Killswitch Engage have announced that none other than original frontman, Jesse Leach, has rejoined the band. The band is currently at work on their upcoming new album. Check out a brand new interview with Jesse & Adam D. (guitar) here.
Jesse Leach Joins Killswitch Engage… Again
By JoshIVM on February-8-2012 | Filed under News | Tags : Jesse Leach, killswitch engage, Metal, Noisecreep | Share 
| Iaya97, 6h ago 
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Before anyone asks. Jesse is a Christian which is why this is posted & since he is the vocalist/lyricist, KSE will most likely be covered here from now on.
Yeah, I read about this a could days ago. Cool stuff.
Thanks for covering it. His album with KSE is the only one I own.
Jesse actually did two albums with KsE. Their first self-titled album (as weird as it is- they have two S/T) and “Alive or Just Breathing.” Howard Jones professed a Christian faith as well- I have the mixed feelings of sadness for Howard’s departure and excitement for Jesse’s return. I wonder if Times of Grace will remain a side project or if Adam, Jesse and Joel will just channel those energies into KsE…
YESSSSS
Excited to read that I’ll be reading about KSE on IVM!!!! woot!
Yeah, I personally meant Alive or Just Breathing.
Also about Howard? How you can you be sure after some of his lyrics and some of the things he’s said from stage? His words didn’t bode well with me.
Yeah I hear you. I’m not sure, that’s why I said “he professed..” I am not going to make a judgment call either way. Some of his lyrics did seem to reflect a christian perspective while others seemed to contradict it. And it’s interesting that he always kept his lyrics “clean” but his language on stage could get pretty foul.
It was actually from Doug van Pelt (HM magazine) that I heard about Howard’s professing of faith. I don’t remember I conversation well enough to say with certainty that he got it firsthand from Howard, so take this with a grain of salt- but I’m pretty sure that he said that he had had the chance to sit down with Howard…
I’ve always thought KsE to be very positive and many of the songs having Christian messages.
The lyrics with Howard were neutral at best until the most recent album.
A lot of the songs contain enough strong Christian and biblical imagery, allusions and language that I find it hard to dismiss. There definitely is some ambiguity to the lyrics, but no more so than a lot of self-proclaimed Christian bands in the same scene: (As I Lay Dying, Haste the Day…)
Here is just a sampling…
From “Desperate Times”:
“This is daily crucifixion
And these rusty nails leave scars
My jagged crown is on my side
Because it never fell
In these desperate times
This I plead
When all else fails
Remember me
This is a blood-oath
They are nothing to me anymore
But your voice means more to me than you’ll ever know
There’s no question
You’re the answer
I will find you…”
From “For You”:
“I sacrifice for you
For you
This is the everlasting
This is immortal
Your words are my inspiration
Your life, the image of perfection
For all You are
For all You’ve done
I strive to be in your reflection
The line is drawn
I pledge my devotion”
From “A Light in a Darkened World”:
“I see so much corruption
And it’s hard to ignore
Living on greed and possessions
Is this what we’re dying for?
Now choose this day
Who you will serve
To be the light in a darkened world…”
From “Be One”
“We must kill the idols
Don’t fall prey to seduction
With single-mindedness We must pursue the Truth
Nevermore the victim
Let them say that we are not of their world
With the promise of life
We are strong
We will carry on”
From “Take this Oath”
“Abandon the safety of mindless following,
Abandon what holds us captive to suffering
Pierce the blinders, behold
The path that leads before you
Let us forsake – forsake all the things
That lead us to our demise
Open your eyes,
See the divine”
From “Let the Bridges Burn”:
My eyes watch the unholy be left in the distance.
The division of our souls from our blasphemous tongues.
This is our atonement.
From misery we have turned away, ignite the past, let the bridges burn.
From sorrow, we have turned away to the past, let the bridges burn.
I have bled for the truth.
There is no surrender.
Move forward.
Commit yourself.
Destroy all lies.
From ashes to ashes, from dust to dust.
The problem with just posting the ones that are positive is that it ignores the ones that (at least I personally feel) are not positive. Sure, I totally see the Christian imagery, but there are other songs that I feel are the exact opposite of this.
Also, his live act really turned me off. If you like it, great, but if he’s trying to live a Godly life, I’m not seeing it by his fruit. I can give many examples in videos, recordings, etc. from things he’s said. Again, I’m not one to judge. I choose not to listen to it. I definitely don’t think he’s a bad person at all.
Either way, I’m not here to bash KSE. They’re a great band. :)
Hey Loren
Sorry for the miscommunication- I wasn’t trying to argue that their lyrics were all based in faith or anything like that. In my earlier post I made the statement that agrees with what you are saying here: that some songs do seem to align themselves with Christian perspective and others seem to contradict it. I guess my point in posting these lyrics was to say that I think that the lyrics contain more pointed biblical/Christian perspectives that I see in them something more than just “general” or “neutral” positivity…
I agree with you both in regards to the “Christian imagery”/”exact opposite” dynamic in the lyrics, and to some degree with what you and I seem to have both observed from the live show/ videos etc… AND I agree with the fact that they are a great band.
That’s cool man, glad we agree. :)
aww man. what happened to my main man howard?
Personal reasons, I heard it was his type II diabetes giving him problems. But yes, sad day about Howard, but I like Jesse too so I’m indifferent.
I am super pumped about this album coming,and now with Jesse Leach back at the helm.the Old Killswitch Engage is back. I think Jesse writes better lyrics then Howard anyways in my opinion.
AWESOME! I love me some Jesse Leach! I love Howard too, but Jesse is one of my favorite singers. Awesome news!
SUPER pumped about this, however, along with SmackyX, I want to know what’s gonna happen to Times Of Grace, they’re amazing as well.
