Killswitch Engage’s summer mega-tour is in full swing, featuring heavy metal icons Machine Head alongside thrashers Iron Reagan and Havok. The tour rolled through New York City’s Brooklyn Paramount last Thursday, which for Killswitch Engage frontman Jesse Leach was little more than a leisurely stroll from his Brooklyn home.
The band may be Massachusetts through and through, but in many ways this still felt like a homecoming show.
HAVOK
Colorado thrashers Havok opened the evening with a powerful set full of headbang-inducing riffs. Their energy was infectious, and it was clear they were feeding off the crowd and giving that energy right back.
When I first decided to seriously pursue my passion for concert photography in 2018, Havok at Saint Vitus was one of the first shows I shot. It was a cool full-circle moment to find myself back in the pit in front of them again, albeit with much better lighting this time around.
iron Reagan
Iron Reagan’s set of short-but-anything-but-sweet good ol’ fashioned thrash metal tunes kept the party rolling. Tony Foresta’s comedic talent was on full display as he taunted fans to mosh heavy or else he’d assume they hated the Knicks (who have since gone on to win the championship), made banana-related puns, and offered up a heartfelt intro to a song about loving one another, appropriately entitled “Fuck the Neighbors.”
My personal favorite was “Your Kid’s an Asshole,” which had a run time of about 12 seconds.
MACHINE HEAD
Machine Head have been on the scene for a whopping 35 years, and founding frontman Robb Flynn is still performing with the passion and stamina of someone half his age. The band was tight, the songs heavy and epic—a well-oiled machine with plenty of gas left in the tank.
Between songs, Flynn teased the crowd with a calm and inviting “Broooklynnn,” encouraging everyone in attendance to join the band in tearing the house down and keeping security busy with a steady stream of crowd surfers.
killswitch engage
Killswitch Engage is a textbook example of the phrase “often imitated, never replicated.” The band’s influence on metal is unquestionable, and they’ve managed to create a sound so distinctive that it’s an itch only they can scratch.
Despite first immersing myself in the band during Howard Jones’ tenure as vocalist, I’ve come to appreciate founding vocalist Jesse Leach’s ability to perform these songs with an open heart and a sense of personal conviction. Even when singing material originally recorded by Jones, Leach makes the lyrics his own, delivering them with a passion and authenticity that feels entirely genuine.
Killswitch Engage kicked off their performance with the old-school favorite “Fixation on the Darkness,” which saw Jesse Leach hop off the stage and launch himself over the barrier into the crowd. The energy of the moment set the tone for the evening, and the band never let up until the final note.
The setlist included tracks from the band’s latest release, This Consequence, alongside a plethora of bangers spanning their catalog. Hearing “As Daylight Dies” live for the first time was a particular highlight. I had that song as my ringback tone back when the album first came out (remember those?).
Following that with “Strength of the Mind,” “My Curse,” “This Fire” (complete with accompanying CM Punk visuals), and “My Last Serenade” to close out the night felt like a setlist pulled straight from my own Killswitch Engage playlist. An epic show all around, to say the least.
Killswitch Engage’s tour will continue through the end of June with a break in July before the band heads to Canada for an extensive tour across the country. Be sure to check out their website for the full list of dates and ticket links!
