Kingcrimsonprog The Massachusetts based Killswitch Engage are one of the best loved Metalcore bands out there at the moment. Its not difficult to see why, with the gigantic riffs, the interesting lyrics and the absolutely fantastic vocals.

Howard Jones quite simply has one of the best voices in metal, an absolutely majestic singing voice and all the furious bark and shout you would expect for the heavy sections. The integration of Howard's outstanding vocals into the band's perfect light and shade formula make Killswitch Engage one of the most vital and important bands out there.

Even on first listen this album grabbed me, straight away I knew it was amazing and every time you replay it, the music washes over you from beginning to end. The band's last three albums, were genuinely brilliant and this is no exception, with a real step up in musicianship and songwriting.

The guitars have never been this fast or technical and the drums are even more powerful and authoritative than before. The band just seem to have kicked up a gear as musicians each seeming to have a more complete mastery of their instrument than on any previous album. The vocals have similarly never sounded better with the vocals on the songs `Arms of Sorrow,' and `This is Absolution,' being career highlights. This also includes Adam D's superb backing vocals which are simply incredible cementing many sections as standout moments.

The sound on the album is all incredibly good, nicely complimenting a good set of very well written songs. Standout tracks include the previously mentioned songs `The Arms of Sorrow,' and `This is Absolution,' which so perfectly encapsulate all that Killswitch do well; heavy in just the right ways, anthemic in the choruses and full of catchy staccato rhythms . Other highlights include the typically immense `Still Beats Your Name,' and the single `My Curse.'

In fact this can be said of every song on the album, the more you listen to it the more you like it, all the clever drum fills and vocal hooks make themselves known and after a few listens the album feels like a real classic. If you like Killswitch you simply will not be disappointed.

topofsm The 80s brought glam metal, a subgenre abhorred by many fans of metal for its relatively simple compositions and pop stylings. Then the 90s came with a simliarly embarrassing nu-metal, which dumbed down already tame groove metal riffs and put in mainstream rap. Then the 2000s came promisingly enough, but introduced metalcore, which put emo into a mixture of metallic hardcore and light thrash metal, becoming just as ridiculed as the previous two genres. Riding on the success of this wave of popularity is probably the definitive metalcore band Killswitch Engage.

Although they may have hit moments in previous albums such as the much-beloved Alive or Still Breathing, this album shows why many can dislike the subgenre metalcore. Riffs are rather generic, relying on roots of notes and simple chugs and breakdowns, and always going into a singsong chorus more reminiscent of alternative bands like My Chemical Romance and Three Days Grace than anything even related to metal.

There are salvageable parts of the album though. Although far from innovative, the drums are compelling, and the vocalist Howard Jones' singing voice is powerful. The popular single "My Curse" is great when in the melodic sections (which is pretty much all of it anyways). And the closing track is quite good. Both of these tracks are soft and tame compared to most metal, so basically the band is at their best when they're not trying to be metal, as evidenced by weak riffs, pseudo-thrashy feels, and completely conventional songwriting.

For metalcore fans, this may be an obvious pick, though perhaps Killswitch's other albums would be a better starting point. Most metal fans will find better material elsewhere if they wish to avoid the stuff that makes many listeners avoid this genre in the first place.