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Howard Jones | |
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 Jones in 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1970-07-20)July 20, 1970 (age 55)[1] |
| Origin | Columbus, Ohio, U.S.[2] |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1996–present |
| Member of |
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| Formerly of | |
Howard Jones (born July 20, 1970) is an Americanmetalcore vocalist best known as the former lead singer ofKillswitch Engage andBlood Has Been Shed. He is the current vocalist ofLight the Torch, formerly known as Devil You Know, and SION with YouTuber/guitaristJared Dines.
Jones' vocal performances have been described as "emotive and strident", and he has been referred to as "one of metalcore's finest singers".[3]
Born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1970, Jones quickly became interested inmetal. He has stated that his journey into heavier music came from one of his high school friends: “I’m getting exposed to a lot of music. I listened to radio and stuff like that all the time. But then he’s the one that really exposed me to metal and death metal, just all that. So it was kind of him. Age of 14 or 15, he’s just got tapes and CDs and I just started absorbing it. I just loved it. That was kind of it. I think it was like '85 when we started listening toStryper. That time you’re just pulling from all this stuff. So I’m watching MTV, but I’m still listening to everything. If I can get my ears on it I’m absorbing it. That was a good time for me.”[4] He would often search for underground bands to listen to. During his high school years, he would always listen to something while walking in the hallways.[5] During his teen years, Jones started to suffer from anxiety and depression.[6]
Jones' love for heavy music led to him making music in the underground band Driven in 1996, releasing a single album. He later performed withBlood Has Been Shed from 1997 to 2004, releasing 3 studio albums. In 2002, after hearing aboutJesse Leach's departure, Jones contactedKillswitch Engage and tried out for them. Jones was then accepted by the band, beating outPhilip Labonte ofAll That Remains. Jones then had to quickly memorize seven songs for his debut at the 2002Hellfest.[7] During his time with Killswitch Engage, they released thegold-certified albumThe End of Heartache,[8] theplatinum-certifiedAs Daylight Dies,[9] as well as asecond self-titled album which was their biggest commercial success at that point, peaking at number 7 on theBillboard 200 along with becoming their first to top the USHard Rock Albums Chart.[10] He and the band also contributed to theGod of War: Blood & Metal soundtrack with the song “My Obsession”.[11] Jones' lyrics introduced a more introspective and emotionally resonant tone than previous records, which helped broaden the band’s appeal and emotional range.[12] During the band's 2010 winter tour, Jones temporarily stepped away to deal with personal issues related to his mental health.[13] Jones then officially left the band after nearly ten years in 2012, but remained a close friend. He would go on to collaborate with them again for the single "The Signal Fire" from their albumAtonement. Jones still makes sporadic appearances when Killswitch Engage goes on tour, surprising crowds and singing alongside Leach.[14]
Leach has praised Jones for elevating the band’s mainstream reach, spotlightingThe End of Heartache as the turning point for the band’s global impact.[15] Jones has also filled in for other bands, such asTrivium andFive Finger Death Punch.[16][17]
Jones startedDevil You Know with guitarist Francesco Artusato (All Shall Perish) and drummerJohn Sankey (Devolved,Fear Factory andDivine Heresy). Billed as a supergroup, they released two albums,The Beauty of Destruction (2014) andThey Bleed Red (2015).[18] Following Sankey's departure and his attempt to claim the copyright of the band's name, the rest of the band members started again with a fresh name,Light the Torch, with the addition of a new drummer.[19] Jones stated “There was just too much negativity. And so it needed to be cut, and an even better way to change the name, change the style of music, but it’s still the guys who were bonded together to do it. It’s a completely separate thing. And I don’t know how many of those songs [from Devil You Know] will ever see the light of day from us in a live setting, but it’s just part of the journey.” Light the Torch then releasedRevival in 2018, with Jones claiming he felt a renewed love for music.[20] In 2021, they released their second record,You Will Be the Death of Me.
In 2020, Jones released a cover ofLynyrd Skynyrd’s song"Simple Man". It received 600,000 views by June 2021, with Jones stating that he didn't expect the reception.[21]
In March 2021, Jones joined with heavy metalYouTuberJared Dines and producer Hiram Hernandez to release "The Blade" as part of a new project named Sion.[22]
On December 3, 2024, Jones via his Instagram confirmed that he and former Killswitch Engage bandmate Adam Dutkiewicz were almost finished mixing a debut album for their new band calledBurn Eternal.[23][24] In July 2025, Jones stated that he started working on a solo album.[25]
Jones' lyrics touch upon emotions, inner strength and overcoming obstacles mentally.[20] His singing style is often described as emotional, contributing significantly to making a impactful sound. While in Killswitch Engage, he would often usescreaming vocals andgrowls.[26] He has stated that he doesn’t like explaining his lyrics and likes to leave them up to interpretation: “I’m just that dude. I want to leave it up to interpretation. It takes all the fun out of it if I go through all of the explanations. Some stuff is pretty obvious and other stuff you can figure out [...] I kind of like that you can take what you like out of lyrics.”[27]
He stated "I just kind of write what comes man, it all depends on where I’m at and where the music is. I never know what’s going to happen when I start writing. I just try to write what fits and it’s not like I have a particular theme in mind when I start writing, or sometimes it kind of is that way.”[20]
In an interview withLoudwire, he claimed that while writing music, he tends to not consume any other entertainment: “I'm not listening to other music, I'm not really watching anything. [Music is] all I'm thinking about it and I can't help it, so that obsessive part of me... I'm hearing demo music, get my sleep, I'm waking up, I'm hearing that stuff and it just overtakes me. That's why I have to separate my life at times because I get way too obsessed with music.”[28]
Jones is an avidfisherman and owns property on theRed River of the North inManitoba, Canada. He is a frequent guest onJamey Jasta's podcast on the GaS Digital Network. Jones left Killswitch Engage in early 2012 to allow himself to manage histype 2 diabetes, which was worsened by a hectic touring lifestyle.[29] In 2014, Jones stated that his diabetes put him in acoma for three days.[30] He has since gotten his diabetes under control and has started exercising, along with reshaping his diet.[13]
In 2015, Jones revealed that he had struggled withanxiety anddepression for a long time, which had been worsened by his rise to fame in Killswitch Engage. He revealed that he had come close to committing suicide in 2009, when he had aimed a.44 Magnum revolver at his head in his apartment inConnecticut, and that the police had intervened after being notified by a concerned neighbor.[31] Jones stated “I was going insane. It never occurred to me to get help. For years, I just tried to fight through it and I was driving those guys berserk. My anxiety was building and building, and near the end, there were a lot of times I’d sit in the back of the bus or lie in my bunk for hours on end without speaking to anyone.”[32] In 2018, he teamed up with his former band to raise awareness formental health;[33] the resulting song "The Signal Fire" appears on the 2019 albumAtonement.[34]
Although formerlystraight edge,[35] Jones now shares a passion formedical cannabis with friend and fellow Killswitch Engage frontmanJesse Leach.[33]
During Jones' tenure with Killswitch Engage, the band won a handful of awards, withThe End of Heartache winning best album at the 2004Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards along with the band being nominated for the best international act. Thetitle track was also nominated forbest metal performance at theGrammys in 2005.[36][37]
In 2007, Killswitch Engage won Best International Band at that year's Metal Hammer Golden God Awards.[38] That same year, the band also took home both Most Outstanding Metal/Hardcore Band of the Year and Act of the Year at theBoston Music Awards.As Daylight Dies was also nominated for album of the year. Individually, Jones was nominated for the National Male Vocalist of the Year.[39]
In 2010 the bandsself titled album won best Best International Album at theBandit Rock Awards.[40]
In 2014, Jones and his new band, Devil You Know (now known asLight the Torch) won the Best New Band award at that year’s Metal Hammer Golden God awards.[41]
In 2023,Loudwire put Jones on their list of the top ten “Best Clean Singers in Metalcore”.[42]
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[...] Howard ist in vielen belangen ein eher gelassener Typ, der seine Meinung nicht unbedingt jedem aufbindet, dass wird auch sehr deutlich wenn man auf das Thema Straight Edge zu sprechen kommt: Ich denke, dass es für mich das Richtige ist, wenn es für jemanden anders aussieht, dann ist das in Ordnung. [...] (Howard is in many respects a rather serene guy who does not necessarily tie his opinion to anyone, that is also very clear when the topic of straight edge comes: I think it's the right thing for me, if it looks different for someone, it's all right).
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