• Voto:
A dire il vero, questi Killswitch Engage erano predestinati a diventare i paladini dell'hardcore di nuova generazione. Infatti ognuno dei componenti dell'allora quartetto (che in seguito all'uscita di "Alive or Just Breathing" divenne un quintetto) proveniva da rinomate metal bands dell'universo underground, in particolare D'Antonio e Dutkiewicz facevano parte (e ne fanno parte tuttora dopo la reunion) degli Overcast, dalle cui ceneri nascerà, oltre ai già citati bassista e batterista dei Killswitch Engage, il vocalist degli Shadows Fall, Brian Fair.
Per chi è abituato ai Killswitch Engage dell'Howard Jones era, cioè dal 2003 in poi, il disco, targato 2000, vi sembrerà quasi suonato da un altro gruppo. L'omonimo debutto discografico infatti, in cui sono presenti molte influenze della scena melodic death metal svedese, possiede una veramente piccola quantità di quei ritornelli melodici e/o strappalacrime - quasi assenti a dire il vero-, che, a partire dal successivo lavoro, saranno presenti in quasi tutte le canzoni, specie nelle hitbreaker come "My Last Serenade e Fixation On The Darkness".
"Killswitch Engage", la cui durata non supera i 32 minuti, parte subito in quarta con le canzoni "Temple From The Within" e "Vide Infra", i brani più famosi del lavoro in questione, rintrodotti nell'album successivo, che mostrano subito quali saranno le caratteristiche dell'intero cd: riff spaccaossa di Stroetzel, puro hardcore screaming del vocalist Jesse Leach e straordinaria prestazione della coppia ritmica Dutkiewicz-D'Antonio. Una riga di lode la merita davvero quest'ultimo: il giovane bassista infatti, con le sue plettrate potenti e iperveloci, dà alle canzoni quel sound granitico che diverrà marchio di fabbrica del gruppo. Il terzo brano, "Irreversal", si discosta un po' dalle prime due, suonate a cento all'ora, proprio per la presenza di cambi di tempo e decelerazioni. La quarta traccia, "Rusted Embrace", è, a mio avviso, la migliore dell'album in questione insieme a "Temple From The Within", per la strepitosa performance canora del sorprendente vocalist Jesse Leach. Dopo il passaggio strumentale "Prelude" si ha il trio "Soilborn"-"Numb Sickened Eyes"-"In The Unblind", le canzoni più aggressive del lavoro del quartetto del Massachussets, poste proprio prima della finale "One Last Sunset", una malinconica strumentale - ma che, a dire il vero, non crea più di tanta atmosfera- , quasi per creare "la tempesta prima della calma" (eh sì, insolita come cosa!).
L'album, coinvolgente e ben autoprodotto, fissa i canoni del sound Killswitch Engage e getta le basi del successivo capolavoro "Alive or Just Breathing". Da avere.
Elenco tracce e testi
01 Temple From the Within (03:45)
Make me feel serenity when all is revealed
so easy to look back in life
and question but I must seek the strength
to push forward
I want to see what's so beautiful inside
as we drink of life
absolve me through your suffering
teach me to inscribe
these words upon my heart
cover me with the shadow of your hand
I will not lose myself in everything that tears me down
because you stand by me
no one to blame for my transgressions
no one to blame but myself
02 Vide Infra (03:34)
I have opened my eyes to see
The world that surrounds me, daily
I refuse to be led by the majority
Can't compromise I and I
To pass judgement
Judgement will be
Passed upon you
I will stand up for who I am never moved
Never moved by condemnation
No one is placed higher than another
No matter race or creed or gender
We must teach forgiveness and compassion
For who we are
Through understanding of our differences
We will find respect for one another
Because we are all flesh and blood
No one is placed higher than another
No matter race or creed or gender
We must teach forgiveness and compassion
For who we are
I am not afraid to speak my mind
No matter the consequences
Stay true to yourself
Through the humble eyes of a child
We will realize true equality
They cannot take me from me
They cannot take you from you
They cannot take I from I
They cannot take I from I
They cannot take me from me
They cannot take you from you
They cannot take I from I
03 Irreversal (04:17)
Look behind what lies on the surface rituals to read the signs
signify the life I leave behind... behind, Lies set me free,
Release me, Embrace me, Cleanse me I am not alone something so much
Greater than I look behind what lies on the surface humbled soul to reveal
A purpose outstratched arms to welcome the sacrifice of this body
04 Rusted Embrace (04:25)
gazing at the horizon
lost in the cryptic majesty
gazing at the horizon
so lost
what have we done a slowly - DYING
earth a suffocated - WASTELAND
for convenience and so called
progression...
visions of prophecy
faces pushed IN THE EARTH
so long
what have we done a slowly - DYING
earth a suffocated - WASTELAND
for convenience and so called
progression...
NOTHING WILL CHANGE
unless we INFLICT
TRANSITION
praying on bended knees (empty)
closed eyes can not see (empty)
praying on bended knees (empty)
is there still - time...
the sands of time - SLIPPING
through!...
...our - FINGERS
[is there still time, still - time, is there still time]
gazing at the horizon
lost in the cryptic majesty
gazing at the horiZON
(lost)so lost
what have we done a slowly - DYING
a suffocated - WASTELAND
for convenience and so called
progression...
NOTHING WILL CHANGE
unless we INFLICT
TRANSITION
praying on bended knees (empty)
closed eyes can not see (empty)
praying on bended knees (empty)
is there still - time...
the sands of time - SLIPPING
through!...
...our - FINGERS
is there still time (is there still time??! aah) is there still time... (is there still time, is there still time? IS THERE STILL TIME?!)
BURNED AND RAPED THE NAME OF HUMA-NI-TY I PRAY FOR DEATH OF YOUR RE-LEASE!
06 Soilborn (03:27)
Time will not stand still
Today is the day the day of salvation
Living for more than just a synthetic force fed existence
This is my disposition I will strive for the thruth
This is my disposition I will strive for integrity
Time will not stand still
We are the soilborn we are the children soilborn
Washed in blood because we are blind
We must not take this life for granted
In this everlasting thirst to mantain vitality
This is my disposition I will strive to find rebirth
Today is the day of salvation
Life has only just begun today is the day
08 In the Unblind (02:52)
Separation from the faceless majority step on the outside
Look on the inside tear tear it apart, A prisoner only in your own mind
Individuality will bring you life time to rise above to freedom
So much love lost, What have we become rise against the oppresion,
Resist and question burn the system kill the system kill the mindstate
Of indifference step into the unblind reclaim your life
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