Music

Killswitch Engage parts ways with vocalist Howard Jones

by Tyler Munro

After nearly a decade with the band, Howard Jones and Killswitch Engage have decided to go their separate ways.

The band issued the following statement on their official site earlier today:

To our family, friends and fans: We have decided to continue on without Howard Jones as the singer of Killswitch Engage. We love Howard and are thankful for the nine years that we’ve had him in the band. Out of respect for everyone involved we will not be discussing the specific reasons behind this decision. Howard is a part of our family and always will be, and we wish him well. He has left big shoes to fill, so we certainly have our work cut out for us to find the next singer of Killswitch, something we plan on making priority #1 going forward. Most importantly, thanks to all of you for all the support throughout the years and for sticking by us for all this time. We really do appreciate it and we very much look forward to having a new record for all of you in the not too distant future that we can all be proud of. Sincerely, Adam, Joel, Mike & Justin.

The announcement doesn’t come as much of a surprise, with Blabbermouth pointing out that Jones had to sit out the band’s 2010 tour because, as the band put it, he was in “no condition to be on tour” and needed “to get off the road and get himself better.”

Jones was replaced on that tour by All That Remains vocalist Phil Labonte, who earlier today shot down rumours that he’d be replacing Jones by writing “No, I’m not gonna be singing for KsE” on his Facebook. It’s not yet known who the band will look to as a permanent replacement for Jones, but they’ll have to act fast. Killswitch Engage is scheduled to headline the New England Metal Fest in April.

Howard Jones had been in the band since 2002, when he replaced original vocalist Jesse Leach (who currently heads Times of Grace with Killswitch Engage’s Adam D).