Killswitch Engage

Released in 2000 on Ferret Music, the self-titled debut from Killswitch Engage is a foundational text of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal. Recorded before the band signed to Roadrunner Records, it features the original lineup including vocalist Jesse Leach, whose departure and eventual return would frame the band's history. Sonically, the album is much closer to the band's hardcore roots in Aftershock and Overcast than their later, more commercial work. It lacks the 'wall of sound' production of later albums, instead offering a dry, punchy mix that highlights Adam Dutkiewicz's early production style. The album is notable for 'Soilborn,' the first song the band ever wrote, which established their template of blending aggressive thrash riffs with melodic interludes. While it didn't produce any singles, it became an underground sensation that led to their major-label signing and the eventual explosion of the metalcore genre.