When we took my best mate’s little lad (now not so little) to see Iron Maiden back in 2018, he took one look at the opening act and dismissed them as “a bit shouty and annoying.”
Killswitch Engage were clearly not bothered by this critique, and when it comes to modern US metal, there are few better.
The lead track, “Abandon Us,” is all you need to decide which camp you’re in (team shouty or team MV, as it were). In three and a half minutes, it nails the KSE sound. Jesse Leach announces himself, Adam Dutkiewicz lays down a riff, and there are heavy verses followed by a melodic chorus.
Job done, then? Well, no, not quite—because it has been five years since their last record, and let’s be honest, that half a decade hasn’t exactly been a barrel of laughs, has it? “This Consequence” sounds the way it does as a direct result of that.
The moshpit-ready “Discord Nation” is ferociously heavy, lamenting the lack of sympathy and empathy in 2025. While they’re writing from an American perspective, it resonates here too.
After the first two tracks deliver short, sharp shocks, the intro of “Aftermath” breathes and has them “reeling,” but it too holds its own in the heavy stakes.
The first single from the record, “Forever Aligned,” means a lot to the band. As Leach put it, it explores “that connection to the unknown, the greater power.” Like all the tracks here, it bristles with rage—but also hope. Surely, it seems to say, things will get better?
Drummer Justin Foley is stunning throughout, but his work on “I Believe” is particularly impressive. Anthemic, it underlines the positivity that makes this record stand out.
Indeed, each song has something to commend it, whether it’s the solo on “Where It Dies” or the expansive, arena-filling ambition and vicious breakdown of “Collusion.” It really is a cut above.
The songs are relatively short but have an epic feel. “The Fall of Us,” for example, seems to go through four acts, from its opening maelstrom onwards. Meanwhile, the opening riff of “Broken Glass” might hint at rock ‘n’ roll, but it’s one of the more brutal tracks, and whoever it’s about is probably not on the Christmas card list.
“Requiem” has a hook that essentially sums up This Consequence: “Emerge from the pain again, I swear this is not the end,” sings Leach, as if to say, “Nothing lasts forever, the world keeps turning, and we have each other. Nothing lasts forever.”
Killswitch Engage don’t make bad records. Nevertheless, This Consequence is one of their better ones—simply because they’ve rarely had this much to say.
Rating: 8.5/10
REVIEW: KILLSWITCH ENGAGE – THIS CONSEQUENCE (2025)
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