Howard Jones (American musician)
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| Howard Jones | |
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| Background information | |
| Genre(s) | Metalcore |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1999 - Present |
| Label(s) | Ferret Records Roadrunner Records |
| Associated acts | Killswitch Engage Blood Has Been Shed |
| Website | [[1]] |
Howard Jones is a straight-edge African American and is current vocals in metalcore bands Killswitch Engage and Blood Has Been Shed.
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[edit] Biography
Jones resides in Connecticut. His first success was in Connecticut with the band Blood Has Been Shed. After the release of The Novella of Uriel, the band went on tour, but Jones was eventually approached for a bigger project. Howard Jones replaced the lead singer of Killswitch Engage, Jesse Leach, in July of 2002, shortly after the release of Alive or Just Breathing, Killswitch Engage's Roadrunner Records debut album.
Meanwhile, Blood Has Been Shed released their third album, Spirals in 2003. Critical reviews were mixed, with some saying the album was a bit stray from the music found on I Dwell and Novella, while fans found it to be the band's most sonically-challenging album yet.
The first time KSE fans heard Jones they were impressed by him. Later he would be heard on the song "When Darkness Falls", which was first released on the soundtrack for the movie Freddy vs. Jason. Finally, Killswitch Engage released their first album with Jones as the new singer, as well as Blood Has Been Shed drummer Justin Foley. The End of Heartache would spawn two successful singles, "Rose of Sharyn" and the Grammy-nominated title track, "The End of Heartache". There was a minor spot of controversy with some fans over the Grammy nomination, as the song that was picked was a remixed version that would eventually appear on the Resident Evil: Apocalypse soundtrack. The differences between the original recording and the remixed version are the fact that the song is sung in a traditional singing style rather than using the original scream track that appears on the album, and several sections of the song have been shortened for a more commercially dynamic vision.
In November 2006, Killswitch Engage released their fourth album (and second with Howard Jones) entitled As Daylight Dies. The album has spawned the singles "My Curse" and "Arms of Sorrow", and it has been cited by the band through numerous interviews that the album recalls influences from bands in the NOLA music scene, as well as metal bands like Pantera and Machine Head.
Despite his front man role in Killswitch Engage, Jones is still the lead singer for Blood Has Been Shed.
Aside from singing, Jones has also taken on the role of a manager to new and upcoming artists. Currently, he manages two bands, Twelve Tribes, Mikoto, and also the producer Zeuss.
He is also known for his vocal styles, which include deep, booming roars, a higher, raspier scream, and operatic clean vocals. The clean style is absent from most of his work with Blood Has Been Shed, however, with Killswitch Engage, he usually makes use of all of his vocal styles in almost every song, particularly in As Daylight Dies and Holy Diver.
[edit] Trivia
- An avid fan of fishing, Jones stated if he were not in Killswitch Engage, he would be fishing.
- Jones once planned on creating a 'Hootie & the Blowfish' style ensemble.[citation needed] No word as when this project will come to fruition.
- He is originally from Waterbury, CT. He is also straight edge.
- In an interview on Fuse's Talking Metal, he admitted to being a fan of HIM owning several of their albums and materials.
[edit] Discography
[edit] With Blood Has Been Shed
- I Dwell on Thoughts of You (September 21, 1999, Ferret Records)
- Novella of Uriel (February 20, 2001, Ferret Records)
- Spirals (March 11, 2003, Ferret Records)
[edit] With Killswitch Engage
- The End of Heartache (May 11, 2004, Roadrunner Records)
- As Daylight Dies (November 21, 2006, Roadrunner Records)
[edit] Guest appearances
- 36 Crazyfists – Rest Inside the Flames ("Elysium")
- Demon Hunter – Summer of Darkness ("Our Faces Fall Apart")
- Eighteen Visions – Vanity ("One Hell of a Prize Fighter")
- Every Time I Die – Last Night in Town ("Punch-Drunk Punk Rock Romance")
- Fragment Metal – Answers ("Inertia")
- Roadrunner United – All-Star Sessions ("The Dagger")
- Throwdown – Vendetta ("The World Behind")
- Ill Bill - The Hour of Reprisal (Coming In June 2008)
[edit] As Producer
- Twelve Tribes - The Rebirth of Tragedy (2004)
- Twelve Tribes - Midwest Pandemic (2006)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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