A late winter storm had been brewing over Puget Sound Sunday night and just as daylight died, nature unleashed it’s wrath upon the emerald city. But neither hail, nor pounding flooding rain and extreme wind could keep metalcore fans away from Showbox SODO. After a two year wait, “The Atonement Tour” returned to the Emerald city!
The original tour schedule in March of 2020 was part of the first group of show cancellations due to the first outbreak of covid-19. Sunday’s rescheduled performance was still a sell-out and featured headliners Killswitch Engage and supporting acts: August Burns Red and Light the Torch.
Light the Torch took the stage first, to the deafening screams of joy! The LA based trio just released a new album “You Will Be the Death of Me” and consists of lead vocalist (and former member of Killswitch Engage) Howard Jones, bassist Ryan Wombacher, guitarist/lyricist Francesco Artusato and guest drummer, Alex Rudinger (White Chapel). The band played an energetic 40 minute set with singer Howard Jones using every inch of the stage to stir up fans and crowd surfers. Pausing only briefly to talk to the crowd and to say thank you. Mid-set, the crowd started chanting “Howard, Howard” which had a reprise during the Killswitch set when Howard joined Jesse Leach on stage.
After a brief set change, the stage was awash in bright red streams of light. This only intensified as August Burns Red took the stage. Formed in 2003 in Pennsylvania the band’s current lineup is: lead guitarist J.B Burbaker, rhythm guitarist Brent Rambler, drummer Matt Greiner, bassist Dustin Davidson and lead vocalist Jake Luhrs. August Burns Red had the most mesmerizing light show and their 50 minute set included a mix of new and old songs. The band’s remake of the classic video game theme “Legend of Zelda” was the first song to make the cell phones go up. Wearing a tan Red Sox hat, Boston fans in attendance wondered if this was a playful nod of respect to Killswitch Engage. ( whose roots originated in the Boston Metal scene in the early 2000’s.) Whether coincidental or purposeful, it was noticed by a handful of KSE fans that I spoke to along the barricade. One fan from Massachusetts spoke tearfully about how much this tour meant to them. “Killswitch Engage will always remind me of home.”
As condensation started to drop from the ceiling and smoke from the stage started to cover the crowd, the lights went dark. With a giant flash of white light, lead singer Jesse Leach appeared from behind Justin’s Foley’s drum kit. Other members of KSE ran onstage. Founding band member and bassist Mike D’Antonio, lead guitarist and back up vocalist Adam Dutkiewicz, and guitarist Joel Stroetzel. Kicking off their set with two songs from 2019’s “Atonement” album, “Unleashed” and “Know your enemy” with “Hate by Design” sandwiched in between from 2016’s “Incarnate” album.
Wearing an “I’m with Stupid” shirt, the always entertaining Adam D’s comedic stylings made fans erupt with laughter. Mike D’Antonio stole the spotlight on several moments, whipping his long hair into a frenzy, jumping off the risers and raising his bass into the air without missing a beat. Jesse Leach often sang with his arms outstretched as if he was trying to take the whole crowd into his arms.
Energetic and engaging, Leach often interacts with fans. It’s this attention to his surroundings that caused him to pause before going into their 4th song, “Last Serenade”. Seeing crowd surfers starting to come over the rail more frequently, Leach asked the crowd to pause to check on the fans along the barricade. He then reminded the crowd to watch out for each other.
After thanking the crowd and Showbox staff working up front, Jesse screams “the next song Is an old one” and dedicated “Last Serenade” to the fans who have been supporting the band since it’s early days of 2002’s “Alive or Just Breathing”. As soon as the chords of “I am broken too” were heard, horns went up! One group of fans clung to each other, arm in arm, singing every word. They played out each lyric like an emotional mime.
“You carry this weight trying to cover your mistakes.”
“To make it seem like nothing could ever break you, But I see right through.”
“Cause I am broken too. In all the same places as you . And if you need proof, I’ll reopen my wounds.”
Released in 2019, the song was inspired while singer Jesse Leach was recovering from throat surgery. Leach has the words “I am Broken Too” tattooed in large black lettering on his forearm. Originally it was written from the perspective of talking to someone going through a hard time, who to others appeared to be living a great life. Leach, who has been very vocal about his own struggles with his mental health, felt the lyrics could help connect fans dealing with similar issues to each other. Proceeds from the single were donated to Hope For The Day, a Chicago based non profit organization that focuses on suicide prevention, outreach, education and action to break the stigma of mental health illness.
Leach is not the only member of KSE who has spoken up about his personal struggles. Howard Jones battled severe anxiety for a decade during his time as lead singer of KSE, forcing him to leave the band during the 2012 tour. During the course of the pandemic, guitarist Adam D experienced his own bout of depression caused from solitude and cancellation of shows.
The band decided to use their art as therapy in order to advocate for those hardest hit financially and mentally during the height of the covid-19 pandemic. Atonement II: B Sides for Charity was released in May 2020 on Band Camp with proceeds benefiting The Center for Disaster Philanthropy Covid-19 Response Fund.
Killswitch concluded their performance with a 3 song encore reuniting both lead singers Leach & Jones for Rose of Sharyn, The End of Heartache and The Signal Fire. As Leach and Jones hugged each other onstage, fans embraced each other while swaying along to the End of Heartache. Cell phones and a few lighters lit up the dark as the band thanked the crowd and bid Seattle good night.
The Atonement Tour will make stops in ID, UT and the midwest before ending it’s US leg in PA.
KSE kicks off their Summer Festival Season in June with the Greenfield Festival in Switzerland and 3 festivals in Germany (Southside Festival, Hurricane Festival, FullForce).
For a full list of US & International Tour Dates check out the band’s website.
KSE Setlist:
Unleashed, Hate by Design, Know Your Enemy, My Last Serenade, I am Broken Too, Reckoning, In Due Time, Daylight Dies, Beyond The Flames, This Fire, As Sure As the Sun will Rise, The Crownless King, In the Unblind, Always, Strength of the Mind, My Curse, Rose of Sharyn, The End of Heartache, The Signal Fire.
Jeremy Acosta