Killswitch Engage Guitarist Discusses Big 4 of Early 2000s Metal Bands
Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam D. was our recent guest on The MetalSucks Podcast to talk about the new album from Times of Grace, his project with fellow KsE member Jesse Leach. Adam and MS Podcast host Petar Spajic naturally discussed related topics as well, including upcoming Killswitch Engage touring plans, working on music videos with Nick Hipa (ex-As I Lay Dying, ex-Wovenwar) and more.
Adam revealed that Killswitch Engage are still trying to reschedule their planned 2020 tour with August Burns Red and Light the Torch, and that he’d love to tour with Times of Grace as soon as the timing works out for everyone. He explained:
“Right now all the attention needs to go to Killswitch, especially that tour [with August Burns Red]. We’re working to find a time that will work for all three bands ’cause we still want to honor those tickets and make sure we can get out with that package. I just think it would be a lot of fun to be able to tour with both those bands, it would be great for us, we love those guys. We made a promise to our fans and we want to try to fulfill that promise so that’s the first thing we want to get to.
“After this, obviously the Slipknot tour we were asked if we wanted to do. If you say no to Slipknot, you’re just an idiot. [laughs]
“We’ve got our hands full little bit but at some point, yeah, I’d really like to get back out on the road and do a tour with Times of Grace. It would be a lot of fun, man. It’s such a different vibe to play some of those songs and it’s so different than Killswitch. There’s moments of just chill, and silence. There’s so much more dynamic to it. It’s nice to mix it up.
Elsewhere in the chat, we asked Adam the same silly question we recently asked Lamb of God guitarist Mark Morton — what are his choices for the Big 4 bands of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal scene that took over the world in the early ’00s? — and, like his NWOHM colleague, he demurred, citing fear of backlash and a need for scientific rigor in the process. He explained:
“Oh Jesus… I don’t fuckin’ know, man! [laughs] Do we have to be in there? I don’t know. Shit. That’s a really tough question. We’re friends with a lot of those bands so it’s like… dude, I can’t do that ’cause I’m gonna forget somebody and someone’s gonna yell at me and then, ‘WHAT THE FUCK’S HE THINKIN’?’
“That’s like something where I’d have to sit down and look at all the bands that came out in that time era and have to like, strategically — this is how my brain works — I’d have to strategically think about which bands had which songs at what point in time and how important they were. Not only to myself but the metal community. I can’t just throw it out there, man, c’mon. [laughs]
“Sometimes it kind sucks being me cause I just fuckin’ tear everything apart, man, I’m going to say something and then hate myself for saying it. So I’m going to skip that question bro, I’m sorry. Do you know what I’m talking about, though?”
“‘Cause it’s such a personal thing too. Other people could say ‘I love this band so much more than that band, that guy’s an idiot for saying that.’”
After Spajic explained that he told Morton his own choices would be Killswitch, Lamb of God, Shadows Fall and Mastodon, Adam D. conceded that Lamb of God would have to be included, saying:
“I can definitely agree that Lamb of God should be on there no matter what. No matter what. They’re pretty much like the new Pantera. They have to be on that list. That’s an easy one, a no brainer.”
You can listen to our full chat with Adam D. right here or below, along with Times of Grace’s video for “Mend You.”
