Jesse David Leach, best known as the lead vocalist of the American metalcore band Killswitch Engage, was born on July 3, 1978. He replaced Howard Jones, who was the lead vocalist from 2002 to 2012, and debuted on the band’s 2004 album, The End of Heartache. In Due Time was chosen as the album’s lead single. Jones took over for The End of Heartache, As Daylight Dies, and 2009’s Killswitch Engage.
Leach and Jones are known for their collaborations, with Leach appearing on the band’s self-titled debut and their sophomore set, Alive or Just Breathing. Leach battled with depression throughout his life, but with the help of guitarist-producer Adam Dutkiewicz, he found a pathway out. The band’s success was fueled by their albums, such as Alive Or Just Breathing and The End Of Heartache, which buried nu metal and sparked the metalcore revolution.
The current lineup of Killswitch Engage consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, bassist Mike DAntonio, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, and drummer Justin. Leach has been a fan of the band since his initial time in the band, and the band’s current lineup includes vocalist Jesse Leach, bassist Mike DAntonio, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, and drummer Justin.
📹 Howard Jones On Performing with Killswitch Engage (OFFICIAL INTERVIEW)
Howard Jones discusses what it was like to perform again with Killswitch Engage recently – and how it all came about. Light The …
What happened to Killswitch Engage lead singer?
Personal life: Jones is a fisherman and owns property on the Red River of the North in Manitoba, Canada. He often appears on Jamey Jastas’s podcast on the GaS Digital Network. Jones left Killswitch Engage in 2012 to manage his type 2 diabetes. In 2013, he said his diabetes put him in a coma for three days. In 2015, he said he had struggled with anxiety and depression for a long time. He said he had come close to committing suicide in 2009. He aimed a.44 Magnum revolver at his head in his apartment in Connecticut. The police intervened after a neighbor called them. In 2018, he teamed up with his former band to raise awareness for mental health. The resulting song, The Signal Fire, appears on the 2019 album, Atonement. He used to be straight edge. He shares a passion for medical cannabis with friend and fellow Killswitch Engage frontman Jesse Leach.
Is Killswitch Engage lead singer black?
In the 1990s, many black musicians became famous, like Lajon Witherspoon from Sevendust and Howard Jones, the former vocalist of Killswitch Engage. Howard Jones made a big impact on metal with his powerful voice.
Why did Killswitch Engage Switch singers?
In 2012, Howard Jones said he was leaving Killswitch Engage because he had been diagnosed with diabetes and his heart wasn’t in it. Now that a few years have passed, he’s moved on to Devil You Know. Jones told Revolver Magazine about the weeks before he quit and the anxiety he suffered. “There was nothing wrong with Killswitch or the relationship.” I was wrong. I was crazy. I didn’t think to get help. For years, I tried to fight through it, and I was driving them crazy. My anxiety got worse and worse. Near the end, I spent a lot of time sitting in the back of the bus or in my bunk, not talking to anyone. “Even the idea of a meet and greet made me nervous.”
What happened to black lead singer?
On January 10, 2016, Vearncombe was in a car crash near Cork Airport in Ireland. He was put in a coma after getting hurt. He never woke up and died from his injuries on January 26, 2016, at the age of 53. Colin Vearncombe (May 26, 1962 – January 26, 2016), known as Black, was an English singer-songwriter. He left the punk rock scene and became a pop star in the late 1980s. His 1986 single “Wonderful Life” was a hit. William Ruhlmann of AllMusic called him a smoky-voiced singer/songwriter. Michael Hann of The Guardian said his voice was a slightly frayed baritone. Vearncombe was born in Liverpool and went to Prescot Grammar School. He then did an art foundation course at Liverpool Polytechnic. He wanted to be a musician after seeing Elvis Presley in the 1957 film Jailhouse Rock.
Are KillSwitch engaged still together?
