KILLSWITCH ENGAGE BRINGS THEIR SPRING 2025 TOUR TO COLLEGE STREET MUSIC HALL

Review written by: Kat Gullage

Photos by: Holly Roy Photography

The local hardcore behemoth that is Killswitch Engage made a stop at College Street Music Hall in New Haven, CT April 8th with three metalcore bands from Texas in tow. The gig was toward the end of their twenty seven date run. The venue has a capacity of 2,000, holding 825 on the tiered general admission lower level and 575 in the seated balcony section. The amped fans trickled in at first, as it was a random Tuesday night, but soon enough the place swelled to capacity - and the fans were in for a surprise treat.

Frozen Soul has a frosty theme even though they bring the heat and hail from Dallas TX. The band, singer Chad Green, drummer Matt Dennard, bassist / tattoo artist Samantha Mobley and guitarists Michael Munday and Chris Bonner, laid down a polar five song set. They kicked it off with the title track from their demo “Encased In Ice”, followed by three from Glacial Domination with “Invisible Tormentor”, “Death And Glory” and “Arsenal Of War”. They closed with another title track “Crypt Of Ice”. The band’s sound had a classic thrash metal vibe topped with Green’s indecipherable growls. The group’s “Cold School Death Metal” mantra is fitting. The weather outside also matched their brand, 21° with the wind chill.

Fit For A King, aka FFAK, formed in 2007 in Tyler TX. Although they have had their fair share of swapping members out, the band played well together. FFAK has seven studio albums and one on the way. Their ten song setlist dipped into three of em plus two singles. They were loud and in your face and the headbanging and moshing began to take shape. It kicked off with three from The Hell We Create and a single: “Eyes Roll Back”, “Technium” a 2024 single, “End (The Other Side)” and “Reaper”. Vocalist Ryan Kirby continued the night’s recipe of indiscernible grunts but he peppered it with some melodic choruses. They ripped another 2024 single, “Keeping Secrets” before breaking into Dark Skies with “Backbreaker” and “Shattered Glass”. They served up “Breaking The Mirror” from The Path, another cut from Dark Skies, “When Everything Means Nothing”. They went back to The Path and wrapped with “God Of Fire”. Bassist Ryan “Tuck” O’Leary continued to be the stand out for me. This mofo delivered thumping riffs, sang, threw his axe around and caught air when he jumped and spun off a riser. If this genre is your thing, check em out, you’ll definitely be entertained.

Live metalcore music from the Lone Star state kept coming with Kublai Khan TX from Sherman TX. The band added the TX to their moniker after a conflict with a Minnesota band of the same name. The room had definitely filled in and the audience was ready to go. Singer Matt Honeycutt took the stage jacked and formidable, immediately capturing everyone’s attention. He addressed us in his husky voice, “I know it’s tight but my people in the middle make some space.” They commenced their thirteen song set with three from Exhibition of Prowess “Supreme Leader”, “Theory Of Mind” which had em all jumpin, and “Low Tech”. Matt’s cohorts were Nolan Ashley on guitar, Eric English on bass and Isaac Lamb on drums. The thrashing hammered on with their 2021 single “Resentment”, “Boomslang” from Absolute, back to EOP with “Darwinism” and their 2022 single “Swan Song”. Matt egged on the loyal fanatics throughout the set and they responded by never stopping moving. If they weren’t jumping or moshing or crowd surfing, they were at least swaying. KKTX stayed with EOP for “Cannibal” and “Loyal To None” before switching to Nomad’s “The Hammer” and Absolute’s “Self-Destruct”. The Texas quartet concluded with “Antpile” and “Antpile 2”. Kublai Khan TX was a very appropriate opener for the headliner, leaving us wanting more.

]

The place was buzzing with excitement anticipating the arrival of hometown hardcore heroes and headliner Killswitch Engage. The quintet from Westfield MA wasted no time diving into a blistering eighteen song set, and kicked it off with Incarnate’s “Strength Of The Mind”, “Rose Of Sharyn” from The End Of Heartache and “Reckoning”off the self titled Killswitch Engage. The house lights came on and singer and frontman Jesse Leach shouted out “What up Connecticut?! I can’t count the number of times we’ve played here. Shout out to Hatebreed, who the heavy really is. We got a new album comin out, you guys OK with that?” The gleeful crowd sounded their approval even though the pit never stopped moving. “Aftermath” off of 2025’s This Consequence was the new sound, immediately followed by some classics with “This Is Absolution” from As Daylight Dies, “Numbered Days” a cut from Alive Or Just Breathing and “No End In Sight” from Disarm The Descent. The fans sang to all of them, word for word, from the pit barrier to the back wall. Jesse interacted with the crowd throughout the night, jumping off stage and singing at the barrier, leaning over and getting guttural in people’s faces. New tracks “Collusion” and “Forever Aligned” were performed with the classic “Hate By Design” sandwiched between.

Killswitch Engage is a close knit group that has retained its members. However from 2002 to 2012, Howard Jones was the singer prior to Leach taking the reins. Jesse took a breath and declared “I could use some Guinness right now.” A loyal fan handed him one. “Ahhhh, that’s nice.” “Remember Howard Jones?” The audience responds excitedly. “People up top, you’re just looking at me, what’s going on?” “Well, he’s here as a guest and we decided to ask him to come out here.” This made the place go fukin nuts! No one was expecting this reunion! The band brothers hugged on stage before tearing it up with Atonement’s “The Signal Fire”. The crowd waved and blew kisses at Howard before the bombardment resumed with “I Believe”, which I was bopping around to, “The Arms Of Sorrow”, “In Due Time” and “This Fire”. The place flew into a Killswitch Engage chant. Jesse proclaimed, “We got three more and then we gotta head to Buffalo. Adam’s got some tech issues so imma drink my Guinness. We’re still here! And there’s no hate. How many bands can say there’s no hate?” The final three were crowd pleasers: “My Curse”, “The End Of Heartache” and the apropos “My Last Serenade” which Jesse preceded with “Are you ready for the last one?! I’m not talkin to you people trying to beat traffic. I’m talkin to you mutha fukers stayin.”

This show had the best venue sound I’ve heard so far this year. It was clear, and the mix was on point. To give you an idea of the demographic, there were small bathrooms off the lobby. The women’s room had two stalls in it. There was never a line and always an open stall. The men’s room had a line three miles long. Also, at one point I got so choked out by axe body spray or something that I almost moved to a different spot. Better than BO I suppose. Way more guys than girls at this gig. It was a great turnout though, the loyal fans definitely showed up. Shout out to the singers of these bands, I have no idea how they produce that guttural power night after night. If metalcore is your scene, you’ll devour the sound of any one of these bands. Check em all out!uce that guttural power night after night. If metalcore is your scene, you’ll devour the sound of any one of these bands. Check em all out!