The year is 2002. Nu-metal is still the most popular thing around, but things were also slowly beginning to change. Metalcore band Killswitch Engage, who had already released a solid (but not financially successful) self-titled album, were about to drop an album that would change the scene completely around almost by themselves. Already coming from a fertile ground of an area that produced bands like Unearth, Shadows Fall, and All That Remains, KSE released their landmark album Alive Or Just Breathing. But why is this album so influential?
In 2002, metalcore was hardly a thing. Sure, it had existed as a genre for around a decade, when bands like Integrity and Earth Crisis started spawning with a blend of metal and hardcore. It had been a fairly underground genre before this year, Bbt the storm was coming – bands like Atreyu were getting signed, putting out debut records – even Eighteen Visions dropped their album Vanity the same year.
Killswitch Engage ended up being arguably the best (and most copied) of all, and likely the most original as well. The positive, uplifting lyrics of Jesse Leach (coupled with some absolutely plastering vocals), savage breakdowns, and a fantastic rhythm section helped Killswitch Engage reach the top of the metalcore heap, and helped spawn a massive wave of metalcore hitting the mainstream. The success never really ended, as bands like Bring Me The Horizon and Motionless In White (both quite clearly influenced by the metalcore scene in the Northeast) are placing incredibly high on the charts and running sold out, huge headline tours.
Perhaps it’s fitting that just like Korn’s self-titled debut album, Alive Or Just Breathing has its own call to arms on opening track “Numbered Days”. “The time approaches” was more than just a smart choice for an opening lyric, it was a prescient one that signaled a new wave of bands to come. It’s easy to feel the kind of passion burning through Jesse Leach’s voice, providing some of hardcore’s traditional ethos both in style and in positive, straightforward lyrics.
The varying tempos on AOJB also make it a notable one. There’s quite a few songs that are slower-paced and include more buildup, rather than the oncoming and immediate rush of songs like “To The Sons Of Man” and “Temple From The Within”. Specifically, album closer “Rise Inside” and “Just Barely Breathing” move at glacial tempos to begin with, before morphing into two of the best songs the band has ever written. “Rise Inside”, in particular, defines what Killswitch Engage was about initially – while it may seem cliche today in the genre, the song’s message of unity is relatable and yet still chilling. Also, the bass tone from Mike D’Antonio is absolutely plastering,
Obviously, the band’s musicianship here is top notch. Some of metalcore’s most interesting riffs can be found all over AOJB, especially on “Fixation On The Darkness” and “Life To Lifeless”, where they immediately stand out as the highlights of both songs. Yet Alive Or Just Breathing might not have found quite the audience they had hoped for if it wasn’t for propping up these bludgeoning songs with huge melodies. In fact, it’s on some of the less-heralded tracks where those huge choruses shine, particularly “Self Revolution” (which should be even more heralded than it is). The album was produced by Adam D. as well, which was a rarity for any band – but especially one who endeavored to make waves on the national radar. It’s also where Adam proved himself as a multi-talented musician, both in terms of production as well as his guitar and drumming skills (yes, he played drums on this KSE album before moving permanently to guitar after).
Alive Or Just Breathing is forward-thinking, positive, influential, and completely devoid of weak tracks. And the music itself is timeless. You can be sure that Killswitch Engage will go down in history as one of the most consistently exceptional bands, and tracks like “Vide Infra” and “The Element Of One” will never lose their excellence.
Alive Or Just Breathing is an undeniable classic metalcore album that spawned a dozen imitators. And if imitation is the sincerest form of battery, well…