The new Killswitch Engage album is still being demoed, but the band is making progress. In an interview with TotalRock, Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz said he and the band are working on lyrics for the new material with vocalist Jesse Leach. Dutkiewicz said the band is still demoing, but has a lot of demos. Jesse has been writing and rewriting. We made everyone in the band part of the lyric writing. Jesse will bring ideas. We like this. We don’t like it. This is the idea. Keep going. Dutkiewicz said the new Killswitch Engage record was written by everyone in the band. Dutkiewicz said he wrote most of Killswitch Engage’s 2019 album Atonement, and the rest of the band felt left out.
Are Killswitch Engage good?
Killswitch Engage’s music is described as metalcore and melodic metalcore. Like some 2000s metalcore bands, they combine singing, screaming, and growling in their music. In 2009, MTV said that Killswitch Engage is one of the founders of metalcore. Jason D. Taylor of AllMusic said Alive or Just Breathing is a pure metal album that ignores trends and relies on skill to create some of the best heavy metal since Metallica and Slayer. Both current and former vocalists write positive lyrics. Jesse Leach said the lyrics on Set This World Ablaze are about unity, positivity, and love. Amy Sciarretto said the lyrics on Killswitch Engage are about relationships, faith, and other relatable issues. Howard Jones has improved since 2004’s The End of Heartache. He still sings about relationships, faith, and other relatable topics on this second self-titled effort.
What is the meaning of Killswitch?
A button or switch that shuts down a machine. Use the kill switch only in an emergency. Digital technology. A command to lock, disable, or wipe an electronic device, like when it’s lost or stolen. Both companies had the same problem: the phone didn’t come with the “kill switch” installed. In June of last year, Apple announced it would add a “kill switch” to future phones. Gascón and the Boken family and others kept pushing for a “kill switch.”
Is Babymetal a metalcore?
The band calls its style “kawaii metal,” a mix of J-pop and heavy metal. The group has also been described as alternative metal, death metal, power metal, nu metal, speed metal, hard rock, metalcore, and progressive rock. This article is about the Japanese band. For the album, see Babymetal. For the genre the band created, see Kawaii metal.
Babymetal performing at Ancienne Belgique in December 2023 (L-R: Moametal, Su-metal, Momometal)
Kawaii metal; J-pop; power metal; alternative metal.
What is considered metalcore?
Metalcore is a mix of extreme metal and hardcore punk that started in the 1980s. Metalcore uses breakdowns, slow, intense passages that encourage moshing. Other instruments include heavy guitar riffs and double bass drumming. Metalcore vocalists scream, but some bands also sing. But death growls are also popular in the genre. In the late 1980s to early 1990s, bands like Integrity, Earth Crisis, and Converge started. Their style is sometimes called metallic hardcore. These bands were influenced by many different styles, including hardcore punk, thrash metal, and death metal. Some say records by the Dillinger Escape Plan, Botch, and Coalesce are milestones in the genre. In the early 2000s, metalcore bands got more attention from record labels. This led to bands like Killswitch Engage, All That Remains, Trivium, As I Lay Dying, Bullet for My Valentine, and Parkway Drive becoming popular. Metalcore uses breakdowns. Metalcore singers scream, a vocal technique developed in the 1980s. Later metalcore bands often combine this with normal singing. Death growls are also popular.
How many singers did Killswitch Engage have?
The band, made up of Adam Dutkiewicz on guitar, Joel Stroetzel on guitar, Mike DAntonio on bass, Justin Foley on drums, and Jesse Leach on vocals, has sharpened its signature sound on its eighth album, Atonement, the first with Metal Blade Records. Jesse Leach: Vocals: Adam Dutkiewicz Guitar/Production: Joel Stroetzel Guitar: Mike D’Antonio Bass: Justin Foley; Drums: Jesse Leach Killswitch Engage started out in 1999 in Western Massachusetts. The band was an outlier, combining European guitar riffs, East Coast hardcore, stage antics, and smart lyrics. They set the standard for heavy music in the early 2000s. In 2002, Alive or Just Breathing was named one of the best metal albums of the decade by Decibel and celebrated by many other magazines. They also won two GRAMMY® Awards and gold certifications. The group had three consecutive Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Top 200 with Killswitch Engage 2009, Disarm The Descent 2013, and Incarnate 2016. Both albums also reached #1 on the Top Rock and Top Hard Rock Albums charts. They’ve had over half a billion streams so far. The band has shared stages with many big acts and has sold out many shows around the world.
