Killswitch Engage at the Wellmont Theater

Killswitch Engage will combine with legendary rockers Anthrax to throw down one of the most high-voltage shows the Wellmont Theater has seen.

The bands have both amassed a colossal following during their times performing, and are bringing their Killthrax Tour to Montclair.

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Photo courtesy of Live Nation.

For metal lovers, the name Killswitch Engage has become somewhat household. Since their conception in 1999, the band has risen to dizzying heights in the genre.

The band was created in Westfield, Mass. and formed out of the discontinuation of two metal bands, Overcast and Aftershock. Mike D’Antonio, a bassist in Overcast, started jamming with Aftershock guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz. Dutkiewicz then decided to recruit Joel Stroetzel from Aftershock and Jesse Leach from the band Nothing Stays Gold. The band is named after an episode of X-Files.

While the band’s core members have shifted around over the years, the spirit of the band has captured the fandom of thousands. With a gold record in The End of Heartache, a grammy nomination and infernal performances at some of the world’s most highly attended festivals, Killswitch Engage have become veterans of the metal scene.

“It’s pretty easy to say Killswitch were one of the founding fathers of Metalcore. There’s a certain level of heaviness that they’ve always produced and it’s impressive,” said Ronald Roa, a metal fan who will be attending the concert. When asked about the fact they were playing with Anthrax, Roa said, “It’s possibly one of the craziest combinations you could ask for.”

And with good reason. Anthrax, the legendary thrash metal band from New York City, are considered the driving factor behind metal being consistently represented on the East Coast. Similarly to Killswitch Engage, Anthrax’s core lineup has changed over the years, but their output has never wavered. As of 2016, the band has released 11 studio albums and tens of millions of records sold. But it is their live performances that have electrified thousands and earned them a cemented place as one of the greatest.

Now, the two are taking their Killthrax tour to the Wellmont Theater. This is a special, unmissable event for Montclair headbangers. The concert starts at at 7 p.m. on March 29. Tickets for the show are available at the ticket office or at the Wellmont’s website.

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