Editing Killswitch Engage (section)

==Musical style, influences, and lyrical themes==
{{Listen |filename=My Last Serenade.ogg |title="My Last Serenade" |description=Sample of "[[My Last Serenade]]" from ''[[Alive or Just Breathing]]'' (2002). |filename2=My Curse.ogg |title2="My Curse" |description2=Sample of "[[My Curse (song)|My Curse]]" from ''[[As Daylight Dies]]'' (2006).}}

Killswitch Engage's musical style has been described as a blend of "New England [[hardcore punk|hardcore]] and [[Swedish death metal]]",<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ditzel |first1=Eleanor |title=Killswitch Engage Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/killswitch-engage-mn0000771792#biography |website=AllMusic}}</ref> and has been categorized as [[metalcore]]<ref name="Killswitch Engage AMG" /><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/25-most-anticipated-metal-albums-of-2016-20665/killswitch-engage-31800/ |title=25 Most Anticipated Metal Albums of 2016 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |last1=Bienstock |first1=Richard |last2=Epstein |first2=Dan |last3=Geist |first3=Brandon |last4=Grow |first4=Kory |last5=Krovatin |first5=Christopher |last6=Wiederhorn |first6=Jon |date=January 12, 2016 |access-date=August 21, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/killswitch-engage-mn0000771792/biography |title=News CDs |work=[[The New York Times]] |last=Sanneh |first=Kelefa |date=November 20, 2006 |access-date=August 21, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2010/05/26/killswitch-engage-claymation/ |title=Least Creepy Claymation We've Seen In A While |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |last=Yates |first=Clinton |date=May 25, 2010 |access-date=August 21, 2018}}</ref><ref name="New Fury genres">{{cite web|url=https://thenewfury.com/on-their-album-as-daylight-dies-killswitch-engage-helped-shape-modern-metalcore/|title=This Fire Burns: On 'As Daylight Dies', Killswitch Engage helped to define modern metalcore|website=The New Fury|date=January 25, 2021|access-date=May 2, 2022 |author1=Newfurymedia }}</ref> and [[melodic metalcore]].<ref name="New Fury genres"/><ref>{{cite web|first=Alex|last=Sievers|url=https://killyourstereo.com/reviews/killswitch-engage-atonement/dxtja2ptbG8/13-08-19|title=Killswitch Engage / Atonement|website=Kill Your Stereo|date=August 12, 2019|access-date=May 2, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Laura|last=Wiebe|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/killswitch_engage-downsview_park_toronto_on_august_12|title=Killswitch Engage Downsview Park, Toronto ON August 12|website=Exclaim!|date=August 13, 2012|access-date=May 2, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Alex|last=Brown|url=https://www.kerrang.com/killswitch-engage-unleashed-new-teaser|title=Killswitch Engage Have "Unleashed" A New Teaser|website=Kerrang!|date=June 20, 2019|access-date=May 2, 2022}}</ref> Like some 2000s metalcore bands, Killswitch Engage vocally combine singing, [[Screaming (music)|screaming vocals]], and [[death growl|growls]] in their music.<ref name="Killswitch Engage AMG" /> In 2009, [[MTV]], while naming "The Greatest Metal Bands of All Time", said that Killswitch Engage have been "called one of the founders of metalcore".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/metal/greatest_metal_bands/071406/index13.jhtml |title=The Greatest Metal Bands of All Time |publisher=MTV |access-date=December 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091230134114/http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/metal/greatest_metal_bands/071406/index13.jhtml |archive-date=December 30, 2009}}</ref> Jason D. Taylor of [[AllMusic]] said ''Alive or Just Breathing'' is "a pure metal album that seemingly has ignored any fashionable trend and instead relies solely on skill and expertise to sculpt some of the meatiest heavy metal since the glory days of [[Metallica]] and [[Slayer]]."<ref name=" Alive or Just Breathing - Killswitch Engage">{{cite web
|title= Alive or Just Breathing – Killswitch Engage
|author=Taylor, Jason
|website=Allmusic
|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r588062|pure_url=yes}}
|access-date=December 17, 2007}}</ref>

Both current vocalist Jesse Leach and former vocalist [[Howard Jones (American musician)|Howard Jones]] write lyrics that are considered positive.<ref name="Worldablaze" /> Jesse Leach stated on ''[[(Set This) World Ablaze]]'', that the lyrics contain "unity, positivity, [and] love."<ref name="Worldablaze"/> On the lyrical themes of ''[[Killswitch Engage (2009 album)|Killswitch Engage]]'', [[Ultimate Guitar]] reviewer Amy Sciarretto noted:
{{cquote|Howard Jones has come into his own since 2004's ''[[The End of Heartache]]'', and he continues to hit the notes, wax about relationships, faith-issues and other relatable issue {{sic}} on this second self-titled effort.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/compact_discs/killswitch_engage/killswitch_engage_2009/index.html |title=Killswitch Engage (2009) Review |last=Sciarretto |first=Amy |date=June 30, 2009 |publisher=[[Ultimate Guitar]] |access-date=January 8, 2010}}</ref>}}

[[File:Patton FNM 2009 (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|[[Mike Patton]] is a major vocal influence of Killswitch Engage.]]

