KILLSWITCH ENGAGE’s Jesse Leach on Backing Tracks & A.I. in Metal: “Live, You’re Gonna Hear My Flaws. And That’s Good.”

Jesse Leach, vocalist for Killswitch Engage, is standing firm in his belief that the live experience should remain raw and real — flaws and all. In a recent interview with Rock Feed, he opened up about the band’s refusal to rely on backing tracks and why imperfections are something to be embraced, not hidden. Leach stated proudly:

“It’s real. It’s dudes playing instruments. There are no computers. We have a sample thing that does stuff from the record, but what you’re hearing on the record, we do our best to imitate that live without tracks. No offense to bands who run tracks, but for us, it’s a point of pride that we don’t do that.”

Leach, who came up through the hardcore and punk scenes, made it clear that live performances are meant to be human — unpredictable and imperfect. He shared:

“If I’m a little tired, you’re gonna hear it. I had years where I was a raging drunk, and you could hear it in my voice. I had the surgery in 2018, so, for me, 2018 forward, I’ve been hyper-focused on getting better as a vocalist because live, you’re gonna hear my flaws. And that’s good. I like flaws, personally.”

Even with Adam Dutkiewicz, one of metal’s most detail-driven producers, in the band, Leach acknowledged that things don’t always go perfectly — and that’s part of the point. He said:

“The record’s squeaky clean. The live performance is the best that we can get there, but it’s never gonna be perfect. Most of the time, when we get off stage, it’s not immediately, ‘That was a good show.’ It’s like the list of grievances. And it’s brutal sometimes.”

The band regularly reviews recordings of their live sets to pinpoint areas for improvement, a ritual that reflects their deep dedication to putting on the best show possible.

“It’s because we care that much. The quality control stays high.”

For Leach, the raw, tactile nature of music is what makes it special — something he finds increasingly lacking in a world leaning on digital crutches and artificial enhancements. He explained:

“For me, there’s nothing better than… a person with an acoustic guitar playing a song. You can hear the finger scratches on the strings, you can hear the voice kind of go a little bit. Like a live recording… that’s some of my favorite stuff to listen to, because you’re getting the human element.”

That sentiment also extends to his discomfort with artificial intelligence, especially as it creeps further into music creation and presentation. He admitted:

“A.I., even the videos I see on Instagram… I just get slightly uncomfortable, some of it is cool… but I’m still uncomfortable with it. I’m a child of the ’80s — I mentioned 1984, They Live, Matrix, Terminator. We’re already there. We’re there already.”

Though open to A.I. as a helpful tool in moderation, Leach drew the line at it replacing creativity. He said:

“As far as creativity goes, I can’t ever see myself using it, I just love being an artist… I don’t want that taken away for the sake of convenience.”

You can catch Leach with Killswitch Engage on their upcoming first UK tour in six years with Fit For An Autopsy, Decapitated & Employed To Serve:

09/29 Lisbon, POR – LAV
10/01 Madrid, SPA – La Riviera
10/02 Barcelona, SPA – Razzmatazz
10/04 Milan, ITA – Fabrique
10/05 Zurich, SWI – Halle 622
10/06 Paris, FRA – Bataclan

With Hatebreed, Fit For An Autopsy & Decapitated:

10/08 Wolverhampton, UK – Civic Hall
10/09 Manchester, UK – Manchester Academy
10/11 Newcastle, UK – NX
10/12 Cardiff, UK – Depot
10/13 Leeds, UK – O2 Academy Leeds
10/15 Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy
10/17 London, UK – OVO Wembley Arena
10/19 Belfast, IRE – Telegraph Building
10/20 Dublin, IRE – National Stadium

With Fit For An Autopsy, Decapitated & Employed To Serve:

11/20 Cologne, GER – Palladium
11/21 Ludwigsburg, GER – MHP Arena
11/22 Berlin, GER – Columbiahalle
11/24 Prague, CZE – Sasazu
11/25 Leipzig, GER – Haus Auensee
11/27 Hamburg, GER – Sporthalle
11/28 Copenhagen, DEN – Amager Bio
11/29 Stockholm, SWE – Fallan
12/01 Oslo, NOR – Sentrum Scene
12/03 Helsinki, FIN – House Of Culture

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