5 Albums I loved in 2011 \m/ No2.

Moving away from Mr Grohl and his merry men of Foo and in a totally different direction.

My first introduction to part of this band comes from my enjoyment of his other work. Killswitch Engage pump out some consistent tunes. Anthems even.

I first bought the self-titled debut album after it was re-released and too be brutally truthful I didn't really get on with it (perhaps I should go back and revisit). It was hard and heavy and the guitar riffs were very, I mean very, catchy but for some reason it didn't connect with me.

As my life in Metal music progressed I continued to discover Killswitch songs and eventually I bought another album, this time 'As Daylight Dies' - a good while after my first encounter.

The songs were much more catchy, the hooks and choruses could be sung along to at great peril to family, neighbours and other cars. I was hooked again by the riffs. I decided it was time to go and see them live, still relatively blind to them and knowing nothing but these two albums - maybe that's how it should be when discovering music.

I headed to the Hummingbird, by now called the 02 Academy on a Saturday night and was treated to a very short set of riff-tastic tunes. What's more I learnt some things. Killswitch had some awesome tunes I did not know (ashamed!) - Last Serenade, End of Heartache, Bid Farewell - jesus I had been slow to get a grip with this. Adam D likes to wear pink and is a mediocre comedian (he should stick to riffs) and finally Howard makes dressing for an office job look cool.

What struck me too was that I had completely forgotten Jessie Leach and was now completely Team Howard.

So fast forward and I am faced with news of a new album coming out - an album being created by Adam D and featuring Jessie Leach, the original Killswitch singer.

Hmmm I thought, I know exactly what this is going to sound like and well to be honest I'm not that bothered, after all I've got Killswitch now; right?

I mean I have seen Killswitch Engage about 4 times now and they haven't disappointed - the jokes don't improve - but the performance and music is still brilliant.

I ignored the release of 'The Hymn of a Broken Man' for some time but it niggled at me, ate away at me and reviews and pundits alike talked highly of the album. So I did what most music fans do at some stage I found the album in the ether...

...2 days later and the CD is in my car and boy is it great.

The riffs on the album are relentless and genius. The energy is off the charts and it feels like an album created by people who love what they do and want to prove something. The vocals on the album are brilliant showing the full versatility of a great singer - Team Leach once more perhaps. The acoustic songs and the slower songs meet the singing and almost classical guitar playing effortlessly - a beautiful moment. 'The Forgotten One' is a stunning record.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9SymWdBjs  - so could be used in my favourite TV show Sons of Anarchy.

Enjoy folks and seek out this album \m/