Photo: Melinda Oswandel
Jesse Leach has had one hell of a career renaissance. After stepping out of Killswitch Engage just as they began to take off in 2002, he returned to the band in 2012, releasing two albums with them that have found them getting acclaim and touring a hell of a lot (they’re currently on the road with Anthrax). In between, he’s found time to do a passion project, The Weapon. Today, the band released their debut EP via Bandcamp. The band, which also consists of Chris Drapeau on guitar, Josh Mihlek on bass and Andy Mass on drums, is streaming the EP now. Speaking to Revolver, Leach says that it’s a welcome break from the perfection of KsE:
“We are not striving for perfection, just feeling. With Killswitch [Engage] and Times [Of Grace,] it’s very polished and precise. It can be tiring and tedious. Don’t get me wrong, I love it and I’m very fortunate to do both of those bands, but to me, The Weapon is for fun and for the love of hardcore!
On top of that, I can go in a little more hard on the lyrics and I don’t have to concern myself with melodies or singing a part near perfect. I am not a fan of unflawed ‘perfect’ sounding vocals — clearly, if you’ve seen me live — so it’s a breath of fresh air to just belt it out and be done. Each song, I did three full takes, picked the best one and slapped backups on them and it was done in 45 minutes tops.”
Further in the interview, he states that they’ve still only got a few songs, but would like to play shows in the Northeast as fundraisers for causes when they’re ready. He also promises vinyl and patches.