2019 was another turning point. The band’s eighth album, Atonement, is their first for Metal Blade. It features the quintet’s signature sound. The band’s vision from two decades ago is clearer than ever.
Who screams in Killswitch Engage?
Many textures. We’ll also talk about the other interesting things.
📹 Killswitch Engage – Jesse Leach Vs. Howard Jones
Jesse Leach, the returning lead singer of Killswitch Engage, talks about the feud between himself and Howard Jones. Subscribe …
A real KSE fan would’ve realized by now that Jesse was the original vocalist before Howard (which a lot of people don’t seem to realize). However, I think a true fan would appreciate both Howard’s and Jesse’s vocal styles. I like both, and there’s nothing wrong with preferring one over the other. But damn it, the fucking debate over who’s better is so fucking absurd. While almost everyone is seamlessly arguing about who’s better, a lot are forgetting the bigger picture – the rest of the band. It’s not only the vocalist (whether Jesse or Howard) that make KSE, it’s Adam, Joel, Mike, Justin, Jesse/Howard that collectively make the band. Also, I think it’s really Adam that’s the brains behind most of what the band does (though he doesn’t act like that on stage), so c’mon guys give the other members some well deserved credit!
what a humble guy! another reason to love this band. at first when jessie joined the band and howard left I was disappointed. but as time went on and listen to jessie more and more and evolve with the band, I love them both equally for their respective styles and passions for singing as well as their attitudes.
Totally nailed it at the end. Stop the nonsense. Start the respect. Even if you hate Jesse, you should respect the struggle and the effort he has put in to make KsE one of the best bands around. Even if you hate Howard, you should respect the struggle and the effort he has put in to make KsE one of the best bands around. Both of these guys are amazing in their own ways. I got into KsE from Alive and so I love Jesse. Then Howard came along and took things to a whole different level, and so I love Howard. As far as I am concerned, both of the are/were integral parts of the beauty and passion that is Killswitch Engage.
This dude is a class act. Everything he’s done stands highly in my record collection. Alive or Just Breathing was such a pivotal album growing up and 10+ years later I can still listen to it from beginning to end. The same goes for the original self-titled disc. It’s really great to see and hear this guy back with this lineup.
Jesse is the fucking man ! So respectful and can totally tell he loves the band, the fans and also has mega respect for howard … everyone as jesse says has to learn and accept the fact howard is gone and that is it .. i love both of them man but jesse brought me alot of joy in disarm the descent, big up both of them dudes though
I got into KSE back in the day when Jesse was the original singer. I was sad to hear that he was no longer part of the band, but Howard did a GREAT job in keeping the style of KSE alive. I love their songs done both by Jesse and Howard, but I have to say I am glad to see Jesse back. Kudos to both singers, and I wish nothing more than the best in all that they do! KCCO!
I fell in love with Killswitch the first time I heard My Last Serenade. I mostly stuck with listening to Howard until he left and I began hearing their new material with Jesse, and I really liked it. I went back and listened to their old stuff with Jesse and equally enjoyed that. Killswitch Engage is such a legendary band with either vocalist! I still probably listen to Howard’s stuff more, but that’s just what I grew up on. Cut me Loose is definitely my most listened to Killswitch Engage song right now though.
I didn’t know anything about KSE ( i knew they existed, nothing more) until i heard “In due time”. Disarm the descent won me over completely. So i went back to listen to the entire discography of the band, and out of 3 albums, I only really liked the first one. And that tells me, that Jesse is just a better fit( for me) for this band.
