KILLSWITCH ENGAGE Guitarist Says He Doesn't Know What Sets His Band Apart From Other Groups

In a brand-new interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE guitarist Joel Stroetzel was asked to name what it is that might set the band apart from what other groups are doing.

"I'm not really sure, to tell you the truth," he responded. "There are a lot of bands going on now who have a similar sound, and a lot of people are noticing a lot of those bands. I think we're one of many bands kind of up-and-coming.

"I know everybody in the band has very different listening tastes. Adam [Dutkiewicz, guitarist] listens to a lot of pop music. I like a lot of thrash metal and stuff like that. There's a lot of different elements in the KILLSWITCH arrangements that you can kind of pick out if you're looking for them."

According to Stroetzel, the fans are ultimately what keep the guitarist excited about what he does for a living.

"Being in a touring band is obviously one of the best jobs in the world, in my opinion, but it can still kind of drive you crazy after a while when you don't get to go home," Stroetzel said.

"So I think one of the things that really keeps me going is when you get in front of a crowd of people and you see people singing along and really getting into the music, playing air guitar along with your parts. It really makes you feel good. It makes you feel like people are listening to what you're doing."

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE are continuing to tour in support of their latest release, "The End of Heartache", which was released in May through Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Alive or Just Breathing" was produced by guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz and was mixed at Backstage Studios in Ripley, Yorkshire with Andy Sneap (MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY, SKINLAB). "The End of Heartache" is the group's first full-length release with vocalist Howard Jones and drummer Justin Foley.