Word. I imagine we wont get anymor tog albums+ they wil play tog stuf as part of the kse live set, but wel c. Sumbody around here shud intaview em n ask, lol.
I’ve never listened to them much, but that’s cool about the original singer coming back, and I like the bit about letting everybody know by just posting the picture lol
I wore out my Times of Grace CD. I can’t imagine Kill Switch will be as outwardly Christian, but it will be worth a look-see! Here’s hoping…
It was and still is such a great album.
This is the first heavy band I ever listened to (Undearoath sealed the deal). Both Jesse and Howard are good lyricists for the genre, but Howard’s cleans are a little too over-emotional for my taste (a la Dave Pelsue from Kids in the Way, but without the compensating macho), so I’m glad they got Jesse back. Interested to here what the new album will sound like.
great to see in back in Killswitch :)
Whatever happens, I hope that Times of Grace stays around. I’ve worn out that CD. Way better than anything Killswitch has done since AOJB.
+1 to this.
Finally Killswitch back to the way it’s supposed to be!
I definitely hope that Jesse doesn’t hold back when it comes to Christian lyrics. Killswitch is far more well known now compared to when Jesse was originally in the band. It would be a great witnessing opportunity. I don’t know if Jesse has every really viewed his music a witnessing tool or not, but Killswitch has a huge secular fan base, and God has definitely put him in a great position to lead people to Christ. I guess it all comes down to what God is calling him to do though.
Just reflecting on the lyrics of his different bands (KsE, Seemless, The Empire Shall Fall and ToG,) I don’t see a real strong “witnessing tool” mentality. For Christians or for people who know that Jesse is a Christian, it’s easier to pick up on the Christian/biblical language and imagery pretty quick, but I’d say that even his more overtly Christian lyrics aren’t much more overt than Howard’s were at his more overt points. I think you got it right when you touched on calling. Me and a buddy were reflecting on just that idea last year when we were driving home from a show with Times of Grace, War of Ages and Straight Line Stitch. All bands have Christian vocalists/lyricists, but they all used their platform quite differently (WoA being the most vocal about their faith as a whole band of Christians,) and I could see how each band could connect with certain people, or at certain points (i.e. if not from the stage, then in conversations with fans.)
I’m with you in terms of really respecting it when a band or artist wears their Christian faith on their sleeve. A band joined by a shared passion for Christ doesn’t have to worry about that tension of conflicting values and passions. Jesse and Alexis have to walk that line of being in a band with unbelievers, hence having to deal with the tension between expressing themselves and yet not misrepresenting the band as a whole, which makes me think that the new KsE stuff will not be very blatant in regards to a Christian message, but will keep on in similar vein to what we’ve seen. It’ll be very interesting to get to hear that new album!
Jesse always just professed to follow the teachings of Christ, to me it sounds like a David Bazan and Sufjan Stevens type of deal…
This. Not really Christian per say, just a folower of Jesus’ principles…..sorta. Well, I gues, more like a Jesus is my homeboy situation.
From a 2010 interview with the mindovermetal website:
Interviewer:
“I wanna posit a question I recently asked Bruce Fitzhugh of Living Sacrifice: as a devout Christian, is it more or less difficult to write secular music vs. non-secular, and do you have a preference for either?”
Leech:
“That is an interesting issue. I definitely consider myself a Christian and a believer of God, but I wouldn’t want to have anyone look at me or my actions or the way I carry myself and think that’s how a Christian should be. When you’re an artist and a musician, people do look at you a certain way, but I think my honesty is gonna show people that I’m just like you are. I’ve never written a “Christian” record; I’ve never called upon the name of God in my songs. For me, that would be a little contrived. I’d rather write music from my perspective as a believer in God, as opposed to being a religious artist. You have to go with your calling, and I don’t feel called to be a Christian artist, per sé. So people consider me secular, but I’m writing from a Christian point-of-view.”
And from the Times of Grace message boards, here is Jesse’s response to someone asking him to clarify “the role of [his] faith in [his] artistic undertakings.”
Leech:
“I am a follower of the teachings of Christ, but I am reluctant to align myself with any particular denomination or sect. I find fault with much of the human comprehensions & interpretations of the word of God. I grow weary of the judgmental views of people of faith I also think it is worthy to note I remain open minded to other peoples view points & have learned much from calm discussions. However do not look to me as the shining example of what a ‘christian’ should be. I strive to be righteous but I am a flawed human, just like all of mankind.
I write my music for everyone regardless of what you believe in or what your lifestyle is etc.etc.. So in short what I write for any band I am in, is my view of the world & my experiences. I strive to write with a very broad brush stroke so as to not exclude anyone. This also allows the listener to walk away with their own thoughts and feelings about a song. I find that this is very important as sometimes other peoples interpretation of what I write is much deeper than anything I could have come up with. I would not want to take that away from anyone! To me this is what art is for, expression & individual interpretation. Explaining art can kill art. Again this is just my view on things.
At the end of the day, we all have our own experiences that shape us & gifts we can use to do what we are ‘called’ to do. The last thing I want is for people to put my life under a microscope & judge every word or action I do or say. After all I am just a man. My struggles are my own & not for display to the world. However I know God forgives & loves me & I don’t have to prove that to anyone.
Also to make note not everyone involved with Times of Grace is a ‘christian’.
So no, Times of Grace is not a ‘christian band’.
Hope this helps with your thoughts etc. Peace & One Love”
The first thing that came to my mind when Howard left was that Jesse is back and sure enough!
I’m glad to see Jesse back. Times of Grace is insanely good and I hope it carries over to the kse side of things. I’ve been a fan of kse for a long time and Howard will be missed.