In a fresh appearance on the 96.7 KCAL-FM radio program “Wired In The Empire,” hosted by Mike “Radioactive MikeZ” Zara, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach took a nostalgic look back at his initial reaction to METALLICA’s diamond-certified 1991 self-titled masterpiece, universally recognized as the “Black Album.” During the chat, transcribed by Blabbermouth.net, Leach confessed that the record’s polished, commercial shift was a shock to his system as a young metal fan, though his appreciation for the material has deepened significantly over the decades.
Learning to Appreciate a Radical Shift
Reflecting on the album’s initial release and its staggering cultural footprint, Leach explained that the stylistic departure took time to process:
“Yeah, man, that’s a huge record. I look back on it, it’s got so many hits on it. For me, it was, obviously, such a radical change for that band. And I think at the time I didn’t appreciate it as much as I do now. I think for me, I was one of those people who was, like, ‘Ah, it’s so different,’ but the more you listen to that record, the more it grows on you. And it’s still METALLICA, but it was very different. And now, obviously, the hits — it’s ridiculous. ‘Enter Sandman’ was a big one for me. I still love that song. I can’t hate on it. When I was younger, I kind of did, though, to be fair.”
Leach went on to emphasize the importance of allowing legendary artists the room to evolve creatively without facing permanent backlash from their fanbase.
“You gotta allow bands to do what they gotta do. And METALLICA’s one of those bands, even if they went a little that way, they came back in. The last two records have been great. They’re one of those bands — I can’t hate on METALLICA. I can’t. They’re the forefathers of all of this stuff, and just those first four records alone — untouchable. Untouchable.”
Turning “Enter Sandman” Into a Psychedelic Lullaby
When Zara asked which track from the 1991 release Leach would most love to re-imagine with his own musical stamp, the Killswitch Engage singer bypassed a traditional heavy arrangement in favor of something completely unexpected. Instead of mimicking the thunderous riffs of the original, Leach envisioned stripping the track down entirely to change its emotional core.
“I would do an acoustic version of ‘Enter Sandman’. Mellow it way out with, like, 12 strings and make it sort of psychedelic. I think turning that song into sort of a psychedelic lullaby would be a cool way to go. Almost like a ‘Planet Caravan’ style. Something different. Flip it around.”
Killswitch Engage: Active Road Campaigns and Album Success
The interview arrives amid a highly productive season for Killswitch Engage. Earlier this month, the metalcore titans launched a massive summer U.S. headlining tour, packing out venues alongside a stacked supporting bill featuring Machine Head, Iron Reagan, and Havok.
The band continues to ride the wave of momentum generated by their ninth studio album, “This Consequence”, which arrived in February 2025 via Metal Blade Records. The project marked Leach’s sixth full-length album with the band since stepping back into the lead vocalist role in 2012.
The rollout for the new album has been exceptionally successful, launching alongside an intensive winter and spring 2025 stadium circuit. The record quickly yielded a Top 10 rock radio single with the melodic powerhouse track “I Believe” and earned the band prominent cover features on major heavy music publications like Revolver and Outburn. This momentum was further sustained by the co-headlining “Summer Of Loud” tour in mid-2025 alongside Beartooth, I Prevail, and Parkway Drive.
Fans were initially introduced to the sonic landscape of the new album via the devastating lead single “Forever Aligned,” which was quickly followed by “I Believe.” More recently, the group has kept the album cycle energized by unleashing official music videos for their latest hard-hitting tracks, “Collusion” and “Aftermath.”