I’m not taking anything away from Jesse, but I personally believe Howard’s a better singer. Howard’s voice has so much power and hits so many vocal ranges it’s insane! Just the way he screams yet remains so melodic, it’s like you can hear all the emotion he pours into each song, like this ma is literally sing from the heart. When I heard Darkness Falls from the Freddy vs Jason soundtrack I was instantly hooked. Out of all of KSE songs with Howard “The Reckoning” is my all time favorite, but I have to Jesse is a better writer than Howard. Jesse’s lyrics are more deeper and impactful, I kind of felt Howard’s were just a bit dry. Either way I wish Howard the best, the man has to focus on his health and I don’t blame him. The band needed to continue and they felt Jesse was the best choice. Jesse’s a great vocalist, but he had Howard have to complete different styles, so it’s hard to compare the two but opinion wise Howard’s voice is by far the best.
Loved this band many years now! Hearing a bid fair well under Howard helped me come to terms with anger I had over a headache. Under Jessie I finally got to see these guys live and when always was played I was brought to tears again! Whoever wants to pick between are the unfortunate ones! Killswitch engage are a band I will always cold close to heart
KSE is awesome, I saw them live last year with Jesse and he kicked asses up there..I enjoy listening to these guys as a whole… it IS fucking nonsense to keep comparing the singers, they’re just different and both have added important things to KSE. I’m sure they have a lot of fun playing together, so why to bring up a comparison? enjoy the fucking music!
I just can’t believe these comments here, I mean almost 2 years have passed, and still the same sh*t but different day. Howard wasn’t into it anymore, haven’t you heard the KSE II? What are you afraid of, Jesse being sh*t? Well guess what, he is not. Disarm the Descent = Fu**ing improvement, you hear the singer in a quality you have never did before. And now, “Loyalty” … another improvement from the voice range aspect … I didn’t even could deside wether it’s Jesse or another singer. You miss Howard? He has another band, singing as powerful as you can expect from him. KSE? It’s still there, in the original formation … everyone is happy in these bands but only YOU! YOU PEOPLE!
I can only echo things people have already said. Howard Jones was easily the backbone of KSE and he put them on the map. No disrespect to the other bandmembers who are kickass as well, but Jones’ voice is what made people get into them. Imagine Soundgarden without Chris Cornell. Also, I think another crucial thing, other than his amazing voice, is the show Howard put on. perusal them on YouTube makes me wish I had gotten into them before he left. In terms of live performance, KSE without Howard Jones is Rammstein without Till Lindemann.
This article has made me give Jesse some mad respect. The way he is looking at the whole situation is exactly how you should look at it. It’s not a contest between who is better. Honestly I think more people liked Howards style of singing with the band than Jesse. One of my favorite things that Jesse said though is that he didn’t think he could sing Howards songs and live inside of someone elses songs. Mad mad respect there. He recognizes Howard as a great singer, and he knows he can’t take his place, so he’s doing his own thing instead as he should
he is kinda salty towards Howard…i dont like the attitude of a guy that left the band to do something else and when they became a little bit more famous he came back…i dont know about his history but his voice will never reach Howards!!i dont like to start an argument so if u have shit to throw dont do it here!!
i loved howard, im so glad i got to see him perform. iv never seen jesse perform live but i will in june at download and im looking forward to it. im still a fan, i do prefer some songs with howard singing them but im still a fan and will continue to support kse. goodluck to jesse. i wish howard all the sucess for the future hes an amazing vocalist.
