Love, Compassion and Metalcore Fury Killswitch Engage Live in Oslo

Kenneth Sporsheim
2 days ago
3 min read

IMAGES KENNETH SPORSHEIM / WORDS THOMAS KIRKEBY

Sentrum Scene 1st December 2025

Love, Compassion and Metalcore Fury Killswitch Engage Live in Oslo — KENNETH SPORSHEIM

Mighty Killswitch Engage rolled into Oslo on their Europe 2025 tour, supporting This Consequence, released earlier this year. Along for the ride were Employed to Serve, Decapitated, and Fit For An Autopsy.

This review focuses on Fit For An Autopsy and the night’s headliner.

Even though Killswitch Engage topped the bill, it was obvious from the moment Fit For An Autopsy walked onstage that the deathcore powerhouse had a strong following in the room. When vocalist Joe Badolato asked how many had seen the band before, plenty of hands shot up. I wasn’t one of them — but it didn’t take long to understand the dedication.

The band delivered a relentlessly tight 45-minute set, heavy on atmosphere and even heavier on low-end impact, generously dropping what may genuinely be the most earth-shaking bass drop I’ve ever heard. Intentional, no doubt, and a calling card, but it worked every time. The crowd devoured every second of songs like “It Comes For You,” “Red Horizon,” “Pandora,” and “Far From Heaven.”

Killswitch Engage are celebrating 25 years since their self-titled debut — a milestone that cements them as one of the defining names in modern metalcore. My own relationship with the band began in 2008, when “My Curse” appeared on Guitar Hero and grabbed me instantly with its emotional weight paired with aggression and melody hooks. And so The End of Heartache and As Daylight Dies became my gateway to the band.

The band hit the stage to The Who’s “Teenage Wasteland,” with Jesse cheekily swapping the lyrics for “Fucking Wasted.” Unexpected, but fun. Moments later they launched straight into “Strength of the Mind,” followed by the fan-favorite “Rose of Sharyn,” wasting no time building momentum. Jesse even crowdsurfed during the first song — a bold way to start a set.

After “Reckoning,” Jesse addressed the audience for the first time, thanking everyone for showing up. He also flexed his Norwegian by saying, “Takk for being here,” noting that “takk” repeated fast sounded almost like a metal riff — leading the band into “Aftermath” from their latest album.

Following “No End In Sight,” the band admitted they were “so hung over from last night” and that the crowd was the only good thing about their day. Guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz claimed there was only one way to make the evening better. I expected a sing-along cue or maybe a request of a circle pit. Instead, he started chugging a beer — prompting the entire venue to chant “chug, chug, chug.” Whether it helped him feel any better remains unknown.

The set moved into “Broken Glass,” “Hate by Design,” and “Forever Aligned,” before Jesse once again thanked everyone for coming out. There was something grounded and sincere about the way he interacted with the crowd — it resonated with people around me, and with me as well

Somewhere in the middle of my own wandering thoughts, I found myself reflecting on the band’s emotional core. They almost feel like a clean-vocal band whose feelings get so intense they spill over into growls — like Jesse hits an emotional overload. I imagine that raw honesty is a big part of what draws people to this group, and the crowd reaffirmed that throughout the night.

After “Signal Fire” and “I Believe,” Jesse introduced “The Arms of Sorrow,” dedicating it to everyone struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts. “You are not alone,” he said. “I’m one of you.” It was a moment that elevated the room’s emotional connection to the band even further.

The closing stretch of the set was stacked: “In Due Time,” “This Fire,” “My Curse,” and an explosive “The End of Heartache.” By then, the venue was in full celebration.

Jesse wrapped up by saying their tour was nearly over and they needed to head to Finland for the next show. He encouraged everyone to go out and spread love and compassion — reminding us that there’s far more uniting people than the wealthy and powerful politicians would like us to believe. A final example of just how genuine this band really is.

They ended the night with “My Last Serenade.” No encore — but none was needed.

The crowd left fully satisfied. Killswitch Engage shows come highly recommended, and as we head into the year’s final and most communal season, Jesse Leach’s message deserves to be repeated:

Spread love and compassion. The world needs it.