Jesse David Leach (born July 3, 1978) is an American musician from
Providence
Providence often refers to:
* Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion
* Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity
* Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
,
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
, and is the lead vocalist of the
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
band
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast (band), Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joe ...
. He is also a vocalist for
Times of Grace
Times of Grace is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Southampton, Massachusetts. The group consists of Adam Dutkiewicz (Killswitch Engage) and Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage, The Empire Shall Fall, and Seemless) while guit ...
and The Weapon. Leach co-founded Killswitch Engage in 1999, but left the band in 2002; in February 2012, he rejoined the group following the departure of vocalist
Howard Jones. He currently resides in the
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas c ...
in New York.
Biography
Early career
Leach's first band, Corrin, was formed in the early 1990s. Corrin recorded four songs in 1996 which were eventually released as a CD by Propaganda Machine in 1998 after the band's breakup.
Leach's second band, Nothing Stays Gold, formed in the mid-90s. They put out a single EP before splitting in 97/98.
Killswitch Engage
Some remaining members of
Overcast
Overcast or overcast weather, as defined by the World Meteorological Organization, is the meteorological condition of clouds obscuring at least 95% of the sky. However, the total cloud cover must not be entirely due to obscuring phenomena near t ...
and
Aftershock
In seismology, an aftershock is a smaller earthquake that follows a larger earthquake, in the same area of the main shock, caused as the displaced crust adjusts to the effects of the main shock. Large earthquakes can have hundreds to thousand ...
were forming a new band in the Massachusetts area and were seeking a vocalist. In 1999, Leach along with bassist
Mike D'Antonio
Michael D'Antonio (born May 19, 1973) is best known as the bass guitarist and founder of Massachusetts metal band Killswitch Engage and of the band Overcast.
Career
D'Antonio's writing influences include old New York Hardcore bands like Cro-Ma ...
, guitarist
Joel Stroetzel
Joel Michael Stroetzel (born July 24, 1980) is best known as the rhythm guitarist from the Massachusetts metalcore band Killswitch Engage.
Background
Stroetzel attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston but did not graduate. Stroetzel's gu ...
, and drummer
Adam Dutkiewicz
Adam Jonathan Dutkiewicz (born April 4, 1977) is an American musician, recording engineer, songwriter, and music producer, best known as the lead guitarist and backup vocalist from Massachusetts metalcore bands Killswitch Engage, Aftershock, and ...
formed
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast (band), Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joe ...
. Their
self-titled debut was released on July 11, 2000.
Killswitch Engage's next effort, ''
Alive or Just Breathing
''Alive or Just Breathing'' is the second studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. It was released on May 21, 2002, through Roadrunner Records. ''Alive or Just Breathing'' was Killswitch Engage's first album on Roadrunner and ...
'', was released on May 21, 2002, putting Killswitch Engage at the forefront of the metalcore scene. Two weeks prior to going on tour, however, Leach married his fiancée. When he was not contacting his wife, Leach would sit alone in the tour van for hours after shows and simply wait for the remaining band members to return. Leach's passion for his music combined with his emotional struggles at the time made him unable to exercise control over his screaming. He would blow his voice out after a few shows and struggle with the rest of the tour. Leach also began suffering from mild depression, which grew worse as the tour continued. According to Mike D'Antonio in an interview for Killswitch's "
(Set This) World Ablaze
''(Set This) World Ablaze'' is the first live album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. The DVD is of a live show that was taped at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, on July 25, 2005. It includes live tracks fro ...
" DVD, "It seemed like there was always this dark cloud over Jesse's head." His depression led him to resign from the band and drop out of the public eye for some time. Leach wrote an email to the band explaining why he left. Quoting Leach from his interview in the DVD, "I didn't have the mental energy to face them, or even call them on the phone rather. I was at a point in my life where I just didn't want to face any of them so I wrote them a long email explaining, like, I'm just done. Explaining what every song meant to me, explaining what the whole experience was to me, and I said 'Bye. Ya know? You're not going to be able to find me, I'm going on my honeymoon finally. And, uh, don't try and call me don't try and contact me, I'm done. Done with music, period.'"
