything.” (yes, Carl has known Adam since well before KsE signed with Roadrunner, and he says it in a loving, perhaps even envious tone). Well, with recording almost complete, word has it Killswitch Engage is readying a new touring line-up that brings drummer Adam D. out from behind the kit to play GUITAR. While, the change is not totally 100% just yet, it looks as if KsE is adding drummer Tom Gomes, who played drums with Adam and fellow six-stringer Joel in the defunct metalcore mob, Aftershock. Says bassist Mike D’Antonio of the much needed line-up shift: “Things are clicking… we are having a blast with the new songs…. should know soon if the 5 piece is set in stone.” Once again, weirdly enough, Adam is a guitarist first and a drum leviathan in Killswitch by default. Adam’s shift to rhythm guitar has been something the band has long been discussing and it looks as if Killswitch Engage has found the right man for the job. Did you know that KsE drummer Adam is vastly multitalented? He graduated from BERKELEY (world renowned music college) and plays every instrument in the book, produces, engineers… the whole works. He is producing the KsE album and Andy Sneap is mixing and mastering. Did you know that when Mike isn’t being the KsE bassist he works as a designer for Clear Channel? What does he do exactly? Well, last week he did an Ozzy billboard for Times Square in New York… yes, it’s true. If you live in NY, look out for it! Of course, he had to do a Creed one afterwards, but you know, every job has it’s highs and lows, or lows and highs, whichever way you prefer to look at it. Did you know that Adam is coming over to the UK to oversee the mixing/mastering of the album in Nottingham? To save 퉌£$, the rest of the band are staying home, but they’re not avoiding the cold weather. As I type this, Mike tells me it’s snowing right now. Did you know the band are planning to hit the road touring in the US from March/April through June? However, Mike tells, “no clue as to who we are going with. I do know there are several bands interested in taking us, only time will tell. We must get this record FINISHED 1st and foremost…” Did you know the album title “ALIVE OR JUST BREATHING” is a chorus in the KsE song called “Just Barely Breathing”? How did it come about? Mike divulges, “I really liked the title and pushed to get everyone in the band to okay it. In short, not only is being in a band making us whole and “ALIVE”, but it also represents us as a band and the chances we are taking to “make this thing work”. Sappy? Maybe.” Did you know rumour has it the cover art is done but is being kept under wraps til closer to release? What’s it like? “Hard to describe”, says Mike. You’ll just have to wait and see. Until next time, that wraps up this game of Did You Know. How did you do? By the way, it’s Mike who does most of the official band site updating and he’s redone lots recently. Check it out at www.killswitchengage.com

BEST BAND… Slipknot won Best Band In The World at the 2001 Kerrang Awards held Aug 28th in London. As the band are in the US, we sent some hardcore boilersuited and masked up Slipknot fans to collect the award on their behalf. What a time they had! You can see the photos in the Slipknot gallery. You can read all about it in the words of Paul Howard (with Sid mask), one of the maggots who attended: “It all started when I arrived in work at 10am on Tuesday morning. Very much bleary eyed after a very heavy weekend at Reading I was scanning through my mail and found an urgent email. A group of Slipknot fans were needed in London at 2pm that day!!! After a frantic mail to Kirsten at RR UK and a couple of phone calls later I was on my way to the Kerrang Awards 2001. After arriving at RRUK the five of us were told of the plan and the mass surprise of us turning up as fans to accept the award. Arriving at the event was insane, camera’s flashing everywhere and interviews going on left right and centre, it was like the who’s who of modern rock. After hooking up with a few of the bands I already know and keeping the secret of what was about to go down the awards begun, gradually the time was getting closer, looking at the stage and all the amazing people that were going up to collect the new look K awards the adrenalin started to kick in. We were then advised to go and change into our Slipknot boilersuits and masks. Standing at the back of the room I began to understand why the band wear the masks. I started to feel the buzz and the mass rush and I felt like Sid. When the award was announced we went onto autopilot, weaving through all the tables heading to the stage. After accepting the award I looked out into the crowd it was he most amazing feeing in the world. To have so many of my heroes, people who have influenced my life so much clapping for us was like a dream come true. We then were led from the stage to do a few interviews and some photos for Kerrang. After the awards were finished we were led back upstairs to where we were pretty much jumped on by various band members from Papa Roach, One Minute Silence and System of a Down, all wanting to talk to us and hang out. We were then led through to another room for more interviews and photos with programs like CD:UK. We were then left to our own devices, I met so many of my idol’s and people I have looked up to for so many years like Bruce Dickenson and Brian May, everyone was so down to earth and so cool. Hopefully some of my photo’s will be placed on line. My thanks goes out to all at Roadrunner (especially Kirsten =)) and Kerrang for making it the best day of my life. I also want to send out thanks to the guys in Dislocated Styles, Chuck is the man and he was the coolest guy to hang out with and get to know. Thanks for making the best day of my life.” Did you go to the UK Ozzfest in May? See our exclusive photos of live Slipknot & Soulfly, plus the Soulfly Signing Session at the Kerrang! tent! Can you see yourself in any of them? (check out the gallery) If you are a Kerrang! follower you’ll know that the band were nominated for no less than an astonishing 6 Kerrang! Awards in 2000. The guys scooped 3 awards in the end, making history as the first band to ever win more than 2 award – namely, Best Band In The World, Best Single, and Best International Live Act!!

– 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.