Tonight is something special, over 10,000 people have gathered to celebrate Killswitch Engage‘s biggest shows to date on UK shores at the mighty Wembley OVO Arena.
In support of the band’s latest album, “This Consequence,” Killswitch Engage has crafted the best lineup for an extensive tour of Europe & the UK.
Joining them on the tour of the year are the Polish legends Decapitated, New Jersey mammoth metallers Fit For An Autopsy, & as main support the powerhouse that is Hatebreed.
It might be an earthly 6 pm doors, but as Decapitated, the arena is already brimming with anticipation for the opening act. Legends in their own right, Decapitated have been an enormous mainstay of the UK & getting to see them open today’s show like a wrecking ball was a pure delight.
As the band take the stage, “Cancer Culture” gets the ball rolling & the first moshpit of the night in a frenzy. The speed & precision of this band is always unmatched & such a pleasure to witness. Vocalist Eemeli Bodde has excellent stage presence & has the audience eating out of the palm of his hand throughout the set.
Wacław “Vogg” Kiełtyka, the band’s founding member & guitarist, is honestly one of the best in tech death. Just watching his right-hand strumming will have your jaw on the floor with the rhythmic ability he has. Oh, and did I mention how crushing his palm muting is? No, we’ll if the main riff to “Spheres of Madness” did have you headbanging so hard your neck breaks, then you don’t like beast-like riffs, ha.
Closing out their sets with “Iconoclast” shows just what a force of nature the band is. Getting every fist in the air & a giant circle pit for the last songs was great to witness a band with such power kick the night off the best way possible.
Review: Joseph Mitchell – London
Photography: Mark McGrogan – Belfast
@flashartmark #flashartmark
Next up are bastions of the new wave of modern metal, the mighty Fit For An Autopsy. It’s always such a pleasure to see these guys. I’ve been a fan of these guys since the beginning, & getting to see them storm the stage at the OVO brings me such joy. For anyone who didn’t know who FFAA was tonight, they are about to learn. As the band smashes into “Lower Purpose”, the crowd are already blown away. FFAA is a perfectly oiled touring machine.
Frontman Joe Badolato is born a star, his presence on the band’s latest track “It Comes for You” is gigantic & seeing his superb vocal patterns & his ungodly low gutturals on the chorus section ” You can use your teet.h
Or you can fucking lose them,” is like getting a knuckle sandwich straight to the dome. I’m all here for it. FFAA is such a deserving band for a slot on tonight’s show. As said before, they are one of the hardest-working touring bands, & drummer Josean Orta is always a sight to watch for his footwork & passion behind the drum kit. I honestly could watch him for a whole set. He’s entertaining.
“Far From Heaven” sees the band close their set, but with such a fantastic performance, they have clearly made a shit ton of new fans & cemented themselves as the next band to rise to the ranks as other legends, & I can see them headlining this stage one day.
Review: Joseph Mitchell – London
Photography: Mark McGrogan -Belfast
@flashartmark #flashartmark
The hardcore titans Hatebreed are next to tear down Wembley! Opening up with their anthem “I Will Be Heard” might be a ballsy move, but they have every voice in the crowd & fist in the air! Hateb eed are a very special band to me, so every time they play in the UK, I’m there, and tonight was one of the best shows they have ever put on. Their appearance at Slayers’ London comeback show in the summer was superb, but tonight there is a visible electricity in the air.
Smashing out their newest track “Make the Demons Obey” is a ferocious track with one of the best breakdowns of the night. Their latest addition to their live shows is First Blood frontman Carl Schwartz handling bass duties. I haven’t seen him rock the bass since his time in Terror, so seeing the energy & presence he is currently bringing to Hatebreed is adding some nice icing to the already beautifully made cake that is the band’s brutality.
“As Diehard as Diehardome” is a tribute to the perseverance of the band’s fans, & seeing the number of people in the pit, crowd-surfing & singing for a band that has been at this for multiple decades & is still making new fans is such a pleasure. Tonight feels like the latest chapter in the band’s already stacked biography. I can’t wait to see what’s next for them.
“Looking Down the Barrel of Today”, their anthemic closer, leaves the band on the best possible note. This rack is full of positivity & tonight we are celebrating what decades of hard work by all the bands on tonight’s bills have allowed for such a momentous, huge show. Hatbreed will always be the best hardcore band of all time, & tonight proves the crown will always rest firmly on their heads.
Review: Joseph Mitchell – London
Photography: Mark McGrogan – Belfast
@flashartmark #flashartmark
The stage is set for the headliners of the night, the almighty Killswitch Engage. Their stage production might not be over-the-top, but the energy & enthusiasm they bring to the stage are evident in their first song, “Strength of the Mind”. The crowd erupts as frontman Jessie Leach takes to the stage & the band begins their set.
Bodies are already moving & singing every word. The air is thick, but there is something special in the air tonight for this band’s biggest UK show to date. With the follow-up punch “Rose of Sharyn,” a KSE classic is blasted, & if you weren’t singing already, oh boy, now you are!!
The band seem in high spirits & at the top of their game. With a career spanning 25 years, these guys have seen it all. Their early history, time with Howard Jones in the band & their resurgence in the last few years with some excellent albums. All that has culminated in the well-deserved headline show here tonight at such a prized venue as Wembley.
Guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz always keeps it light hearted with his attire & stage antics & tonight he’s at full throttle. It’s great to see a heavy band that not only promotes a positive message but also has a massive smile on their face throughout their set. Some guys play cool dudes and fail. Adam is the most incredible dude ever, so he has you beat, ha.
“Forever Aligned” gives us a moment to celebrate the band’s longevity as their superb music video for the track plays on the big screen behind them. This will forever be tied to the metalcore genre & helped it become what it is now, & I can’t see a world without KSE.
Bringing the night to a close with “The End of Heartache” & “My Last Serenade” had me screaming along at the top of my lungs. By this time of night, it’s a hot, sweaty affair, but the love the crowd has for each other: any crowd surfer goes down, someone is picking them up. Every voice is heard & tonight’s show was an actual movie-like experience.
With a band 25 years under their belt, god knows how many tours & shows, they still have a love for music & playing to their much-deserving diehard audience. Killswitch Engage is a shining beacon of hope for those who seek it. Tonight showed the world just who KSE is & will always be…
Review: Joseph Mitchell – London
Photography: Mark McGrogan – Belfast
@flashartmark #flashartmark
Official Site: www.killswitchengage.com
Twitter: @kseofficial
IG: @killswitchengage
