ALBUM REVIEW: Times of Grace- Hymn of a Broken Man

Current and former members of New England metal outfit Killswitch Engage branch off to record an aggressive but yet very emotional new album. This record is the brainchild of the current guitarist of KSE, Adam Dutkiewicz, (or Adam D as he's more widely known because his last name is so fucking odd to pronounce) and the former lead singer of KSE Jesse Leach.

While on tour with KSE in the U.K., Adam D. required emergency back surgery which left him with ample recovery and down time. While recuperating, he began writing music not intended to be on his current band's next album. With most of the guitar and bass parts demoed, he realized that he didn't want to make his side project an instrumental gig; so Adam got on the horn and contacted the original singer of KSE Jesse Leach.* Naming themselves Times of Grace the duo began recording material back in 2008. Now after some delays here and there, the album aptly titled 'Hymn of a Broken Man' finally hit the shelves. 

Album Review after the jump...



I'll start this review off with the statement, "It definitely sounds like an early Killswitch Engage album". Which isn't a bad thing, that's a compliment in my book. And why wouldn't it sound like KSE? It has 2 of the 4 founding members in it. It's not like they went and wrote a "horror/goth crunk-core" album (thank Odin)!!  At the same time of saying that it sounds like a KSE album, it has enough subtleties to it to really make it stand out from their roots. With their first single released, "Strength in Numbers" is a real bluesy headbanger. Which isn't all that prevalent in metal today...yet. While kicking your ass with heavy riffs and intense screaming, the music periodically takes a 180°going quickly from brutal to beautiful in an instant. Having personally first been introduced to the 2nd incarnation of KSE with Howard Jones at the helm of the singing/screaming duties, so I missed the glory days when Leach was the vocalist. So I never really knew just how good of a singer he was. In preparation of this record, I went back and listened to Leach-era KSE, and I immediately kicked myself for not doing it sooner. In doing that, it got me really excited for the TOG. So in other words, this album is really good. It has nothing lacking in the music and vocal department; that is if you like blues infused-melodic heavy metal.

So here are some standout tracks from the record.

1. Strength in Numbers: This track starts off  with a militaristic marching and machine gun guitar all in unison with the barking orders of Leach commanding us to unite in love and peace. Its a really solid song especially with it being the first single released. Its just heavy enough, but with a nice positive sing along chorus.
2.  Where the Spirit Leads Me: This song sounds like it was left off the 'The End of Heartache' album. If you liked that album, then you'll like this song. It has the same formula, as most of this album has. Good tune.
3. Hymn of a Broken Man:   At about 0:34 it becomes the fastest riff on the record. While I would've loved for it to last longer, that's not what they were going for with this one.
4. The Forgotten One: You really get to see this duo's soulful side on this one. This song is  very emotional with a serious overtone.

The only real complaint that I have with this album is the song titles. The guys could have been a little more creative in that area. They sound extremely close to some KSE song titles...

       ___KSE___                                       _____TOG____
       Numbered Days                                     Until the End of Days
   In the Arms of Sorrow                               In the Arms of Mercy
       The Forgotten                                         The Forgotten One
            Hope Is...                                             Hope Remains
   The End of Heartache                                  The End of Eternity
         World Ablaze                                            Worlds Apart


Other than that, it really is a solid album. I highly recommend it!

4.5/5











*Jesse Leach was the vocalist on Killswitch Engage's self titled debut and 'Alive or Just Breathing'