Awaken, the new album from Empire Shall Fall (featuring original Killswitch Engage vocalist Jesse Leach), is now streaming in its entirety over at Metal Injection. I’ve been putting off listening to this album for a long time, but now that I am listening as I type this, I can safely say it’s not what I expected – in other words, it’s not just Alive or Just Breathing, Part 2. So shame on me for initially ignoring these dudes.

Go give the album a listen, then come back here and let us know what you think. Awaken comes out November 17 via Angle Side Side Records.

-AR

Our friends over at Noisecreep have an interesting new interview with former Killswitch Engage front dude Jesse Leach. The gist of the interview is that he doesn’t regret quitting the band seven years ago, just before they were launched into the metal stratosphere, and much prefers making less money and being in bands no one seems to care about. (Okay, I made that last part up. But still.) Here’s the quote I found really interesting:

“I look at the band now, and I don’t even think twice. There’s no way in my brain I could fathom being on stage, doing what they’re doing. Maybe if it were on my own terms, but from what I’ve seen them do, they’ve kind of taken a goofier route with Adam D… I love it, I get it, I respect it … it’s very punk rock and tongue-in-cheek, but that’s not who I am.”

Of course I love Alive or Just Breathing, but really did not enjoy Leach’s Seemless project. Not even a little bit, not even when I was stoned. So, whatever.

He  is now apparently fronting a band called Empire Shall Fall, which is literally a one-word change from one of Leach’s lyrics for “Numbered Days.” Maybe Leach can recruit Kerry King to play guitar for that band, and they can be happily un-goofy together.

-AR