As Daylight Dies
Studio album by
Killswitch Engage
ReleasedNovember 21, 2006
RecordedJune–September 2006
StudioZing Studios (Westfield, Massachusetts)
Long View Farm (North Brookfield, Massachusetts)
GenreMetalcore, melodic metalcore[1]
Length43:39
LabelRoadrunner
ProducerAdam Dutkiewicz, Joel Stroetzel
Killswitch Engage chronology
The End of Heartache
(2004) 		As Daylight Dies
(2006) 		Killswitch Engage
(2009)
Alternative cover
Special edition cover
Singles from As Daylight Dies
  1. "My Curse"
    Released: November 6, 2006
  2. "The Arms of Sorrow"
    Released: April 26, 2007
  3. "Holy Diver"
    Released: August 17, 2007
  4. "This Is Absolution"
    Released: October 20, 2008

As Daylight Dies is the fourth studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. It was released on November 21, 2006 through Roadrunner Records. It was produced by Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel.

Background and release

The album was released on November 13, 2006 through Roadrunner Records. It peaked at number 32 on the Billboard 200,[2] selling up to 60,000 copies within its first week.[3] It also peaked within the Rock, Hard Rock, and Digital Albums Charts. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on June 30, 2009,[4] which was on the same date of the release of its successor, Killswitch Engage. It has since gone on to sell more than 500,000 copies in the United States alone.[5] The album was later certified platinum on November 24, 2021 by the RIAA, indicating sales of 1,000,000 or more.[6]

The album's first single, "My Curse", was released in 2006, and managed to peak at number 21 on the Billboard Rock Songs Chart.[7] The radio edit strips down most of the track's unclean vocals, replacing them with Howard Jones' re-recorded clean vocals. A music video directed by Lex Halaby (who previously directed the live video for "A Bid Farewell")[8] premiered on MTV 2's Headbangers Ball on November 3, 2006.[9][10][11] "My Curse" was included as a playable track in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, and as downloadable content for the video games Rock Band and Rock Band 2. It was also featured on the soundtrack of the video games Burnout Dominator and Burnout Paradise. The album's second single, "The Arms of Sorrow", was released in 2007, and peaked at number 30 on the Rock Songs Chart.[12] A music video directed by Aggressive premiered on Headbangers Ball on May 1, 2007.[13][14][15]

A special edition was released on August 28, 2007, including four B-sides and a DVD containing three music videos and behind-the-scenes footage.[16] The album's B-side "Holy Diver", a cover of Dio's first single, was released as the album's third single on August 17, 2007.[17] It peaked at number 12 on the Rock Songs Chart, making it the band's highest charting single. A music video directed by Brian Thompson premiered on the band's official Myspace page on August 1, 2007.[18] The video is a comical re-imagining of the original video by Dio.[19] A music video for the album's fourth single, "This Is Absolution", was released in 2008, featuring footage of the band performing the song live, as well as backstage footage. It also released the song "This Fire Burns" (listed in the album as simply "This Fire"),[20] which was the theme song for WWE Judgment Day (2006) and later, the entrance music for professional wrestler CM Punk from 2006 to 2011. It was also used for two occasions by Randy Orton. The song had previously been released on the WWE Wreckless Intent album in May 2006.[21]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[22]
AllMusic[23]
Blender[24]
Drowned in Sound[25]
MusicOMH[26]
Sputnikmusic3.5/5[27]
Stylus MagazineB[28]

The album has received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics. Thom Jurek of Allmusic praised the album, scoring it a four and a half out five, positively commenting, "If the cynics don't get it by now, they never will. For the rest, this is the album to come into the tent with."[23] The tracks "This Is Absolution", "Unbroken", and "Eye of the Storm" were indicated as the AMG Track Picks.[23] Raziq Rauf of Drowned In Sound also praised the album, scoring it a nine out of ten and saying, "With As Daylight Dies, Killswitch Engage have cemented their position as the reason for metalcore ever existing."[25]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Howard Jones; all music is composed by Killswitch Engage

No.TitleLength
1."Daylight Dies"4:05
2."This Is Absolution"3:34
3."The Arms of Sorrow"3:44
4."Unbroken"3:08
5."My Curse"4:04
6."For You"4:03
7."Still Beats Your Name"3:19
8."Eye of the Storm"3:56
9."Break the Silence"4:32
10."Desperate Times"4:25
11."Reject Yourself"4:45
Total length:43:39
Best Buy exclusive live bonus tracks (taken from (Set This) World Ablaze)
No.TitleLength
12."My Last Serenade"3:24
13."The End of Heartache"4:48
14."When Darkness Falls"3:47
Special edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
12."Be One"3:31
13."Let the Bridges Burn"4:29
14."This Fire" (Originally for the WWE Wreckless Intent album)3:09
15."Holy Diver" (Dio cover; originally for Kerrang!'s High Voltage!: A Brief History of Rock compilation)4:10