Leach reconciled with his former bandmates in 2005 at the Roadrunner United 25th anniversary concert, performing a duet with then singer
Howard Jones. The entire band played on stage (minus Adam D who had been out with an injury and was replaced by
Andreas Kisser
Andreas Rudolf Kisser (; born 24 August 1968) is a Brazilian musician, best known for being the lead guitarist for the metal band Sepultura. He has been featured on every Sepultura release since their second album, ''Schizophrenia''. Additionally, ...
of
Sepultura
Sepultura (, "grave")Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 17. is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte. Formed in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera,Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 16. the band was a major force in the groove metal, thra ...
) with both Jones and Leach singing "My Last Serenade". The song ended with the two embracing and Leach thanking the crowd for their support through his difficult times.
On February 6, 2012, Killswitch Engage uploaded a photo of Leach and the rest of the band to the website, indicating Leach's return to Killswitch Engage.
Killswitch Engage later released a statement via Facebook, confirming Leach's permanent return to the band. In several interviews since he has given much credit to Jones for his work with the band while he had been gone.
Killswitch Engage's sixth studio album ''
Disarm the Descent'' was released on April 2, 2013. It was announced in December 2013 that "In Due Time" was nominated for "Best Metal Performance" at the 2014 Grammy Awards, becoming the band’s first Grammy nomination with Leach.
On March 11, 2016, Killswitch Engage released their seventh album ''
Incarnate
Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It refers to the conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or the appearance of a god as a human. If capitalized, it is the union of divinit ...
.''
''Atonement'', their eighth album, was released in August 16th, 2019, featuring a duet with former vocalist
Howard Jones titled “
The Signal Fire
"The Signal Fire" is a song by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. The song was released as the third single from the album in August 2019. The song features guest vocals from Howard Jones, who was the band's lead vocalist from 2002 to 201 ...
”.
Seemless
In 2003 Jesse joined a blues rock band called
Seemless
Seemless was an American rock/metal group formed by ex-Shadows Fall/Unearth drummer Derek Kerswill, Killswitch Engage vocalist Jesse Leach, and ex-Overcast/Killswitch Engage guitarist Pete Cortese.
Formed in 2002 following Leach's departure ...
. Seemless toured the US many times with bands like Fu-Manchu, The Sword,
Trivium
The trivium is the lower division of the seven liberal arts and comprises grammar, logic, and rhetoric.
The trivium is implicit in ''De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii'' ("On the Marriage of Philology and Mercury") by Martianus Capella, but the ...
, and
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band, formed by guitarist Jesper Strömblad in Gothenburg in 1990. Alongside At the Gates and Dark Tranquillity, In Flames pioneered the genres known as Swedish death metal and melodic death metal.
During t ...
. Seemless is known for having explosive, emotive live shows and showcases Leach's new-found soulful blues-y vocals. Touring with Seemless also proved that Jesse was back and able to complete tours. Seemless has released two albums and has had multiple videos featured on
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's
Headbangers Ball
''Headbangers Ball'' is a music television program that consisted of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV and its global affiliates. The show began on MTV on April 18, 1987, playing heavy metal music videos from both well-known and more obs ...
. In 2006, their video for the single "Cast No Shadow" made MTV's Top Ten new videos. Seemless is currently writing new songs and playing occasionally. Due to drummer Derek Kerswill's involvement with
Unearth
Unearth is an American metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1998, the group has released seven studio albums.
History Early career (1998–2002)
Unearth was formed by Trevor Phipps, Buz McGrath, Ken Susi, Mike Rudberg, a ...
, among other projects, Seemless has taken a hiatus from touring.
The Empire Shall Fall
In 2008, Jesse Leach formed the band The Empire Shall Fall with friends in his area. The band released their first independent album ''Awaken'' on November 17, 2009. Including Leach, The Empire Shall Fall consists of guitarists Jake Davenport and Marcus de Lisle, bassist Nick Sollecito, and drummer Jeff Pitts.
Times of Grace
![Times of Grace by Katie Anderson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Times_of_Grace_by_Katie_Anderson.jpg)
Leach worked on another album with Killswitch Engage bandmate Adam Dutkiewicz. Leach has stated that the working title for the project with Dutkiewicz is
Times of Grace
Times of Grace is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Southampton, Massachusetts. The group consists of Adam Dutkiewicz (Killswitch Engage) and Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage, The Empire Shall Fall, and Seemless) while guit ...
