Killswitch Engage's Atonement - Track by Track Musings.

My favorite band has a new record out. Repeat: My favorite band has a new record out. Let's go track by track and talk about the good, the bad, and the fucking metal-rifficness that is Atonement by Killswitch Engage.

Track 1: Unleashed

This was the first thing we heard of this record, and my feelings about it haven't changed much. It's a little slow and mopey for my taste, and it doesn't exactly open the record with a bang. But Jesse Leach's voice sounds god-like and the melody has a haunting quality that sticks with you. Good song. I just wish it punched me in the face a little harder.

Track 2: The Signal Fire

SMACK!! Ok, here's the face-punching, fast-and-thrashy metal goodness I was hoping for! Settles into a nice fucking groove in the verses. Loving the tempo changes from verse to chorus and back. And it fucking rules to hear Howard Jones on a Killswitch tune again. I LOVE THIS FUCKING SONG!!

Track 3: Us Against the World

Is this song in waltz time? Dammit, Fatty! What didn't you ever learn about time signatures? This chorus is fucking soaring. Jesse has never sounded better. Atonement may have opened a little too slowly for me, but the last two tracks have totally hooked me.

Track 4: The Crownless King

Ok. This one's a thrasher. I'mma be screaming "BURN THEM!! BURN THEM TO THE GROUND!! DESTROY THEM!!" an awful lot in the coming weeks. Cool ass mosh riff in the middle of the song.  Plus, Chuck Billy from Testament giving us some killer metal screaming. Yup. This song fucking rules!

Track 5: I Am Broken Too

This song has really grown on me. The lyrics really hit home for me. I'm glad that there are talented musicians out there who understand depression and anxiety and can transmit the understanding in the form of music the is emotionally resonant and makes you feel like you're not so alone. Thank you, Jesse.

Track 6: As Sure As the Sun Will Rise

Cool-ass stuttery verse riff. Then it explodes into a glorious chorus where Jesse and Adam D. trade vocals over harmonizing guitars. Classic Killswitch and that's a very good song. This song will make for a killer battle anthem.

Track 7: Know Your Enemy

Isn't this a Rage Against the Machine tune? Just kidding. Love the swinging drums from Justin Foley on the pre-chorus and that riff is pure dick-swinging metal. Another scream-along refrain into a tasty harmonized guitar solo. This tune slays. Bow down to no one and know your enemy, indeed!

Track 8: Take Control

Well, this tuning is new for a Killswitch song. A little lower, but that just means it's moving more air around and hitting you harder. This chorus is totally inspirational. Nobody writes uplifting, inspiration metal that crushes like these dudes. And a sweet-ass guitar solo! YES!!

Track 9: Ravenous

I was kinda checked out in this tune til about a minute-and-a-half in and they hit me with that strutting, heavy-ass riff. That brought the song back to life for me.

Track 10: I Can't Be the Only One

This opens quite serenely. A lovely wash of clean guitars before the riffs kick in. Jesse's kicking so much ass on the record. And we're getting more lyrics about how there are more people like us out there. I totally wanna be on Team Killswitch!

Track 11: Bite the Hand that Feeds

Okay. This riff is soo fucking chuggy, I'm already hooked. Good vicious vocals. Good breakdown. I don't know what else to say, other than I'm sad the record's already over. I want more. Fuck 85 minutes of Tool on their new record. I want 85 minutes of Atonement. Especially after the bad-ass, sinister way this tune wraps up.

Final thoughts?

Well, when the singles started coming out a couple months ago, I did enjoy what I was hearing, but I was also worried that the whole album was gonna be moody, mid-tempo jams without the killer speedy riffs and heavy, chugging nastiness that made me fall in love with this band. I shouldn't have been worried. When all is said and done, this is another great record from the Killswitch boys, with a number of songs that can stand with the best stuff they've ever done.

I can't wait to play this album over and over, to dig more deeply into the lyrics, and to frustrate myself trying to play riffs from this fucker. This is killer musicianship, excellent songwriting and a jolt of metalized energy all wrapped up in a bunch of thematic material that leaves determined to be a better human being. It doesn't get much better then that.