Killswitch Engage’s Jesse Leach Draws Distinction Between Early + Late Metallica
This week, Killswitch Engage vocalist Jesse Leach explained what albums he considers "classic" Metallica when talking about his current heavy metal listening choices.
It happened when the musician was asked for his Top 3 metal bands in a video Q&A with the Sobre La Dosis podcast on Wednesday (March 2). But since his favorites are constantly changing, Leach said, he instead gave a rundown of three artists he's spinning now.
Watch the video toward the bottom of this post.
"I mean, classic Metallica," Leach replied. "Going back to those first four records, five records. You can't go wrong if you put on any one of those records. And I know those words by heart."
By saying as much, the Killswitch Engage singer illustrated the distinction he draws between early and late Metallica. But his seeming uncertainty about including the band's fifth album, their 1991 mainstream breakthrough "The Black Album," among their early catalog shows how the effort represents a pivot point for Metallica's creative periods.
Leach continued, "Early Metallica — I mean Metallica, in general, is a great band — but for me personally, just that era, there was nothing like it. And I know it's probably a typical answer, but it's true. I truly love early Metallica."
The musician isn't just listening to Metallica, however. He also mentioned two other metal bands currently feeding his ears, while admitting his listening selection could "change in a week because I'm constantly rotating."
Leach said, "When I jump in my car and go for a ride, Katatonia is pretty high on the list. I've been listening to them a lot lately. And winter too tends to bring on different types of music that I enjoy. Rivers of Nihil has been one I really love. The new record The Work is really good."
Katatonia is a doomy Swedish progressive metal act that's issued 11 studio albums since 1993, the latest being 2020's City Burials. The Work, the fourth album from the Pennsylvania-based tech death metal group Rivers of Nihil, emerged in 2021.
Last month, Bring Me the Horizon vocalist Oliver Sykes appeared on Sobre La Dosis and revealed what band first got him into metal — none other than Killswitch Engage.