By Chesney Hearst, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Three American metal bands, Killswitch Engage, Memphis May Fire and Battlecross, will take to the Circo Voador stage in Lapa on Sunday, August 24th, to bring the best of metalcore, thrash metal and heavy rock to the venue. Headliners, Killswitch Engage will stop in Rio while touring in support of their most recent album, Disarm the Descent.
Released on April 1st of last year, Disarm the Descent is the band’s sixth studio album. Formed in 1999 in Massachusetts, United States, Killswitch Engage have become well known for their brutal metalcore (extreme metal mixed with hardcore punk) sounds and also for being able to crossover between the metal and rock scenes.
Appearing in multiple festivals, including Ozzfest, and participating in many tours including the well-known Vans Warped Tour and Taste of Chaos, the band has been right at home playing alongside bands including metal legends Slayer and new metal heroes Mastodon, as well as, performing at shows with American alternative rockers My Chemical Romance.
Killswitch Engage took their name for an episode entitled, “Kill Switch”, of the hit 90s science fiction television series, The X-Files and the band would go on to provide music for film soundtracks including, 2003’s “Freddy vs. Jason,” and 2004’s “Resident Evil: Apocalypse.” The Killswitch Engage song used in the Resident Evil film, “The End of Heartache,” was later nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.
Throughout its history, Killswitch Engage has seen multiple lineup changes. It is currently a five-piece band with Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel on guitars, Mike D’Antonio on bass, Justin Foley on drums and Jesse Leach returning to vocals.
Leach began the group as the original vocalist, performing on both the eponymously titled debut album, released in 2000, and the 2002 follow-up, Alive or Just Breathing. Shortly after that album’s release, Leach left the band for personal reasons. Eight years later, in 2010, he returned to record several songs with the band and officially rejoined them in 2012.
Before Leach and the band will take to the stage on Sunday night, American metalcore band Memphis May Fire will play in support of their most recent release entitled, Unconditional.
With four studio albums now under their belts, the band began in 2004, formed by guitarist Kellen McGregor. Over the years that followed they toured extensively, including a spot on the Vans Warped Tour 2013 lineup.
Also seeing changing members throughout their career, the band now consists of vocalist Matty Mullins, bassist Cory Elder, guitarist Anthony Sepe, drummer Jake Garland and McGregor has remained on guitar and provides backing vocals.
Opening for the night on Sunday will be American heavy metal band Battlecross. The five-piece band originates from Canton, Michigan (U.S.), located outside of the city of Detroit. Influenced by their surroundings, they are known for sounds that they call “Blue Collar Thrash Metal” and have been dubbed “Detroit’s newest soldiers of steel.”
Gates at Circo Voador will open at 6PM and thrashing and headbanging is sure to follow and last throughout the night.
Who: Killswitch Engage and Memphis May Fire and Battlecross to open.
When: August 24th. Gates open at 6PM.
Where: Circo Voador – Rua dos Arcos, S/N, Lapa, Centro, RJ
Entrance: R$120-R$240