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Rating: Killswitch Engage you either love them or hate them.
Their music either conveys power and artistic expression, or you can't stand so much rage, such instrumental charge. We live in a free country, everyone has the right to speak and reply. But if “As Daylight Dies”, the fourth offspring of this prolific Massachusetts band, could enjoy anthropomorphic physicality, I would listen to it talk for hours. It is a truly formidable record, it definitively establishes the KSE style, now stabilized under the energetic guidance of Jones (vocal), who, with “The End Of Heartache”, had started a new stylistic path. After listening to it all for the first time, A.D.D. leaves a bitter taste, as if one hadn't grasped the nature of each individual track, too charged and powerful to be absorbed at the first listen.
So let's break it all down, piece by piece.
“Daylight Dies”
Immense overture, guitars creating riffs like strings (often found in other tracks), drums defining the song's structure, vocal session partly choral (Adam & Howard) with interesting interludes and elsewhere a sustained shout with growling at the extremes, often filtered with a 'distortion'. Excellent first piece.
“This is Absolution”
Accelerated rhythm, the second ranked (but only in listening order), aggressive passages typical of the previous album and with softer sections assigned to Adam, who finds more space for expression in many other tracks as well. Well-deserved. The formula is the same as always: first extreme shouting, then soft vocals. The chorus is catchy, overall there's careful execution, guitars much more "ample", meaning they fill more of the background sonic space providing the piece with substance. This formula is typical of A.D.D.
“The Arms of Sorrow”
Very catchy track, Howard performs in a purely clean vocal part, yelling left to Adam. In the style of the track “The End Of Heartache”, but more vivid, with a more loaded rhythm. Guitars dominate, charged and always sustained. Very good, it sticks in your mind right away.
“Unbroken”
Very strong track, typical hardcore KSE style, with the now established trademarks such as extreme-vocal vs. soft-vocal. Perhaps a bit monotonous compared to the previous ones, there aren't any passages that distinguish it in a rushing momentum (curious use of toms, not yet experimented in previous works); placing it in fourth makes it privileged but perhaps it should have been towards the second half. Decent.
“My curse”
Quintessential single of this LP. Extreme shouts at the start, bordering on inhuman. Overwhelming rhythm, guitars in a continuous round filling the whole song. Adam is furious, notable bursts of microphone rage, Howard excellently raises the track’s tone. Four minutes that penetrate deep. Splendid.
“For You”
Very loaded track. Drumming gives the rhythm, guitars follow, vocal passages always alternating between soft-growling. Snare drum pedal makes breaks between verses, assigning a great rhythm kept alive by Adam-Joel duo. We find that guitar filling, of just a few seconds, which as previously said creates a filling effect, cushioning the piece’s core.
“My Heart Still Beats Your Name”
Pure, hardcore piece. Racing guitars and a chorus distinctly contrasting in slowness to the track’s overall speed. Adam is present with small very soft parts that provide that otherness typical of the previous LP’s tracks. Beautiful piece all the way to the end.
“Eye of the Storm”
In the line of the previous one, it remains lighter in certain respects. There is a greater presence of melodic moments, high guitar chords with following voice. The bass makes itself heard halfway through, usually left somewhat too far back here it enriches the track. Approved.
“Break the silence”
Guitars and drums define the guidelines, the voice creates the surface. Maybe the track doesn’t lift, remaining anchored to the initial incipit. Nice chorus with the exchange between Howard and an ethereal (in voice) Adam. Also resumption of “filling riffs” towards the conclusion. We can feel that we are towards the album’s end. A bit repetitive, although the chorus is not bad. In the end, we must break the silence, and we are alive.
“Desperate Times”
Cadenced start, evolving into aggressive shouts with background guitars following the evolution. It is in this track that we find an imposing filling that gives body, restores solidity, almost becoming annoying. Foley (drums) assigns a determined but not fast rhythm. In the last minute, a slow progression is followed by the resumption of an almost annoying riff (the famous filling) with shouted follow-up. Very beautiful conclusion, perhaps worthy of a final track.
“Reject Yourself”
Noteworthy is a very thrashy riff by Adam, continuing in evolutions throughout the track. Howard’s voice more open interrupted by frightening instrumental accelerations. Adam has more space also on the vocal side, both as choral and soloist. Appreciate a monstrous shout ten seconds into the third minute of the track. Nice closing piece, calming in the last minute leaving room for a bit of instrumentality. Album is definitely depleted.
