The End of Heartache

The End of Heartache is the third studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. It was released on May 11, 2004 through Roadrunner Records. It is the first album to feature lead vocalist Howard Jones from the mathcore band Blood Has Been Shed after Jesse Leach's departure from the band. It is also the first album to feature Adam Dutkiewicz as the lead guitarist rather than the drummer. It is considered their best album.

The new lineup played on the 2003 Ozzfest and the MTV2 Headbangers Ball tour. The first recording was the song "When Darkness Falls" appearing on the soundtrack to the 2003 horror film Freddy vs. Jason. The End of Heartache was released on May 11, 2004. The album debuted in the top 40 of the Australian album charts on May 17, 2004 following a successful tour of that country with Anthrax.

The title track was nominated for Best Metal Performance for the 47th Annual Grammy Awards.

Two music videos for "Rose of Sharyn" and "The End of Heartache" were filmed in promotion of the album. "Rose of Sharyn" had the group performing in a sunny desert with blood dripping from dead branches to form words. "The End of Heartache" featured a darkly lit performance with various computer animated imagery with scenes from Resident Evil: Apocalypse dotted throughout. Both videos saw notable airplay on Headbanger's Ball.

In 2005, a special edition of the album was released which contained 6 additional tracks.

The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on December 7, 2007.

1 Singles
2 Track listing
3 Personnel
4 Song appearances
5 Chart positions
6 Additional information

Singles

"Rose Of Sharyn"
"The End Of Heartache
"A Bid Farewell"

Track listing

All lyrics written by Howard Jones, all music composed by Killswitch Engage.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"A Bid Farewell"	3:55
2.	"Take This Oath"	3:46
3.	"When Darkness Falls"	4:02
4.	"Rose of Sharyn"	3:36
5.	"Inhale"	1:15
6.	"Breathe Life"	3:18
7.	"The End of Heartache"	4:58
8.	"Declaration"	3:01
9.	"World Ablaze"	4:59
10.	"And Embers Rise"	1:11
11.	"Wasted Sacrifice"	4:18
12.	"Hope Is..."	4:21
Total length:		42:36

Special Edition Bonus Tracks
No.	Title	Length
13.	"Irreversal" (Re-Recorded Version)	3:49
14.	"My Life for Yours"	3:34
15.	"The End of Heartache" (Resident Evil: Apocalypse Version)	4:05
16.	"Life to Lifeless" (Live)	3:22
17.	"Fixation on the Darkness" (Live)	3:40
18.	"My Last Serenade" (Live)	4:00

Personnel

Killswitch Engage

Howard Jones – lead vocals
Adam Dutkiewicz – lead guitar, backing vocals, producer, engineering
Joel Stroetzel – rhythm guitar
Mike D'Antonio – bass guitar, design, artwork photography, layout
Justin Foley – drums

Guest musician

Jesse Leach – additional vocals ("Take This Oath" and "Irreversal")
Phil Labonte – additional vocals ("Hope Is...", "Irreversal", and "The End of Heartache")
Andy Sneap – additional guitar ("The End of Heartache")

Production

Chris Fortin – assistant engineer
Wayne Krupa – assistant engineer
Andy Sneap – mixing, mastering

Song appearances

"A Bid Farewell (Live)" is featured on Disc #1 of the compilation MTV2 Headbangers Ball: The Revenge
The original recording of "When Darkness Falls" is featured on the film soundtrack Freddy vs. Jason
"The End of Heartache (Resident Evil Version)" is featured on the film soundtrack Resident Evil: Apocalypse; also as the theme song of professional wrestler Tyler Black
"Rose of Sharyn" is also featured on Disc 1 of the compilation MTV2 Headbangers Ball, Vol. 2
"The End of Heartache" is a playable song in Guitar Hero: Van Halen and Rock Revolution.
"The End of Heartache" was featured daily as the closing theme song on "Morency" on Hardcore Sports Radio Sirius Satellite Channel 98 from the summer to late fall of 2009; at which time the show was dropped.
"Breathe Life" is sampled on the Bullet for My Valentine song "My Fist, Your Mouth, Her Scars", which is off the All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me) single.

Chart positions

Album

Year	Chart	Position
2004	The Billboard 200	21
2004	Australian Albums Chart	39 [1]

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
2004	"The End of Heartache"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	31

Additional information

Mixed and mastered at Backstage Productions, Ripley, Derbyshire, UK, from January 2004 to February 2004.

Killswitch Engage

Mike D'Antonio · Adam Dutkiewicz · Joel Stroetzel · Justin Foley Jesse Leach · Tom Gomes • Pete Cortese · Howard Jones

Studio albums	Killswitch Engage (2000) · Alive or Just Breathing (2002) · The End of Heartache (2004) · As Daylight Dies (2006) · Killswitch Engage (2009)

Singles	"My Curse" · "Holy Diver"

Video albums	(Set This) World Ablaze (2005)

Related articles	Discography · All That Remains · Seemless · The Empire Shall Fall · Times of Grace