Special edition DVD

  1. "My Curse" (video)
  2. "The Arms of Sorrow" (video)
  3. "Holy Diver" (video)
  4. "Making-of "videos" for 2 clips ("My Curse" and "The Arms of Sorrow")

Personnel

Chart positions

Album

Chart (2006-2007) Peak
Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[29] 29
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[30] 68
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[31] 62
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[32] 43
UK Albums (OCC)[33] 64
US Billboard 200[34] 32

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[35] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] Gold 100,000‡
United States (RIAA)[37] Platinum 1,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "This Fire Burns: On 'As Daylight Dies', Killswitch Engage helped to define modern metalcore". The New Fury. January 25, 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  2. ^ "As Daylight Dies- Killswitch Engage". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  3. ^ Katie Hasty (November 29, 2006). "Jay-Z Reclaims His 'Kingdom' With No. 1 Debut". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  4. ^ "As Daylight Dies RIAA certification". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  5. ^ Winwood, Ian. "Killswitch Engage:Shining a light on metal's reluctant superstars" (PDF). Kerrang.
  6. ^ "Killswitch Engage's 'As Daylight Dies' Album Certified Platinum in U.S." Blabbermouth.net. November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  7. ^ https://www.billboard.com/artist/killswitch-engage/chart-history/
  8. ^ "Killswitch Engage - A Bid Farewell". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 6, 2010. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  9. ^ "My Curse | Killswitch Engage | Music Video". MTV. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  10. ^ "Killswitch Engage - My Curse". YouTube. November 6, 2006. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  11. ^ ""My Curse" by Killswitch Engage | Music Video | VH1.com". Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
  12. ^ "Killswitch Engage > As Daylight Dies > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  13. ^ "Killswitch Engage's 'The Arms of Sorrow' to Debut on Headbangers". Headbangersblog.mtv-q.mtvi.com. Retrieved January 14, 2012.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "Aggressive". Refused TV. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved August 5, 2008.
  15. ^ "Killswitch Engage - The Arms of Sorrow". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  16. ^ Roadrunner Records, NEW KILLSWITCH ENGAGE ECARD - 7.23.2007 Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Roadrun.com, July 24, 2007
  17. ^ "iTunes - Music - Holy Diver - Single by Killswitch Engage". Itunes.apple.com. August 17, 2007. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  18. ^ "Get Teased: Killswitch Engage'S "Holy Diver"". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  19. ^ "Holy Diver | Killswitch Engage | Music Video | MTV". MTV Networks. August 6, 2007. Retrieved August 5, 2008.
  20. ^ "As Daylight Dies (Special Edition) by Killswitch Engage". iTunes. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  21. ^ "Killswitch Engage - This is Absolution". YouTube. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  22. ^ Bowar, Chad. "Killswitch Engage - As Daylight Dies". About.com. Archived from the original on January 17, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  23. ^ a b c Jurek, Thom (November 21, 2006). "As Daylight Dies - Killswitch Engage". AllMusic. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  24. ^ "Blender Magazine review". Blender magazine. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  25. ^ a b Rauf, Raziq (November 23, 2006). "Killswitch Engage - As Daylight Dies / Releases / Releases // Drowned In Sound". Drowned In Sound. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  26. ^ Day, Tom. "Killswitch Engage - As Daylight Dies". MusicOMH. Archived from the original on May 2, 2007. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  27. ^ Stagno, Mike (January 2, 2007). "Killswitch Engage - As Daylight Dies". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  28. ^ Lee, Cosmo (December 5, 2012). "Killswitch Engage - As Daylight Dies". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  29. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Killswitch Engage – As Daylight Dies". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  30. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Killswitch Engage – As Daylight Dies" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  31. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Killswitch Engage – As Daylight Dies" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  32. ^ "アズ・デイライト・ダイズ" (in Japanese). Oricon.co.jp. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
  33. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  34. ^ "Killswitch Engage Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  35. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Killswitch Engage – As Daylight Dies". Music Canada. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
  36. ^ "British album certifications – Killswitch Engage – As Daylight Dies". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  37. ^ "American album certifications – Killswitch Engage – As Daylight Dies". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
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