. Their debut album was released on January 18, 2011, and has Dutkiewicz on lead vocals on several tracks. The album's first single, "Strength in Numbers", was released on October 15 via
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock bands. Founded in the Netherlands in 1980, it is now a division of Warner Music Group and is based in New York City.
History
The label was launched in 1980 in t ...
as a free digital download for 72 hours for those who signed up for the band's mailing list. The song is now available for purchase on
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
. The album was made with the support of Killswitch Engage.
Other projects
George Fisher told in "The Jasta Show", that Jesse Leach wrote the lyrics for George Fisher's new side project called
Serpentine Dominion
Serpentine Dominion is an American death metal supergroup consisting of Killswitch Engage lead guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, Cannibal Corpse vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher and former The Black Dahlia Murder drummer Shannon Lucas. They rel ...
, also consisting of Adam Dutkiewicz from Killswitch Engage and
Shannon Lucas
Shannon Lucas (born September 27, 1983) is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal drummer from Staunton, Virginia. He is best known as the former drummer for death metal band The Black Dahlia Murder (band), The Black Dahlia Murder and metal ...
. He explained, “I originally was going to write stuff for the new band, and you know what? Writing lyrics has just never been my thing, and we were getting down to when I was supposed to go up there and lay down my vocals. And Adam just said, 'Look, I'll ask Jesse to write some stuff.' So he wrote it, and I just said I don't want no pro-religious crap 'cause I ain't about all that. Anyway, so it's more just about like getting revenge against corrupt motherfuckers and shit like that. And so Jesse wrote a bunch of lyrics and Adam arranged a lot of it, and then when I went up there, we recorded it in his bedroom of his house. And, basically, I would be, like, 'No, wait. We've gotta change this, fix that.' Maybe we'd tweak a word or take a word out or take a couple words out or take some lines out. We just basically fucked with it, you know? And I went up two or three different times to work on the vocals."
In May 2017, Leach stated on his official Instagram account that he had begun writing songs for his new
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
project titled The Weapon. On May 20, 2020, The Weapon released their debut album, ''A Repugnant Turn of Events''.
Since 2020, Leach has also been sporadically releasing
ambient music
Ambient music is a genre of music that emphasizes tone and atmosphere over traditional musical structure or rhythm. It may lack net composition, beat, or structured melody.The Ambient Century by Mark Prendergast, Bloomsbury, London, 2003. It u ...
under the moniker The Way Back Within.
Discography
Corrin
* Despair Rides On Angel Wings
P(1995)
* Corrin/Arise Split (1996)
* Plutonian Shores (1998)
Nothing Stays Gold
* Nothing Stays Gold (EP) (1998)
Killswitch Engage
* ''
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast (band), Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joe ...
'' (July 4, 2000)
* ''
Alive or Just Breathing
''Alive or Just Breathing'' is the second studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. It was released on May 21, 2002, through Roadrunner Records. ''Alive or Just Breathing'' was Killswitch Engage's first album on Roadrunner and ...
'' (May 21, 2002)
* ''
The End of Heartache
''The End of Heartache'' is the third studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. It was released on May 11, 2004, through Roadrunner Records. It is the first album to feature lead vocalist Howard Jones and drummer Justin Foley. ...
'' (May 11, 2004) -
Guest vocals on "Take This Oath" and "Irreversal".
* ''
Disarm the Descent'' (April 2, 2013)
* ''
Incarnate
Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It refers to the conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or the appearance of a god as a human. If capitalized, it is the union of divinit ...
'' (March 11, 2016)
* ''
Atonement
Atonement (also atoning, to atone) is the concept of a person taking action to correct previous wrongdoing on their part, either through direct action to undo the consequences of that act, equivalent action to do good for others, or some other ex ...
'' (August 16, 2019)
* ''
Live at the Palladium'' (June 3, 2022)
Seemless
* ''
Seemless
Seemless was an American rock/metal group formed by ex-Shadows Fall/Unearth drummer Derek Kerswill, Killswitch Engage vocalist Jesse Leach, and ex-Overcast/Killswitch Engage guitarist Pete Cortese.
Formed in 2002 following Leach's departure ...
'' (January 25, 2005)
* ''
What Have We Become
Seemless was an American rock/metal group formed by ex-Shadows Fall/Unearth drummer Derek Kerswill, Killswitch Engage vocalist Jesse Leach, and ex-Overcast/Killswitch Engage guitarist Pete Cortese.
