JESSE LEACH On Recording Next KILLSWITCH ENGAGE Album: 'This Was The Single Hardest Process I've Ever Had To Deal With'

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's Jesse Leach has finished laying down the vocal tracks for the band's new album, tentatively due in early 2019.

The follow-up to 2016's "Incarnate" will mark the Massachusetts metallers' third full-length effort since the return of Leach, who rejoined the group in 2012.

Leach took to his Instagram account last night (Friday, December 28) to write: "All vocals for the new KILLSWITCH ENGAGE album are complete. Blood (actual blood),sweat, tears, more sweat, anxiety, anger, hope, love, frustration, passion and full-on heartbreak are injected into every single word. Can't wait for you to hear it when it's all complete! Adam [Dutkiewicz, guitar] is at the controls with more mixing, editing and arranging to do.

"I absolutely have to give Adam D a massive massive thank you for helping me more than any other record I've made. He is my musical soulmate and I don't know what I would do without him. This album wouldn't be what it is without his determination and many many, MANY hours of work.

"This process was the single hardest process I've ever had to deal with, far beyond any album I've done, hands down. The sheer amount of material, my vocal surgery, depression, anxiety and full-on mental breakdowns all contributed to the painstaking process. Adam was patient and motivating me along the way. The man is a total champion! Grateful to all of the guys in the band for their support. Stoked on their great and interesting songwriting skills as well as just being patient with me.

"I believe the album has something for everyone who is a fan or digs what KILLSWITCH is known for. I personally leaned a bit more on the heavier side of things, but we'll see what makes the album when all is said and done.

"I'm looking forward to 2019 more than words can express. It's been a super-hard year for me personally as well as this album just haunting my thoughts and daily meditations. If nothing else, I've given everything I have to this album.

"I truly hope my words on this piece of music are therapeutic, motivating and perhaps even inspiring for some of you out there. I know music is a huge part of my therapy and my life's blood so it would be an honor to help anyone in anyway with the music we make."

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's next disc will be released via Metal Blade Records in the U.S. and Sony Music Entertainment in the rest of the world. The effort will feature a guest appearance on one song by the band's former lead singer Howard Jones.

According to Jesse, the KILLSWITCH song on which Jones makes a guest appearance was written with Howard in mind. "His new band being called LIGHT THE TORCH, the analogy of the song is lighting a signal fire — like a distress call — and I wrote it about coming together and finding unity," Leach explained. "It's kind of about our friendship now — it happened so strangely. That's kind of all I'm gonna say about it. It's a song about unity. And he does a verse, I do a verse, we sing the chorus together, and it's a real heavy shit-kicker."

Leach appeared on KILLSWITCH's self-titled debut and sophomore album, "Alive Or Just Breathing", before exiting the band. Jones took over on vocals for "The End Of Heartache", "As Daylight Dies" and the 2009 self-titled set before being dismissed from the group six years ago.

"Incarnate" debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 35,000 equivalent album units. In terms of pure album sales, it opened with 33,000 copies.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's last release was the "Beyond The Flames: Home Video Part II" two-disc, Blu-ray and CD package.