Ex Killswitch Engage frontman, Jesse Leach, has resurfaced as vocalist for The Empire Shall Fall.

R13: Hi guys, could you please introduce yourselves to the readers.
TESF: Jake Davenport(JD) -Guitar, Nick Sollecieto(NS) - Bass, Marcus De Lisle(MDL) - Guitar , Jeff Pitts(JP) - Drums, Jesse Leach(JL) - Vocals

R13: Where do you get your respective influences from?
MDL: All over really: Faith No More, Between the Buried & Me, At the Drive In, Meshuggah, Refused to name a few.

R13: Jesse, what have you been up to since splitting from KSE? We missed you man!
JL: I was in a blues rock band for six years, called Seemless, as well as working various jobs to make ends meet.

R13: Do the rest of you get tired of Jesse being referred to as the ex-KSE front man?
NS: It is two sided, it helped us initially but we don’t see him as that guy anymore. It has been almost 9 years since his days in Killswitch and he has done a great deal since then. However it is what it is, we just roll with it.

R13: I am currently reviewing your new album, Awaken, for Room 13 and compared it to a blend between KSE and Meshuggah with a sprinkling of RATM. How do you feel about that?
JD: Its cool, people hear different sounds & influences, we are just being who we are at the end of the day. Great references though!

R13: It is an extremely good album with heavy political undertones. Obviously 9/11 is still very fresh in your minds. Tell me more about your message with your songs.
JL: Well the influences are from life, our view of the world etc. However, I do my best to inject hope and positivity in everything I write about. I think it is important to challenge people to think and be aware of the world around you. There is a great deal of apathy in this world and I feel it is the down fall of mankind. Everyone has a right to think and feel how they want however be aware of how it will in fact effect the people and environment that surround you. We all have the power to make a difference, but not all of us utilize that power.

R13: Jesse, some thought you lost your growl. They were wrong. You are back bigger and stronger than ever. How do you keep your voice so strong?
JL: Yeah that rumour kills me, I never “lost” my voice, I never shredded my vocal chords. I just simply did not know how to use my voice properly back in the KSE days. Truth be told I did in fact have a cancer scare which never made it out to the rumour mills, but turns out it was only a “bruised” vocal cord. Since those days I have studied the voice and I have a routine I follow of warm ups and warm downs. It is a matter of knowing your instrument and I am finally starting to really grasp that concept after all these years. My voice is my way to express myself to the world so I have learned to take care of it.

R13: Jesse, how was it sharing the stage with Howard on the Road Runner United Concert?
JL: It was fun, I enjoyed performing with KSE, not my best performance of that song, but it is what it is.

R13: Any plans for a UK tour in the near future or festival in the summer?
NS: We plan on getting over there soon, but it is a tough situation right now as we all have obligations here in the States. I think with our next record we will make it over there for sure!

R13: Ok dudes, thank you for your time, keep it brutal.
MDL: Was it ever Brutal?
TESF: Thanks for the interview!
JL: One Love to all!

The Empire Shall Fall’s debut album, Awaken, has been reviewed by Room13 and given an awesome 12/13!!