Editing Killswitch Engage (section)

===Early years and debut album (1999–2001)===
Killswitch Engage formed following the disbandment of [[metalcore]] bands [[Overcast (band)|Overcast]] and Aftershock in 1999.<ref name="archivekse"/> After Overcast broke up in 1998, bassist [[Mike D'Antonio]] collaborated with Aftershock guitarist [[Adam Dutkiewicz]]. Dutkiewicz, now playing drums, recruited guitarist [[Joel Stroetzel]] from Aftershock and vocalist [[Jesse Leach]] of the band Nothing Stays Gold (who were signed to a record label owned by Dutkiewicz's brother Tobias, who was also the vocalist in Aftershock) to form a new band, Killswitch Engage.<ref name="archivekse">{{cite web |url=http://www.killswitchengage.com/killswitchengage/band.f/band.html |title=KILLSWITCH ENGAGE |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010210205445/http://www.killswitchengage.com/killswitchengage/band.f/band.html |archive-date=February 10, 2001 |publisher=KillswitchEngage.com |last=Walker |first=Morgan |date=May 2000 |access-date=February 11, 2010}}</ref> The band's name is derived from an episode of the television series ''[[The X-Files]]'' entitled "[[Kill Switch (The X-Files)|Kill Switch]]", written by [[William Gibson]], who gave the episode this title after meeting the industrial band [[Kill Switch...Klick]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Barclay|first1=Shelly|title=5 Interesting facts about Killswitch Engage|url=https://m.axs.com/5-interesting-facts-about-killswitch-engage-46963|website=AXS|access-date=January 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110020302/https://m.axs.com/5-interesting-facts-about-killswitch-engage-46963|archive-date=January 10, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1999, Killswitch Engage recorded a demo containing four tracks, including "Soilborn", the first song written by the band.<ref name="releases">{{cite web |url=http://www.killswitchengage.com/killswitchengage/release/release.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010808110151/http://www.killswitchengage.com/killswitchengage/release/release.html |title=KILLSWITCH ENGAGE |archive-date=August 8, 2001 |publisher=KillswitchEngage.com |access-date=February 25, 2010}}</ref> The demo was first released at the band's first show, opening for melodic death metal act [[In Flames]], in November 1999.<ref name="archivekse"/><ref name="releases"/> They released their [[Killswitch Engage (2000 album)|self-titled debut album]] the following year. Although initially the album was not a financial success and did not land on any charts, it attracted the interest of Carl Severson, who worked at [[Roadrunner Records]] at the time. Severson handed ''Killswitch Engage'' to several Roadrunner representatives. Mike Gitter, a [[talent agent]] of the company, contacted D'Antonio, attended several of the band's shows, and offered the band a recording contract with Roadrunner. Realizing that Roadrunner had the resources to promote and distribute Killswitch Engage releases, the band accepted his offer, declining several offers from smaller labels.<ref name="Worldablaze">{{cite video
 |people     = Korycki, Denise (director), Starace, Lia (editor)
 |date       = November 22, 2005
 |title      = (Set This) World Ablaze
 |url        = http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/
 |medium     = DVD
 |publisher  = [[Roadrunner Records]]
 |access-date = January 9, 2010
 |time       = <!-- Documentary section, respectively -->11:40, 14:00, 35:00, 13:18
 |id         = {{UPC|016861093990}}
}}
</ref>