Killswitch Engage

This is Killswitch Engage's most anticipated release since 2004's The End of Heartache. Much like how fans questioned whether replacement vocalist Howard Jones could fill the void left by Jesse Leach, they're now forced to wonder if Leach's return can reinvigorate the band. Fortunately, the answer is yes; Disarm The Descent is at least twice as good as 2009's uninspired Killswitch Engage. Although it's not quite the masterful return to Alive or Just Breathing that Leach's reappearance had fans hoping for, it's still damn good. The album features many Killswitch Engage-worthy singles, such as "In Due Time," "A Tribute to the Fallen," "The Turning Point," "Beyond the Flames" and "The Call," which features a blast beat-propelled chorus. A couple duds — the ballad-ish "Always" and power-metal-inspired "Time Will Not Remain" — take away from what could've been the second best album of their career. While anything other than Leach's return would have meant disaster for the band, as he and Disarm The Descent prove, "Hope is not lost."