The Hymn of a Broken Man

"The guitarist of Killswitch Engage is has a project with the original (and now current) vocalist of Killswitch Engage? So it's just Killswitch Engage 2?" WRONG!!! This album delivers emotional weight and deeper soundscapes far beyond what any Killswitch Engage record to date has done. Yes, it has the signature industry standard distorted melodic metalcore guitar tone invented by Adam D himself since the early 2000s. Yes, there's riffs that easily could be Killswitch Engage riffs if they transpose them down a whole step. Yes, many of the lyrics and themes share striking similarities to Killswitch Engage material. However, this album showcases much more intent and versatility than any Killswitch Engage album to date. Utilization of major key signatures in some of the compositions throughout the album is one of the examples that keep this album unique compared to the Killswitch Engage discography. The guitar work overall is less "here's a bunch of cool riffs let's slap it together" and more "the chords and riffs dictate the emotions of the moments". Liberal use of clean or less-distorted guitars throughout the album allow for definition of each note on chords, especially when arpeggiated. For example, the intro to "Willing" features ringing out distorted guitar chords and simple drum hits while a clean guitar plucks in major key, channeling an uplifting spirit to match the lyrical content of the song. On the other hand the title track, "The Hymn of a Broken Man", starts with a similar premise but the arpeggiated clean guitar instead dims the mood with bleak chord voicings to emphasize frustration that the lyrics express. "The End of Eternity" also sees one of the sparing uses of 7-string guitars and utilizes it in the soundscape so masterfully. It starts with a slow tempo, solo clean guitar with a very tense feel where Jesse Leach then leads with notions of how our sense of love is slowly fading in favor of putting ourselves entirely above others. That is then contrasted by a beautiful chorus that inspires hope, not just because Adam D sings it so but because the soundscape paints it that way. Then the drums kick in and it's back to that clean intro riff that gets you tense again. Jesse picks up where he left off, this time, Adam joins the vocal duties in a very duet fashion. As the second verse nears its end, Jesse screams a line and distortion in the guitars kick in just before the second chorus to remind you that yes this is still a metal band. Before you can even fully ingest that, it's right back into the chorus reminding you with its same beauty and cleanliness to stay hopeful only with more intensity this time as the drums beat on, and the guitars carry a more distorted tone. Jesse echoes Adam's lines this time too down to the melody, continuing the duet nature of the song. But then the last line is instead accompanied with Jesse screaming and before you know it, the rest of the instruments catch on. The drums slam; the guitars get gross and sludge-y; the vocals sounds like they're actually going to crawl out of your speaker to tear you apart, and break you into submission. The entire ensemble instills fear into you after giving you a second taste of optimism in the piece. The breakdown ends choking out all the drums and distorted guitars while the song returns back to its base form: an isolated clean guitar riff that this time echoes itself like its lost somewhere and seeking help. Adam D's voice joins the guitar to tell you that despite the horrors experienced and how easy it is to refuse help, you are stronger than you let yourself believe. Jesse rejoins the duet in a very low register accompanied by Adam echoing his previous lines and the drums give the song its backbeat once again. As Jesse slowly works his way back up to his natural register, the stakes rise and the sense of hope gets shaky until he delivers another scream at you and the final chorus begins. It seems like it's the second chorus again until Jesse's response lines are instead belted in his higher register and the feeling is less optimistic and more of a desperate cling onto any sense of hope possible. It goes back into the breakdown and all hope is lost. The fear is back in full force. A clean guitar arpeggiating a dissonant chord strings more tension to the breakdown this time around. If Jesse's urgent yells weren't enough, Adam delivers gutturals underneath it removing any sense of security. The breakdown ends sustaining the distorted guitar while the clean guitar continues arpeggiating and Jesse whispers his previous lines, "I will be waiting". No resolution to the tension, the guitar continues arpeggiating and all you can do is sulk in it for the next half-minute until the next track, "Worlds Apart" swells in. Other highlights: "The Forgotten One" - stripped down acoustic duet "Fall From Grace" - closer that features Adam D at his most vulnerable; no Jesse vocals at all {I've now hit close to the character limit :c}