Ever reliable metalcore titans Killswitch Engage return with new album This Consequence.

At this point in their career they seem to mostly be playing it safe. There is nothing wrong with that, classic bands like Motörhead would bring out albums that were clearly them and following a similar style.

One of the early strengths of this album is its length. Some bands bring out long albums with superfluous tracks that could have sat on the cutting room floor. Killswitch however have opted for a lean, mean engaging machine with this short and heavy outing. Clocking in at 35 minutes!

Over to the music. The riffs are crunchy and catchy, there are trademark acoustic style breaks still intact. The vocals are a highlight, the cleans are infectious; the harsh vocals could strip paint. The lyrical content behind the vocals poignant tackling mental health themes.

The production seems on point too. All the elements are clear to discern, even the often buried in the mix bass! If I’m being picky the main thing that annoyed me on this release were the use of some auto-tuned backing vocals, once my ear had picked them up I couldn’t unhear them on each listen. Thankfully it’s only a couple times it crops up.

Top tracks: Discordant Nation, The Fall of Us, Abandon Us