Why would Killswitch Engage self-title an album twice? No idea. But come June 30th, the Massachusetts’ metallers will do just that when they unveil their fourth, full-length album via Roadrunner Records.
That being said, the upcoming album will be quite different from the other Killswitch Engage; the band both has a new singer (Howard Jones) and approach to both the music and lyrical content.
“It was time for us to step outside of our comfort zone and try something a little different with this record,” explained singer Howard Jones, via the official press release. ”It definitely still sounds like us, but we needed to be refreshed and take things a little further.” Probably the most notable change from their debut is Jones, who replaced original member Jesse Leach in 2002. Bringing a powerful baritone and a deeper, more guttural growl to the mix, Jones’s contribution has considerably beefed up the band’s sonic aggression and popularity.
Another significant change from their first album is contributions by uber-producer, Brendan O’Brien, who has worked with everyone from AC/DC and Rage Against the Machine to Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen. Most recently, O’Brien finished Mastodon’s critically acclaimed, Crack the Skye. While guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz continues his involvement in the production of their albums, O’Brien will bring a certain ‘cache’ to the mix, as he’s known for producing clean, velvety guitar and vocal tones.
The summer of 2009 also promises to be extremely busy for the band, with an appearance on the main stage at the Mayhem Festival, which sports acts Slayer, Cannibal Corpse, Marilyn Manson and The Black Dahlia Murder.
Mayhem Festival 2009 Tour Dates:
07/10 – Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre
07/11 – San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
07/12 – San Bernardino, CA @ Glen Helen Pavilion
07/14 – Seattle, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
07/17 – Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
07/18 – Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
07/19 – Denver, CO @ Coors Amphitheatre at Fiddler’s Green
07/21 – Kansas City, MO @ Sandstone Amphitheater
07/22 – St. Louis, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
07/24 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
07/25 – Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
07/26 – Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
07/28 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheater
07/29 – Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion
07/31 – Cleveland, OH @ Blossom Music Center
08/01 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
08/02 – Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
08/04 – Boston, MA @ Tweeter Center for Performing Arts
08/06 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater
08/07 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
08/08 – Hartford, CT @ New England Dodge Music Center
08/09 – Washington, DC @ Nissan Pavilion
08/11 – Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre
08/12 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Cruzan Amphitheater
08/14 – Dallas, TX @ Superpages.com Center
08/15 – Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
08/16 – San Antonio, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater