Killswitch Engage rose to fame with its 2004 release The End of Heartache, which peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200, and was certified gold by the RIAA in December 2007 for over 500,000 shipments in the United States. The title track, "The End of Heartache", was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Metal Performance, and a live DVD titled (Set This) World Ablaze was released in 2005. Killswitch Engage has performed at festivals such as Soundwave Festival, Wacken Open Air, Reading and Leeds Festivals, Ozzfest, Download Festival, Rock on the Range, Rock am Ring, Mayhem Festival, Monsters of Rock, Pointfest, Knotfest and Heavy MTL. The band has sold over four million records in the U.S. and has been considered notable within the New Wave of American Heavy Metal, and has also been considered one of the earliest leading forces of the metalcore genre.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killswitch_Engage
Studio albums
Killswitch Engage (2000)
Alive or Just Breathing (2002)
The End of Heartache (2004)
As Daylight Dies (2006)
Killswitch Engage (2009)
Disarm the Descent (2013)
Incarnate (2016)
Atonement (2019)
Slave to the machine
Killswitch Engage Lyrics
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Hands grip the throat of the system
Against the grain
No more waiting for a change
Refuse to kneel
Wallowing and choking on this force fed sanity
This is the final calling, feeding us apathy
Fall into illusion
Lost in this false reality
White noise and confusion
Enslaved to the new machine
Beneath the haze, a spirit we should not contain
This life, the blood that flows within our veins
Change, arise from your slumber
Refuse to kneel
Wallowing and choking on this force fed sanity
This is the final calling, feeding us apathy
Bow down and serve your master - the new machine
I refuse to bow down
I refuse to bow down to this system
The new machine's conquering, fused into our blood stream, I refuse
This is the final calling, feeding us apathy
Bow down and serve your master - the new machine
The song "Slave to the Machine" by Killswitch Engage portrays the struggle of the individual against the overwhelming power of the system. The opening lines "Back from the dead, this is the final calling" indicate that the singer has been through a traumatic experience before, but now they have been awakened and are determined to break free from the chokehold of the system. The lyrics describe the feeling of suffocation that comes with being enslaved to the new machine - a metaphor for the societal and political structures that control our lives.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Bow down and serve your master - the new machine," highlighting the submissive nature of the society that we live in. However, the singer refuses to surrender to this way of life and fights for change. The line "Wallowing and choking on this force-fed sanity" emphasizes the mental anguish that comes with conforming to the expectations of the system.
In the second verse, the lyrics encourage the listener to break free from the illusions of the system and recognize the spirit within themselves that should not be contained. The lyrics urge individuals to "arise from your slumber" and refuse to kneel to the system. The song ends with the singer defiantly declaring that they refuse to bow down to the system and the "new machine" that has infiltrated their very being.
Line by Line Meaning
Back from the dead, this is the final calling
After having been dormant for a long period, this song now serves as a wake-up call to the listeners
Hands grip the throat of the system
The song speaks about rebellion against the controlling and oppressive system prevalent in society
Against the grain
The writer disagrees with conventional, established notions and seeks to challenge them
No more waiting for a change
The writer urges people to take action instead of expecting change to happen on its own
Refuse to kneel
The writer advocates for resistance and standing up for one's beliefs instead of giving in to societal pressure
Wallowing and choking on this force fed sanity
The writer expresses dissatisfaction with the state of society and how people blindly accept the status quo
This is the final calling, feeding us apathy
The writer suggests that society's current state is leading to people becoming disinterested and indifferent
Bow down and serve your master - the new machine
The writer points out how people are being asked to submit to a new controlling force that is replacing the old oppressive system
Fall into illusion
The writer expresses how people are losing touch with reality and falling prey to deception
Lost in this false reality
The writer points out how people are being misled into believing a false reality
White noise and confusion
The writer is referring to the overwhelming amount of contradictory information and distractions that people are being bombarded with
Enslaved to the new machine
The writer is highlighting how people are becoming trapped by the new controlling force and losing their freedom
Beneath the haze, a spirit we should not contain
The writer urges people to recognize their inner spirit and not suppress it
This life, the blood that flows within our veins
The writer poetically refers to the essence of human life that should not be suffocated by societal influences
Change, arise from your slumber
The writer urges people to wake up and instigate change instead of remaining passive
I refuse to bow down
The writer personally declares defiance and refusal to submit to societal expectations
I refuse to bow down to this system
The writer elaborates on how they are not willing to follow the established societal norms
The new machine's conquering, fused into our blood stream, I refuse
The writer suggests that the new controlling force is becoming a part of people's normal existence and they are refusing to accept it
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JESSE D. LEACH, ADAM DUTKIEWICZ, MIKE D'ANTONIO, JOEL STROETZEL, JUSTIN FOLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind