Killswitch Engage Drank 40 Forties While Making Their Career-Defining Album

Foto: Stefan Brending
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For fans all over the world, 2006’s As Daylight Dies was the album on which Killswitch Engage went from underground sensation to genre heroes. On that record, the band refined their mixture of hardcore, melodic death metal, and heartbreaking emotional balladeering to a point, and with their massive single “My Curse” officially made themselves a staple of rock radio and MTV. But there are always two sides to every story, and for every moment in which Killswitch were breaking new ground while making As Daylight Dies, there was another moment where they were cracking a bottle of high-proof malt liquor.

In an exclusive interview with The Pit about As Daylight Dies finally being released on vinyl in the U.S., Killswitch guitarist/producer Adam Dutkiewicz revealed that during the recording process, he and rhythm guitarist Joel Stroetzel challenged each other to a drinking contest of epic proportions.

“One of my favoritest memories ever in Killswitch Engage history — Joel and I decided [that] during the recording of that record, we wanted to drink 40 forty-ounce beers,” said Adam with a smile. “And we achieved it! I think we actually hit 56…It was quite impressive. And I distinctly remember kicking Joel out of the studio today because he was too drunk to play. It was a really, really funny thing. By the end of the recording process–we didn’t throw away the bottles, and by the end of the process, the entire control room was just littered with just shitty forty-ounce beer bottles everywhere.

“Yeah, we’re piles of trash, and we’re proud of it!” added Adam with a laugh.

The Pit staff writer Chris Krovatin then asked the burning question we’re all wondering — was there a specific brand of forty that Killswitch favored? In response, Adam passed along some age advice he’d been given by one of his peers.

“Well, my friend Buz [McGrath] from Unearth said one of the most correct things ever: it’s only a good forty if it’s got either an animal or a natural disaster in the title of it,” said Adam. “Lot of Cobra, lot of Hurricane — just real shitty stuff, the kind of thing where you get a headache before you get drunk.”

“It’s funny, because here I am wondering why they couldn’t drink classy forties, like Olde English,” said Chris.

“That’s too good for us!” shouted Adam.

Watch the whole video below:

To hear more about what Adam D. really thinks about As Daylight Dies, tune in at The Pit’s YouTube channel or Facebook page, or follow Killswitch Engage on their Facebook account, and check out our exclusive interview.

And definitely order the new vinyl pressing of As Daylight Dies — complete with bonus tracks, colored vinyl, and new artwork by Killswitch Engage’s own Mike D — before August 26th!