IN SUMMARY.
The salient aspects of the entire work are distinguished in a technical maturation for all band members. The praise goes both to Howard, matured vocally and well-suited for continuous passages between breathtaking shouts and catchy melodic tunes, and to Adam, who, besides having more space for expression vocally, provides greater completeness to the album. The KSE signature is evident, solid, this work proved it.
It must be acknowledged that they perfectly balance melody with unleashed rage, mixing it all in a great hardcore style. They still have much to express, we will hear it.
Howard, Adam, Joel, Justin, Mike: passed with flying colors. 9/10
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Daylight Dies (04:05)
Slowly we watch the degradation of the civilization
The rise and fall of all we are
Stands here before us
This place is evil
We stare in insult
This world is vile
We are the answer
How long until we die?
Die from the inside out
How much is enough for us to see the light?
How much blood must be spilled?
Contest the lies
We cannot be so blind
Hear their cries
The wait 'til daylight dies
Daylight dies
We all have blood on our hands
How can we (how can we) ignore the sound?
Contest the lies
We cannot be so blind
Hear their cries
The wait 'til daylight dies
The cost of one life
The price of ones soul
Is too much to lose
No more broken promises
The shattered hearts will heal
No more broken promises
No more (no more)
Contest the lies
We cannot be so blind
Hear their cries
The wait 'til daylight dies
How long until it dies?
How long?
How long?
How long until it dies?
How long?
How long?
02 This Is Absolution (03:34)
We will not die this way, in unification
They cannot break these chains of faith, yeah
Let them do their worst (let them do their worst)
Never slaves of iniquity
We will not die this way (this is absolution)
Death claims us no more (no more)
Do not grieve, end the suffering
We will live, live eternal
Will you take the stand amongst the dead?
Bury your fear, and hold fast to life
We will not die this way (this is absolution)
Death claims us no more (no more)
Do not grieve, end the suffering
We will live, live eternal
Anchor yourself to the foundation of everything you are
Believe you have just begun to live (to live)
Dont let the world deceive you
Dont let their words betray you
Dont let their lies deceive you
Let them do their worst
We will not die this way (This is absolution)
Death claims us no more (no more)
Do not grieve, end the suffering
We will live, live eternal
03 The Arms of Sorrow (03:44)
Imprisoned, inside this mind
Hiding behind the empty smiles
So simple (the anguish)
As it mocks me
Crawling back into the dark
Running, always running, into the distance
Stop me before I bleed, again
The echos of my voice
Follow me down
The shadows I cast
Follow me down
Deeper i'm falling
Into the arms of sorrow
Blindly decending
Into the arms of sorrow
There must be serenity
The echos of my voice
Follow me down
The shadows I cast
Follow me down
Deeper i'm falling
Into the arms of sorrow
Blindly decending
Into the arms of sorrow
The demons of my own design
This horror must not remain
Deeper i'm falling
Into the arms of sorrow
Blindly decending
Into the arms of sorrow
There must be serenity
There must be deliverance
Deeper i'm falling
Blindly decending
Deeper i'm falling
04 Unbroken (03:08)
Go!
Forever falling, Into oblivion
The darkness crawls forward
It engulfs, my will to live
Fear is failure
And this is my motivation
Take back what was stolen
Reclaim all that's lost
With virtue, I will rise up from the ruins
C'mon!
Through adversity, there is redemption
With passion, fighting
I am unbroken
Through adversity, there is redemption
With passion, fighting
I am, unbroken!!
Take back what was stolen
Embrace the cycle
Refuse to turn back now and be led astray
Fear is failure
And this is my affirmation
Through adversity, there is redemption
With passion, fighting
I am unbroken
Through adversity, there is redemption
With passion, fighting
Unbroken!!
The absence of fear, is the renewal of self
The absence of doubt, breeds desire
If there is truth to face
I will design it
I will not be denied!
05 My Curse (04:04)
I watched you walk away
Hopeless, with nothing to say
I strain my eyes
Hoping to see you again
This is my curse (the longing)
This is my curse (to)
This is my curse (the yearning)
This is my curse
There is love burning to find you
Will you wait for me?
Will you be there?
Your silence haunts me
But still I hunger for you
This is my curse (the wanting)
This is my curse (to)
This is my curse (the needing)
This is my curse
There is love burning to find you
Will you wait for me?