Formed in 2002 following Leach's departure ...
'' (September 5, 2006)
The Empire Shall Fall
* ''
Awaken'' (November 17, 2009)
* ''
Solar Plexus
The celiac plexus, also known as the solar plexus because of its radiating nerve fibers, is a complex network of nerves located in the abdomen, near where the celiac trunk, superior mesenteric artery, and renal arteries branch from the abdomin ...
'' (August 30, 2011)
Times of Grace
* ''
The Hymn of a Broken Man
''The Hymn of a Broken Man'' is the debut album by American heavy metal band Times of Grace, released on January 18, 2011, through Roadrunner Records.
Background
When touring the UK with Killswitch Engage, guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz required eme ...
'' (January 18, 2011)
* ''
Songs of Loss and Separation'' (July 16, 2021)
The Weapon
* ''A Repugnant Turn Of Events'' (May 22, 2020)
Guest appearances
*Killswitch Engage – "Take This Oath"
*Killswitch Engage – "Irreversal" (
The End of Heartache
''The End of Heartache'' is the third studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. It was released on May 11, 2004, through Roadrunner Records. It is the first album to feature lead vocalist Howard Jones and drummer Justin Foley. ...
Special Edition)
*Killswitch Engage – "Loyalty" (Game of Thrones: Catch the Throne; the Mixtape Volume II)
*
Roadrunner United
''Roadrunner United'' was a project organized by American heavy metal record label Roadrunner Records to celebrate its 25th anniversary. It culminated in an album released worldwide on October 11, 2005, entitled ''The All-Star Sessions''. Four ...
– "Blood And Flames" (Leach,
Heafy,
Rand
The RAND Corporation (from the phrase "research and development") is an American nonprofit global policy think tank created in 1948 by Douglas Aircraft Company to offer research and analysis to the United States Armed Forces. It is financed ...
, D'Antonio,
Kelly
Kelly may refer to:
Art and entertainment
* Kelly (Kelly Price album)
* Kelly (Andrea Faustini album)
* ''Kelly'' (musical), a 1965 musical by Mark Charlap
* "Kelly" (song), a 2018 single by Kelly Rowland
* ''Kelly'' (film), a 1981 Canadi ...
) (Roadrunner Records 25th Anniversary)
*Thy Will Be Done – "Preserving The Sacred"
*Atresia – "Life from Life" (Heavy Metal Mixtape)
*
Serpentine Dominion
Serpentine Dominion is an American death metal supergroup consisting of Killswitch Engage lead guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, Cannibal Corpse vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher and former The Black Dahlia Murder drummer Shannon Lucas. They rel ...
- Lyrics for the album
*
Machine Head
A machine head (also referred to as a tuning machine, tuner, or gear head) is a geared apparatus for tuning stringed musical instruments by adjusting string tension. Machine heads are used on mandolins, guitars, double basses and others, and ar ...
- "Stop The Bleeding" (Civil Unrest)
*
Left to Vanish - "Healthy"
*Wolfheart - "Ancestor"
*
August Burns Red
August Burns Red is an American metalcore band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, formed in 2003. The band's current lineup consists of lead guitarist John Benjamin "JB" Brubaker, rhythm guitarist Brent Rambler, drummer Matt Greiner, lead vocalist Ja ...
- "Ancestry"
Acting career
Leach played a small role in the 1999 film "
Outside Providence", directed by Michael Corrente. The film is an adaptation of
Peter Farrelly
Peter John Farrelly (born December 17, 1956) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and novelist. Along with his brother Bobby, the Farrelly brothers are mostly famous for directing and producing quirky comedy and romantic comedy fi ...
's
1988 novel of the same name. Leach played a boy named Decenz.
References
External links
*Killswitch Engage –
(Set This) World Ablaze
''(Set This) World Ablaze'' is the first live album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. The DVD is of a live show that was taped at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, on July 25, 2005. It includes live tracks fro ...
DVD (2006). Leach is featured and provides commentary.
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE , Rock DetectorLast updated 14 April 2007
Brian Hull.net – Providence, RI – MusicInformation on Corrin.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leach, Jesse
American heavy metal singers
Musicians from Providence, Rhode Island
20th-century American singers
21st-century American singers
Living people
1978 births
Killswitch Engage members
Seemless members
20th-century American male singers
21st-century American male singers
Times of Grace members