My father of all people got me the first killswitch album, I was in love with Jesse’s style, his power, after then hearing the follow up album, I loved KSE even more. Howard came in, I was confused by I was excited… loved the following albums, was really really upset when Howard parted ways, but the excitement I experienced when Jesse came back? That was the best thing I’ve experienced of this decade. And Disarm The Descent was one of the best ‘comebacks’ I’ve ever heard, ever.
howard was there for 10 years jesse for 3 before howard came on Howard made this band what it is and made it unique Jesse cannot come close to Howard and when he tries it’s hilariously awful I wish the best for Howard and Jesse but there is only 1 Howard Jones and 100’s of Jesse Leach’s there isn’t anything special or defining about KSE now that he’s back when Howard belts out those baritones it’s amazing there’s a reason why Jesse is the lead singer now and the reason why is that Howard isn’t Jesse didn’t beat him out or anything they would rather have Howard than Jesse and that’s a fact
I love the 1st album but I was into the albums with Howard as well, even the recent Disarm album with Jesse back again, I loved both singers during their own tenures with KsE cuz KsE’s music is continually evolving as we grow listening to this band. KSE fan for life, even if a 3rd singer was to come about, I know for a fact I’d still listen to them.
It’s simple. Jesse left because of stuff he was going through. He knew Howard since they were 15. He was always happy for Howard and the band. Howard left voluntarily as he could no longer be the vocalist while going through all his medical issues. No one kicked him out and they were sad to see him go. Jesse can never replace Howard and vice versa. I wish Howard and Jesse the best of luck and am glad that KSE, instead of having to find someone knew, was lucky enough to get Jesse back. Howard and Jesse are both phenomenal, and either way I will always be a huge fan of KSE
I fucking love this shit. I love the both of them. They both love what theyre doing. They both bring something different to the band. I used to have a strong opinion about the whole thing……They both hold their own. They both serve a separate purpose. But it’s all really fuckin good. I love the way things have turned out for this band. Always something fresh. You can’t say a bad thing about any of these guys. Respect.
KSE Is one of the most fortunate of bands and unfortunate of bands lately…There is no fight here…Howard stepped in and gave over 10 years to this band helping to realize a vision that these musicians always wanted after a very talented kid had to step out because his life got crazy…Jesse gets to realize what he created and continue on with this legacy of modern metalcore because an older Howard’s life got crazy…We are fortunate that KSE still fucking rocks on!!!!!!
I love Howards take on the band more. Jesse gave the band up. I like Jesse in a few songs and I’m still looking forward to the new album. What would be even more amazing is if Howard joined Jesse in lead vocals. You want to talk about unstoppable as a band! It would be unreal duet metal. I think I could appreciate Jesse more as a singer (not that he was bad or anything to begin with) if this happened.
What a humble guy. I respect his views and his opinions especially about Howard. People always try to start shit when nothing’s wrong to begin with. I loved Howard as a vocalist, and I love Jesse as a vocalist. They’re both terrific people and I’m glad to see there’s no animosity between the two. Jesse, welcome back.
I look at it like, I had a great girl in the beginning, but at the time she didn’t work out for maturity reasons. Then, I got this new girl and she rocked my world for a little while and I was never the same! Then, something happened that I had to not see her anymore. After a little while, got my old girl back, but with better understanding. Sucks I can’t have the girl that I want, but it is what it is. To me, that’s how it is, imo. Take it for what it’s worth.
I’m a Jesse guy….. but that’s because he was the original vocalist. Howard’s time wasn’t a waste tho, they still put out really good music….. I just think Jesse and Adam have something special together. It was nice living in western MA and being able to these guys all play in Killswitch and other bands. People from Springfield who spent too many nights at Fat Cats know exactly what I’m talking about 👍
I love Jesse and Howard both, I was turned onto kill switch when Jesse was in it first when he left I was a little bummed bet Howard did a good job filling in, and I never gave up on Jesse I was always hoping he would come back or do something new like Howard is doing now with his band light the torch…I will continue to listen to both as long as they continue to make music
So many people spouting on about who is ”better”. People, it’s YOUR opinion, nothing more. You may say one guy is better than the other but that is subjective, not fact. Jesse’s point went right over your heads, it’s about respect and maturity. For example, I do and always have preferred Jesse’s material, but I also love Howard’s, yet I don’t claim one to be superior to the other. It’s like saying you prefer strawberry ice cream over vanilla ice cream. It doesn’t make strawberry ”better”, it is simply your preference. So grow up and learn to be comfortable enough with your own views that you don’t need to spam them all over the internet in an effort to make them feel validated.
