Killswitch Engage - O2 Academy, Birmingham 19.10.2019
On the back of the release of their new album 'Atonement', riff heavy giants Killswitch Engage are back on British soil for a host of shows. Tonight they set their sights on Birmingham's O2 Academy and look to raise the roof with their new material.
In support is Death Metal outfit Revocation. Who get things underway with brutal opener 'The Outer Ones' which sets the tone perfectly for what lies ahead. Revocation's songs are far longer than what you'd usually expect, as a photographer you're only allowed in the photo pit for the first 3 songs and it feels like I'm in there forever! The long nature of the songs doesn't make it drag though - Revocation do a great job of keeping things alive.
The brutality of the set carries right the way through, especially hitting hard during 'Vanitas' and 'Luciferous'. Vocalist David Davison does a great job of keeping the crowd on their toes with his blood-curdling screams. The hour long set comes to a close with 'Dismantle The Dictator', finishing where they began with absolute chaos.
With the O2 Academy now rammed to the rafters with this sold out crowd, Killswitch come storming out to the lead single from the new album with 'Unleashed'. Frontman Jesse Leach is like a giant ball of energy as he tirelessly bounces across the stage. As a band thats put out eight albums now, they have their fare share of old favourites to pile their way through, and they waste no time as 'My Last Serenade' gets played very early In the set.
You can tell just by looking at the crowd that their are fans who are here for the first time and others who are old school and have seen Killswitch no doubt countless times before. One things for sure, tonight is a sweaty one, as dozens of shirtless blokes throw themselves around in the mosh pit without a care in the world.
As arguably one of the biggest Metalcore bands on the scene to come out of the 2000's, it's safe to say that Killswitch Engage have all the riffs a Metalhead could ask for as guitarists Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel burn their way through banger after banger. By the time mega hit 'My Curse' comes around I start to wonder how all five members of the band manage to keep up this level of intensity of a performance so effortlessly, doing this night in night out can't be easy, and I feel worn out just watching!
As the set draws to a close things don't look like they're slowing down anytime soon as 'The End Of Heartache' rings around the venue. As always Killswitch Engage bring the curtains down with their epic cover of Dio's 'Holy Diver', prompting absolute carnage.
After 20 years at the top as one of the giants in Metal, Killswitch Engage are very much still at the top of their game. Tonight had something for everyone as fans old and new leave the venue beaming at what they have just witnessed, what a show!
Killswitch Engage - https://www.facebook.com/killswitchengage/
Revocation - https://www.facebook.com/Revocation/
Photos & Review - Sam Robinson Photography