On Killswitch Engage's 2009 self-titled album, Howard Jones states the change in lyrical themes:
{{cquote|I've got enough to draw on to write some stuff that can be dark. Maybe there's still a hint of positivity in it, but there are some songs on there that are not positive at all.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/BLABBERMOUTH.NET/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=121841 |title=KILLSWITCH ENGAGE: Interview, Performance Footage From U.K.'s DOWNLOAD Festival Posted Online |date=June 12, 2009 |work=Blabbermouth.net |access-date=January 8, 2010}} {{Dead link|date=April 2012|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>}} Killswitch Engage's influences include [[Van Halen]], [[Black Sabbath]], [[Fear Factory]], [[Carcass (band)|Carcass]], [[At the Gates]], [[Machine Head (band)|Machine Head]], [[Neurosis (band)|Neurosis]], [[Metallica]], [[Iron Maiden]], [[HIM (Finnish band)|HIM]], [[Megadeth]], [[Suicidal Tendencies]], [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]], [[Slayer]], [[Testament (band)|Testament]], [[Bad Brains]], [[Agnostic Front]], [[Leeway (band)|Leeway]], and [[Sick of It All]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dabelly.com/features/feature144.htm |title=Joel Stroetzel of Killswitch Engage |work=DaBelly |last=Schwartz |first=Dave |access-date=August 21, 2018 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120172643/http://www.dabelly.com/features/feature144.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wsou.net/news/killswitchengageinteview.cfm#.W3ykBBTquMk |title=Killswitch Engage Interview |publisher=[[WSOU]] |author=Mike |date=August 9, 2015 |access-date=August 21, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/interview-adam-dutkiewicz-438800 |title=Interview: Adam Dutkiewicz |publisher=[[Music Radar]] |last=Laing |first=Rob |date=May 6, 2011 |access-date=August 21, 2018}}</ref> Both Leach and Jones cited [[Faith No More]] singer [[Mike Patton]] as their biggest influence.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=January 30, 2021|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/killswitch-engages-jesse-leach-why-i-love-angel-dust-by-faith-no-more|date=August 10, 2020 |title=Killswitch Engage's Jesse Leach: why I love Angel Dust by Faith No More|magazine=[[Metal Hammer]]|first=Jesse |last=Leach|publisher=Loudersound.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928213117/https://www.loudersound.com/features/killswitch-engages-jesse-leach-why-i-love-angel-dust-by-faith-no-more|archive-date=September 28, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=January 30, 2021|url=https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/entertainment/blogs/the-beat/2015/07/09/up-all-night-q-band-set-to-perform-at-el-pasos-tricky-falls/31514367/|title=Up all night: Q&A with Devil You Know vocalist Howard Jones; band set to perform at El Paso's Tricky Falls|date=July 9, 2015|location=Los Angeles, California|website=[[El Paso Times]]|quote=Question: Your voice is very unique in that you can go from very melodic to very heavy from one phrase to the next. Who are some of your influences and where did you learn to sing so melodically?<br />Howard Jones: I think, obviously, Mike Patton from Faith No More is a big one. ...}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=January 30, 2021|url=http://www.terrorverlag.com/interviews/killswitch-engage-howard-jones/|website=Terrorverlag.com|quote= ... I'd say that the band that probably influenced me more than any was probably Faith No More. Just because I listened to it so much, when they were active. ... I would say "The Last to Know" by Faith No More [is his favorite song to sing in the shower]! I sing that song in the shower all the time. And I actually wrote the chorus to the song "Breathe Life" on our album, I wrote that in the shower. (laughs) |first=Steffi |last=Mahsmann|title=KILLSWITCH ENGAGE (HOWARD JONES)|date=March 29, 2004|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20171016184109/http://www.terrorverlag.com/interviews/killswitch-engage-howard-jones/|archive-date=October 16, 2017 }}</ref>

Jesse Leach has talked about the band's label of metalcore, stating: "I never liked the term 'metalcore.' I don't think it's an accurate representation of the wide variety of bands that get lumped under that category. But I get it. People have to categorize stuff and put it into their own little category so they can describe stuff to somebody else. I like to say we're more of a metal band. It is what it is. People are going to use that term whether I like it or not."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/killswitch_engages_leach_i_never_liked_term_metalcore_its_not_accurate_representation_of_all_bands_in_that_category.html|title=Killswitch Engage's Leach: I Never Liked Term 'Metalcore.' It's Not Accurate Representation of All Bands in That Category|website=Ultimate-guitar.com|access-date=17 August 2019}}</ref>