..simply continued that upwards trajectory, and marvellously so! Music fans worldwide have an awful lot to be thankful for to BOTH guys for their contributions to this band and anyone who knows anything about the 6 of them and metal in general knows the modern metal world as we know it would be drastically different without everything they’ve done and continue to do. Stop fighting about who’s better, it’s so irrelevant. Take it or leave it but don’t disrespect either.
My interest in Killswitch Engage was peaked by Howard but remember… Jesse was first. That, my friends is pure fact. With their latest album, I am highly impressed with Jesse’s voice and the tone (mood) in the songs is energetic. I found Howard’s vocals to evoke more of a “feel sorry for me cuz life sux” tone. jmtc.
Killswitch Engage was built with the Howard’s voice, the best song are done with the Howard’s voice. The first texts were good but when I was listening to Killswitch Engage, everytime I had a friend saying to me “Hey ! This is Killswitch Engage isn’t it ? I recognize that fucking metallic voice.” Jesse is just surfing on what he left.
Jesse, very very talented singer. People say He sucks. But what they don’t notice is the sound and the quality. Also yes lyrics. But people don’t hear the amazing sound in every song that Jesse has created. For an example, I listen to As Lay Dying and people barely know who they are and their first album was the shit. Beneath The Encasing Of Ashes Album. It may not have the best sound quality but it’s fucking sweet. Also, Jesse keep rocking dude. Keep singing your heart out and keep your head up high. You have it dude. Pimp Survive.
Both have great voices, Howard’s voice color is obviously different and maybe richer and his screams are ok, Jesse screams like hell and his voice color does the job, but the base of all is the music they bring to us which is outstanding, the new album is a kick in the face, melodic moments don’t saturate, Jesse cuts through the mix perfect!, love it !!
I like both honestly, my opinion is that if both vocalists get into bands making music that gives me twice the amount of good music, An example or two happens to be Deuce and Hollywood undead Device and the band without David Draiman but two or more of Disturbed. Both are great vocalists and deserve props.
Both are GREAT! Howard’s voice with that style of metal suits my liking better and nothing will ever come close to what they had with him. That being said, Jesse is an amazing vocalist in his own right and his original tracks are still in my top KSE songs of all time and im sure this band will continue to set precedent for what metalcore can and should be. Fucking amazing group with whoever is the vocalist!
I love both singers. I have a little animosity for the way jesse left but having depression and anxiety issues i can totally relate and maybe thats why it affects me. Either way If howard is gonna leave the band I dont think there is any other person besides jesse that is right for the job. I bet the singer for all that remains drank a bottle of tears reading the press release.
Has anyone heard of the new band howard is in? Its called Devil you know and the demo song is called\tShut It Down. To me, thats what will show the differences in the vocalists currently. Howard has thrown out alot of his heart in this song and sounds pretty damn fine. Compare this to one of the first or newest killswitch songs and see for yourself. by the end of the day, im always a fan of both bands and kse is my #1 of all time (jesse and howard) 😀
In a way I feel sorry for Jesse. He started a group that really didn’t go anywhere under his leadership. He bailed and they found Howard who elevated the band to what they are today. Now he has come back to the group he founded and instead of being welcomed back with open arms he has to get out of the enormous shadow of Howard Jones and define himself in this band. Until he defines himself and leads KsE back to glory, he will have to put up with the enormous amount of comparisons.
Alive or Just Breathing was a freagin’ revolution I mean.. Even today I can listen to these songs and they’re just so amazing. Heavy, great melodies, great lyrics, great riffs. Every song on this album is almost… a master piece.. Nothing that came after that was the same. And I’m not hating thats just my opinion. When I first heard end of Heartache I didn’t even know Jesse was gone and I didn’t even realize it right away I thought it was just that the singer had changed his technique a bit.
