Sunday the 7th: Killswitch Engage - Cut Me Loose

     Last month we got our first taste of the upcoming new record from metalcore veterans Killswitch Engage. Now we've got sample number two of Incarnate, and it's a bit of a shift of gears for the guys. Will it be your cup of tea? Read on to find out.

     First Incarnate single "Hate By Design" was more in line with your standard Killswitch single -- riffy, energetic, and ready for radio, assuming your local radio station plays anything approaching metal -- but second single "Cut Me Loose" is a bit slower, equally catchy in the choruses but a bit more of a grindy crusher in the verses. Killswitch are the reigning metalcore kings, though, so there's a couple of breakdowns/change-it-up-for-a-second sections in there too. It's still most definitely patented Killswitch Engage, just think "The Return" or "The Arms of Sorrow" rather than "In Due Time or "Never Again" and you'll be plenty prepared to see how you like the latest from Killswitch Engage.

Wednesday the 20th: Killswitch Engage - Hate By Design

     I know, I know, if we're following the linear rules of conventional temporal mechanics, the new Killswitch single (which came out this week) doesn't make a whole lot of sense for a post from last week. But you know that flouting the laws of space-time is one of the things I'm all about, so happy Wednesday the 20th kids, it's "Hate By Design"!

     Killswitch Engage's latest offering of tight metalcore Incarnate is due out in March, but "Hate By Design" is our first taste, and it's... decent. I don't think it's going to blow you away, but then I was never expecting that. It's a solid Killswitch song, but not an instant classic, and not even as instantly "in my brain" as "In Due Time" was last album cycle. The flip side of all this, however, is that if you dug Killswitch's "return to form" occasioned by the return of Jesse then you're probably going to remain on board for the ride that is "Hate By Design" and looks to be Incarnate. Check it out.