Alive or Just Breathing
Alive or Just Breathing is the second studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. It was released on May 21, 2002 through Roadrunner Records. It is the last album to feature vocalist Jesse Leach. The album's title comes from a lyric in the track "Just Barely Breathing.", It is also one of the first albums to spark the mainstream rise of the metalcore genre in the early 00s
Background
Alive or Just Breathing managed to peak at #37 on the Heatseekers Chart. Although the album did not receive much mainstream success, it received generally positive reviews from contemporary critics and is also recognized for the rising popularity of metalcore. The album is 33rd in Music Radar's list of Greatest Heavy Metal albums [8] and is featured in IGN's honorable mentions in their list of 25 Greatest Metal Albums.[9]
A music video was made for the track "Life to Lifeless", which shows the band performing live in black and white. Another music video directed by P. R. Brown was made for the track "My Last Serenade."
It is the last album to feature vocalist Jesse Leach, who left the band because of family issues and depression from being on the road. It is also the last album to feature Adam Dutkiewicz as the drummer, who immediately switched to guitar after production for the album finished.
Track listing
| 1. |
"Numbered Days" |
3:35 |
| 2. |
"Self Revolution" |
3:09 |
| 3. |
"Fixation on the Darkness" |
3:34 |
| 4. |
"My Last Serenade" |
4:14 |
| 5. |
"Life to Lifeless" |
3:17 |
| 6. |
"Just Barely Breathing" |
5:42 |
| 7. |
"To the Sons of Man" |
1:58 |
| 8. |
"Temple from the Within" |
4:04 |
| 9. |
"The Element of One" |
4:09 |
| 10. |
"Vide Infra" |
3:29 |
| 11. |
"Without a Name" |
1:45 |
| 12. |
"Rise Inside" |
5:57 |
|
Total length:
|
44:56 |
- The thirteenth track is a hidden track with a length of 2:50.
| 1. |
"In the Unblind" |
2:48 |
| 2. |
"When the Balance is Broken" |
4:35 |
| 3. |
"Untitled and Unloved" (Instrumental) |
3:20 |
| 4. |
"Numbered Days" (Demo) |
3:37 |
| 5. |
"Transfiguration" (Demo) |
3:38 |
| 6. |
"Just Barely Breathing" (Demo) |
5:13 |
| 7. |
"Fixation on the Darkness" (Re-recorded version with Howard Jones on lead vocals) |
3:37 |
| 8. |
"AOJB studio out takes" |
1:17 |
Personnel
Band
Additional musicians
- Tom Gomes - drums in 'My Last Serenade' video
- Becka Dutkiewicz - Backing vocals on "My Last Serenade"
- Philip Labonte - Backing vocals on "Self Revolution" and "To The Sons Of Man"
Production
- Daniel Moss - Photography
- Mike Gitter - A&R
- Andy Sneap - Mixing and mastering
References
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r588062
- ^ "Killswitch Engage - Alive Or Just Breathing? | Review". Lambgoat. http://www.lambgoat.com/albums/view.aspx?id=366. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
- ^ "Killswitch Engage - Alive or Just Breathing (album review)". Sputnikmusic. June 3, 2010. http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/37169/Killswitch-Engage-Alive-or-Just-Breathing/. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
- ^ a b Thomas, Erik (December 7, 2005). "Review of Killswitch Engage - Alive Or Just Breathing - Reissued (2 Discs)". Metal Review. http://www.metalreview.com/reviews/2247/killswitch-engage-alive-or-just-breathing---reissued-(2-discs). Retrieved December 22, 2011.
- ^ "REVIEW: Killswitch Engage – Alive Or Just Breathing « In Angel's Headphones". Mostlymetal.wordpress.com. January 7, 2011. http://mostlymetal.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/review-killswitch-engage-alive-or-just-breathing/. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
- ^ "Killswitch Engage - Alive Or Just Breathing review". Metal Storm. http://www.metalstorm.net/pub/review.php?review_id=277. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
- ^ "Music - Killswitch Engage -Alive Or Just Breathing Review". 411mania.com. http://www.411mania.com/music/album_reviews/69/Killswitch-Engage--Alive-Or-Just-Breathing-Review.htm. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
- ^ "The 50 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums Of All Time | Killswitch Engage - Alive Or Just Breathing (2002)". MusicRadar.com. April 28, 2010. http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/the-50-greatest-heavy-metal-albums-of-all-time-245511/18#content. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
- ^ var authorId = "" by Spence D. and Ed T. (September 14, 2011). "Top 25 Metal Albums - Music Feature at IGN". Music.ign.com. http://music.ign.com/articles/755/755929p7.html. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
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