Fuck yes, Howard is the shit! The power of that beast’s vocals fucking crumble mountains. I loved how Jesse was in KSE and also wishing him back in before and wondering how he would sound singing Howard’s songs…but actually hearing it was disappointing. Terrible fact is that Jesse left KSE abruptly. I miss Howard. I fucking miss that guy.
I’m amazed people disrespecting Jesse on here in support of Howard. Howard of all people would look down on you for that. Jesse is one of the humblest guys in metal as are all the band and KSE was on the map not because of Howard and those releases like some think, but for AOJB. End of Story. That album revolutionised modern metal and set THE benchmark for the next few decades. AOJB, in a MAJOR way due to Jesse’s vox, blew this band up and turned modern metal on its head. What Howard did after
Um am i the only one who realizes the fact that in metal its the vocals complimenting the music not the other way around which means that it doesnt matter theyre both fantastic and they do compliment the music very very well and thats where the argument should stop and im pretty sure both the guys would agree with me
Am I the only one who wishes we could just have *both*? This touches on an extremely important point, further fleshed out in comments – Jesse and Howard are completely different. Jesse is a screamer, and a damn good one, Howard is a power/operatic singer. Why can’t we have both? They have completely different ranges, and different skillsets, and they both bring something unique to the band. KSE has 3 guitarists, why not 2 singers? (Well, 3. Adam, you versatile bastard you.)
While some kids are arguing about who is better than who (while both are super vocalists) i’d like to thank Adam, Mike, Joel and Justin to create and raise the KSE despite all the hardships on their way up to be the best. IMO, comparing Jesse with Howard is like comparing Dan Swano with Tuomas Saukkonen!!! So, i’ll just have to bring forward the old saying “STFU, and enjoy good music”
Howard’s voice was fucking powerful man. At the same time, my favourite KSE song is My Last Serenade. It’s like Sabbath in the respect that, they lost Ozzy and got Dio, people have their preference, but no-one really gives a fuck because they’re both awesome, despite one having an objectively stronger voice.
I got into KSE BECAUSE of Jesse’s vocals and lyrics. I loved it. Being in the Birmingham (UK) scene in the 2000s, we’d never heard this kind of stuff before. For sure, Howard is a much better singer IN SOME RESPECTS, but not all respects. O believe Howard to be the better technical singer, very passionate, but Jesse is, IMO, more visionary. Best thing is to just take each singer for what they are. I enjoyed listening to Jesse talking about this. It’s silly to compare the two singers. They are completely different. BUT… they both contribute MASSIVE amounts to the band. ‘Nuff said.
I agree both have the values as vocalists, to be honest Jesse’s vocal range is insane anyway. It may not be as unique and as you said as operatic as Howard’s. But let’s face it…. I think I can speak for majority of KSE fans that we can’t wait for the day when KSE and Howard’s new band will tour together :). Peace!
I liked Howard better but obviously that’s just a personal preference. And I’m not saying Howard is the better vocalist. But, with that being said, Jesse is still great and I will never stop listening to Killswitch Engage. Bottom line is that both are talented vocalists and Killswitch will forever be a badass band…
Jesse’s not just a “screamer”- he does scream really well, but he has an amazing melodic voice, too, he nails all of Howard’s parts live. Howard was also a good screamer, not just a power/operatic singer. Either singer can get the job done really well, both with their strengths and weaknesses, but the idea of two singers is a bit ridiculous IMO, for this band, anyway.
I’ll have to go back and listen to the earlier albums before Howard joined but in my honest opinion, Jesse has the better scream while Howard has the better singing voice, my favorite albums are still End Of Heartache and As Daylight Dies. But I do really like Jesse’s voice as a whole on the track “Life To Lifeless”