Last night, The Telegraph Building was transformed into a crucible of sound as Killswitch Engage brought their blistering UK run to Belfast, supported by a line-up so stacked it felt less like a concert and more like a full-scale metal festival. From the first note of Decapitated to the final, cathartic singalong, the energy was electric and utterly non-stop.
The evening’s aggression was expertly ramped up through the supporting acts. Decapitated kicked things off with a set of brutally precise technical death metal. Their tight, machine-like delivery especially tracks from Cancer Culture was a masterclass in controlled chaos, providing the heaviest start possible.
Next, Fit For An Autopsy injected a dose of crushing, atmospheric deathcore. Their sound is huge, layered with melodic intensity that somehow manages to be both overwhelming and emotive, keeping the momentum soaring as the floor packed out.
By the time Hatebreed hit the stage, the crowd was ready to detonate. Jamey Jasta is the ultimate conductor of carnage, demanding and receiving a feral response. Every bounce-inducing riff was met with circle pits and crowd surfers (who he encouraged to give him a fist bump when they were brought over the barrier), making their concise, hard-hitting set the perfect lead-in to the headliners.
Killswitch Engage took the stage and immediately proved why they remain one of the most beloved and enduring forces in metalcore. They deliver heavy, aggressive music with an irresistible sincerity and heart that few bands can match.
Frontman Jesse Leach was the emotional core of the performance, seamlessly transitioning between crushing screams and soaring melodic cleans. His stage banter, full of powerful messages about mental health, unity, and staying positive, resonated deeply, turning the immense volume into a genuinely communal experience.
Guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz (Adam D), was the resident court jester. Whether it was his expressive faces, random comedic poses, or his effortless, shredding solos, his presence ensured the show was as entertaining as it was musically flawless. The rhythm section of Mike D’Antonio (bass) and Justin Foley (drums) was absolutely locked in, providing a watertight, driving foundation for every track.
The setlist was a near-perfect blend of their two-decade-spanning career. Newer anthems like “Strength of the Mind” and the massive grooves of “Forever Aligned” hit hard, but it was the stone-cold classics that truly blew the roof off The Telegraph Building. The entire crowd became one huge voice during the monumental singalongs of “Rose of Sharyn,” “My Curse,” and the career-defining “The End of Heartache.” The sheer catharsis of the final moments cemented the night as a stunning showcase of metalcore greatness.
This was more than just a gig; it was a triumphant and unifying metal spectacle. Killswitch Engage delivered a performance brimming with technical precision, raw power, and profound positivity. Belfast was given a masterclass in balancing brutality and melody, leaving the crowd exhausted, hoarse, and completely exhilarated.
Fit For An Autopsy setlist:
Lower Purpose
It Comes for You
Hostage
Pandora
The Sea of Tragic Beasts
Savior of None / Ashes of All
Far From Heaven
Hatebreed photos & set-list:
Set-list:
I Will Be Heard
Live for This
Empty Promises
Make the Demons Obey
To the Threshold
Perseverance
As Diehard as They Come
Destroy Everything
Driven by Suffering
This Is Now
Looking Down the Barrel of Today
Killswitch Engage photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Strength of the Mind
Rose of Sharyn
Reckoning
Aftermath
Fixation on the Darkness
A Bid Farewell
Beyond the Flames
Broken Glass
Hate by Design
Forever Aligned
The Signal Fire
I Believe
The Arms of Sorrow
In Due Time
This Fire
My Curse
The End of Heartache
My Last Serenade
Photos & Words – David McEneaney @experimentzero