Still I want
And still I ache
But still I wait
To see you again
Dying, inside, these walls (2x)
And I see your face in these tears
In these tears
And I see your face..
There is love
(There is... Love)
(4x)
07 Still Beats Your Name (03:19)
Who knows how long, I've been lost in the dark
Followed closely by the footsteps of my failures
What can I do, to alter my perception,
of the way and the truth?
Let this burden drift away
Who knows how long, the void has swallowed me
I only wish for nothing more than peace to find me
How can this be? We've come so far
to let the weight destroy our grand design
Let this burden drift away
My pledge remains faithful to you
And my heart still beats your name
Drowning once again
Will I live another day
To reach the surface
Let this burden drift away
Drowning once again
Will I live another day
To reach the surface
Let this burden drift away
Drowning,
Choking,
Fading,
LIFE!!
Is this the moment where I leave the blackness
Is this the moment of my
rebirth?!
Who knows how long, I've been lost in the dark
Followed closely by the footsteps of my failures
What can I do, to alter my perception,
of the way and the truth?
Drowning once again
Will I live another day
To reach the surface
Let this burden drift away
Drowning again
Reach the surface
Let it drift away
08 Eye of the Storm (03:56)
As time goes by
Nothing has changed
I wont stand and watch
You wither away
After all this time
I stand by you
Through all of the years
I've been with you
Through pain and affliction
With every addiction
I will never let you down
I will live by this code
Never surrender
You and I are one
Through the eye
Of the storm
You are never alone
Even through, the shadows
You are never alone
After all this time
Still you struggle
Even words of love
Ring so hollow
I have no regrets
I have no remorse
And if you falter
I wont let you down
Through the eye
Of the storm
you are never alone
Even through, the shadows
You are never alone
Come on
Together we stand
Never fall
No matter the trial
We will overcome
Together we stand
Never fall
No matter the Trial
We will overcome
Through the eye
Of the storm
You are never alone
Even through, the shadows
You are never alone
Never
Together we stand
Never fall
No matter the trial
We will overcome
We will overcome
09 Break the Silence (04:32)
As I live and breathe
I am watching, watching a world die
We greet this with apathy
No longer
Consumed by self
We walk through each day
With no mind for deprivation
And moral decay
We must destroy and rebuild
We must destroy and rebuild
For the sake of all
It starts with one
With one
As I live and breathe
I am watching, watching a world die
We greet this with apathy
With empathy
No longer
If we cant break the silence
[How can we survive?]
Search inside yourself
[know that you're alive.]
We must break the silence
now we are alive.
Silent: No longer.
Make this world take notice
That change is in our hands
The battle has just begun
We are not defeated
If we cant break the silence
[How can we survive?]
Search inside yourself
[Now that you're alive.]
We must break the silence
Now that we're alive.
Silent: No longer.
With all that I am
I will lift my voice
To start this
Revolution
It starts today
And It starts with me
Silent: No longer
With all I am
I will lift my voice...
With all I am..
It starts with me.
Break the silence
[break the silence]
Break the Silence
We are alive.
Break the silence
[break the silence]
Break the Silence
We are alive.
10 Desperate Times (04:25)
Time and time again
I stand at the crossroad
Where the weight of my burden
Eclipses my resolve
This broken path I've chosen
I walk it alone
Though I feel forgotten
You've carved my name in stone
In these desperate times
This I plead
When all else fails
Remember me
This is daily crucifixtion
And these rusted nails leave scars
My jagged crown is on my side
Anguish is never far
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 youll ever know
Theres no question
Youre the answer
I will find you...
In these desperate times
This I plead
When all else fails
Remember me
In these desperate times
This I plead
When all else fails
Remember me
11 Reject Yourself (04:46)
Their cries are blown away with the wind.
How passive can we be before humanity is lost?
Turning our backs on those who need love.
We must not rest while healing is needed.
Tear down the veil.
That bars your heart from feeling this.
Dedicate yourself.
Give your soul to compassion.
With open arms, embrace this heart.
With open eyes, behold the truth.
Embrace this life.
So little time is left.
We must be relentless in our pursuit of those in torment.
Tear down the veil
That bars your heart from feeling this.
Dedicate yourself.
Become the voice of compassion.
With open arms, embrace this heart.
With open eyes, behold the truth.
Embrace this life.
Can you reject yourself?
Can you feel their agony?
In a world that feeds on disregard.
Heal the broken hearted.
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