End of Heartache

Killswitch Engage | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 11, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Roadrunner Records
• ASIN: B0001Z2TJY
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (313 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,732 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Guitar World, 6/2004

"The songs are longer, more metallic and the choruses more epic, than those of the previous release."

Product Description

The title track of The End Of Heartache is an unabashed monster of a song, different than anything the band has ever written. Its epic drive nearly crosses the border into power-ballad territory. "Rose of Sharyn" is an anthem that's heavy in the most non-traditional of senses, building with dynamic energy into a crescendo with a chorus that is perhaps The End of Heartache's biggest reward. "When Darkness Falls," heard during the closing credits of "Freddy Vs. Jason," was the first song Jones ever wrote with the band and falls right into place on The End Of Heartache. With "Breathe Life" he delivers a heartfelt optimism that really makes the track ‘pop’ with, "breathe life/ for you are not alone/ breathe life/ inside your heart of stone."

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still getting there, May 19, 2004

By 

Wheelchair Assassin (The Great Concavity) - See all my reviews

This review is from: End of Heartache (Audio CD)

Coming off the underground success of their previous album, "Alive or Just Breathing," Killswitch Engage have released a follow-up that should only solidify their reputation as one of heavy music's top young bands. These guys were already established as a leading band in the crowded melodic hardcore genre, and "The End of Heartache" sees their sound becoming even more focused and diverse. While still a notch below the truly great heavy bands like Burnt By The Sun, the Dillinger Escape Plan, and Meshuggah, KSE are definitely on their way up. Three albums into their career, they may well be peaking right now.

What's most impressive about this album is just how tightly written and played it is. Every song is calculated for maximum visceral and emotional impact, with the band deftly exploiting dynamics as they careen back and forth between balls-out aggression and soaring melodies. Yes, there are plenty of bands in the metal/hardcore/metalcore/whatever genre doing that right now, but KSE are still notable for the emotion, creativity, and musicianship they bring to the genre. Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel lead the charge with a devastating two-guitar assault, cranking out some complex and interesting riff structures without sacrificing the intensity that's at the core of the band's sound. Howard Jones also deserves a great deal of credit, stepping in on vocals for the departed Jesse Leach without missing a beat and somehow managing to raise the emotional stakes even higher than his predecessor. Howard's screams are more jarring, and his clean singing clearer, making him a perfect match for the band's unpredictable, wide-ranging sound. Throw in a pile-driving rhythm section, and you've got a band that's getting very good at combining power with polish.

While KSE may not be the most original band out there, they do show quite a knack for combining the sounds of those who came before them. While there is plenty of uncompromising hardcore stomp on display, much of "The End of Heartache" sees KSE expanding their genre-bending approach. The opening "A Bid Farewell" packs more sonic shifts into four minutes than many bands do on an entire album, starting out with some chunky, heavy rhythms before taking off at breakneck speed and then stopping dead in its tracks for a big, epic chorus. Alternating monstrous riffage and chugging basslines with hard-driving guitar harmonies, "Take This Oath" sounds sort of like Fear Factory crossbred with In Flames. The title track, featuring an abundance of singing and some slightly corny lost-love lyrics, may veer uncomfortably close to ballad territory for some, but it's an undeniably powerful song whose melancholy mood is occasionally shattered by Howard's piercing shrieks.

There are a few nods to the old school to be found here, as well. "Rose of Sharyn" is reminiscent of Iron Maiden in its grand sweep, driven by some aggressive hooks and insanely catchy guitar interplay. The lightning-fast riffs and airtight double-bass drumming of "Declaration" show an '80's thrash influence, sort of like Metallica or Testament given a 21st-century update. And in something of a curveball, the tricky rhythms and abrupt time changes of "World Ablaze" see the band going in a more technical, "mathy" direction that could serve them very well on future albums. It's not quite Meshuggah, but it's a start.

All in all, "The End of Heartache" is one immensely enjoyable album from a band that seems to be showing a real commitment to maturity and diversity. It's good to see that heavy music's recent resurgence hasn't come to an end quite yet. If you want some metallic fury rocked with rage and intelligence, this is a good place to look. Come year-end, this album should wind up on more than a few "best-of" lists.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best with a little extra., March 1, 2005

By 

John "Ira" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: End of Heartache (Bonus CD) (Spec) (Audio CD)

Well, even though I hate roadrunner for releasing things like this less then a year after the cd came out. I love this digipack, the live versions of Life to Lifeless, Fixation on Darkness and My Last Seranade are incredible. The only track that seems like it doesn't belong is the resident evil version of the end of heartache, pretty much the same song just filler.
Plus you get the incredible " The End of Heartache" on the first disk. I bought the end of heartache on its first day out and I was simply blown away. So buying this was pretty much a no brainer Great cd. Also comes with a cool new slipcase. Stop reading this and buy it already.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not the heaviest, but good....., July 10, 2004

By 

-gODGRINDER- (Colorado Springs, Colorado United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: End of Heartache (Audio CD)

Throughout my meandering of the Amazon.com website researching bands and seeing what my fellow users think of them, I have made a few observations that I'd like to share.

First, I think that everyone who writes a review on this site should at least run his/her review through a spell-checker. Now granted, a lot of you are unemployed GED recipients living in your parents' basement, and I know your grammar and diction are not at the top of their respective games. Nonetheless, a simple copy/paste from your browser into Word should do the trick.

Second, I think that reviewers tend to make mistakes when they compare bands. For example, comparing Killswitch Engage to Nine Inch Nails is like comparing Smashing Pumpkins to Rancid; they're not even on the same radar screen. At least make comparisons in the same genre. If Nine Inch Nails is a poser band, run them up against Ministry, Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, or KMFDM. If Killswitch Engage is a poser band, run them up against Lamb of God, God Forbid, Machine Head, Atreyu, or Avenged Sevenfold. Apples to apples people; simple math.

Third, I think my definition of brutal is VASTLY different from that of some users on this site. While "The End of Heartache" is an excellent album, and while it is definitely harder-edged than your standard Korn or Linkin Park CD, it is without a doubt NOT the most brutal, maniacal music I've ever heard. And it is FAR from being the most brutal album of the millennium. It definitely would take a band like Suffocation, Vital Remains, Cannibal Corpse, Cattle Decapitation, or Myrksgog to wrangle that title. Sad thing is, it's 2004 and we're 996 years away from the end of the millennium. Who knows? A more brutal band JUST MIGHT come along.

Now that I'm off my soapbox, on to the meat of the matter. "The End of Heartache" is probably KSE's most accessible release to date. Howard Jones' vocals are on target, and display a versatility not often seen in the metal scene today (by versatile, I mean he can sing AND scream in tune, not oscillate between guttural growling and high-pitched screams). "Rose of Sharyn" and the title track demonstrate the band's ability to write emotionally-charged songs with which anyone can identify while maintaining the album's hard-edged appeal. The musicianship is superb and the album stands up quite nicely to repeated listenings.

Killswitch Engage have definitely carved a name for themselves in the metal world, and it would be a mistake on the part of any fan of extreme music to write them off. They might be more "popular" than a lot of heavy bands out there, but that does not by ANY means diminish their ability to turn out a quality album.