celebrating a metalcore classic: Killswitch Engage - Alive or Just Breathing

According to The Metal Archives, it was on May 27, 2002 that this influential album came out. Writing a few year later in 2005, the reviewer Justin Bork on The Metal Archives gave this assessment of the album, saying, in part:

Beautiful and serene melodic breaks. I can't think of a band who does the 'Heaven/Hell' thing better than Killswitch Engage, stunning. Song after song, this album stays amazing. From the chest collapsing lead off 'Numbered Days' to the beautiful hell of closer 'Rise Inside'. This album would get a straight 100, if not for minor mishap or two. Such as the intro to 'Just Barley Breathing'; really slow and boring opposed to the rest of the albums in your face crush, and the acoustic intro to 'Rise Inside' feels a bit redundant. But everything else here is top notch. The Drumming is competant and gets the job done, the guitar work is crunchy and fancy, the bass is very much audible, the vocal work is just outstanding. Jesse Leech manages to go everywhere; bellowing growls, high shreiks, call out shouts and beautiful clean singing. It's a shame he left the band, maybe End of Heartache wouldn't sound half-assed were he still in the band.

Even more irony for this band is the lyrical themes. It's a bit odd to hear Jesse, as brutal as he sings, growling lines such as 'we must teach forgiveness and compassion for all life ' or 'I believe love will overcome'. Odd but still as awesome as anything else on this album. I see Alive or Just Breathing as a piece of art; beautiful while filled with brutality at the same time. I can't imagine Killswitch will ever top this modern masterpeice, but time will certainly tell. Highly recommended.

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