10 Best Metal Albums Of The 2000s - Ranked
3. Killswitch Engage – The End Of Heartache
The third studio release from Killswitch Engage, The End Of Heartache was also the band’s first album with well-known vocalist Howard Jones, with whom Killswitch enjoyed their most successful tenure.
The album was commercially and critically successful, and its songs became some of the band’s most well loved, following consistent appearances on MTV2 and featuring in horror movies Freddy vs. Jason, and Resident Evil Apocalypse.
The structuring of the album is some of the best that metalcore has ever seen, blending the very drum and riff heavy instrumentals the band was known for, with the new, melodic, and harmonious vocals of Howard Jones.
Jones’ vocals must be praised to no end, as his range when singing is unparalleled in the sub-genre, but at a seconds notice, he can switch to some of the most aggressive and brutal sounding screams and growls in the history of metal.
Highlights of the album are the title track The End Of Heartache, When Darkness Falls, and opener A Bid Farewell, mainly they allow metalcore to bridge the gap between hardcore and casual metal fans, giving those who were not used to this particular type of music an entry to fast evolving style.