Adam Dutkiewicz | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Adam Jonathan Dutkiewicz |
Also known as |
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Born | Westhampton, Massachusetts, U.S. [1] | April 4, 1977
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 1992–present |
Member of | |
Formerly of | Aftershock |
Website | killswitchengage |
Adam Jonathan Dutkiewicz (born April 4, 1977) [1] is an American musician and record producer, best known as the lead guitarist of the metalcore bands Killswitch Engage, Aftershock and Times of Grace, as well as the guitarist and co-lead vocalist for the melodic death metal supergroup Serpentine Dominion.
Dutkiewicz, of Polish, Austrian, Scottish, and English descent, was born and raised in Westhampton, Massachusetts. He attended Hampshire Regional High School. Dutkiewicz also later attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, studying production, audio engineering, and bass guitar. [2] [3] While at college, he began playing in the band Aftershock with friend Joel Stroetzel. Stroetzel would later join Dutkiewicz, Mike D'Antonio, and Jesse Leach in forming Killswitch Engage. Dutkiewicz was the drummer of Killswitch Engage, until the release of its second album, Alive or Just Breathing , [4] when he moved to guitars, and Tom Gomes became the band's drummer.
He has assumed the role of producer on all of Killswitch Engage's records, [4] except on their second self-titled album Killswitch Engage, which was released June 30, 2009. For this album he took on the job of co-producer alongside Brendan O'Brien (known for his work with AC/DC, The Offspring, Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine, Incubus, Mastodon, and Stone Temple Pilots). Adam has also produced for the bands As I Lay Dying, Underøath, The Devil Wears Prada, [5] The Acacia Strain, [6] Unearth, [7] All That Remains, [8] From Autumn to Ashes, [4] Johnny Truant, [9] Parkway Drive, [10] The Agony Scene, [4] Every Time I Die [4] and others. He has been compared to Ross Robinson, producer of many nu metal albums, because of his influence on modern metal and shaping the sound of melodic metalcore. He is also an engineer for Zing Recording Studios, which has produced for numerous artists, including several from Tooth & Nail Records and its heavy metal sub-label Solid State Records. [3]
In 2016, Adam formed Serpentine Dominion also consisting George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher and Shannon Lucas.
Dutkiewicz has been a longtime player of Caparison Guitars mostly using the Caparison PLM-3, a discontinued model, with EMG pickups (EMG 85 in the bridge, and two EMG SA single coils in the middle and neck positions) and DR Tite-Fit .012-.052 strings. He also uses the Caparison Dellinger, Horus, TAT, and Angelus models. He is quoted as saying that he likes the guitars because they have a very "strat-like neck." Ever since 2007, he has been seen using various models and brands, but still uses Caparison for tracking in the studio. [11]
In 2008 shows, Dutkiewicz used a black Parker Fly with an EMG 81/EMG 85 set for pickups. Atop this, he used a custom Caparison, modeled after the Dellinger model. He previously used Parker Guitars for their light weight so as to avoid worsening his back problems, but ended his endorsement due to quality issues after getting his signature model. Sometime in 2008, he switched to using a stock PRS Guitars Custom 22, which he used for a few years. In the video for "In Due Time", Dutkiewicz can be seen using an EVH Wolfgang Hardtail. He has since then switched to EVH Wolfgangs full-time. [11] The modifications done to the Wolfgangs involve removing the neck pickup, pickup selector switch, and tone knob, replacing the Schaller fine-tuning stop-tail piece with a standard stop-tail piece, replacing the locking nut with a standard nut, and installing locking tuners.
In 2015, Dutkiewicz officially re-joined Caparison Guitars. He now also uses Fishman Fluence Modern pickups. He uses his signature model, the Caparison Metal Machine. It is based on the TAT Special FX with Fishman Fluence Killswitch Engage Signature pickup in the bridge position. He left out the neck pickup for more wood mass in the guitar. [12]
Dutkiewicz has used a wide variety of amps throughout his career, including the Mesa Boogie Roadster and Triple Rectifier heads, a Marshall JCM900, a modified Soldano SLO-100, and a Hughes and Kettner TriAmp MKII, which he did not like for metal because he said it "didn't hold together well." He has also used the Framus Cobra and Dragon, the Peavey 5150, the Splawn Nitro, the Diezel VH4, and the Fuchs Viper for distorted tones, and the Fender Twin '65 Reverb and Vox AC30 for clean tones. He is currently endorsed by Laney Amplification, used their Ironheart series of amplifiers and currently using Tony Iommi’s signature amplifier TI-100. [13]
In his current live amp rig, he uses both Laney amps, making use of a Laney Iommi head with a Celestion Vintage 30-loaded Laney Iommi 4x12 cabinet for his distorted tones, and a Laney Lionheart 1x12 combo for clean tones.
For his current live effects rig, he makes use of a Maxon OD808 Overdrive, Maxon AD-9 delay, Maxon CP-9 Pro+ compressor, Boss Corporation NS-2 Noise Suppressor, Boss ABY switcher, Jet City JetDirect DI box, and a Korg DTR2000 tuner. For wireless, he uses an Audio-Technica 5000 Series. [14]
Dutkiewicz currently uses D'Addario EXL115 (.011 - .049) string sets with Intune 1.14mm picks. [11]
Regarding Dutkiewicz's stage personality, Joel Stroetzel stated, "Adam likes to take the piss out of things. Just wants to have a good time—kind of act like an asshole, but in a funny way. He likes to get people going, egg the crowd on. He gets up there and calls the crowd ‘pussies’ and all this stuff. But coming from a guy wearing short shorts and a cape, you gotta take things like that in stride." [15]
Talking about Dutkiewicz's stage attire, Jesse Leach stated, "That's his sort of middle finger to everybody, to all the people who act very tough and think metal has to be doom and gloom and trying to be a cool or tough guy, that's his punk rock way." [16]
Dutkiewicz used to be straight edge. [17]
On February 10, 2015, Dutkiewicz was a contestant on the CBS game show The Price Is Right, where he won $51,832 in prizes, including a 2015 Honda Fit, a 2015 Nissan Frontier, a small trailer, and a trip to Borrego Springs. [18]
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, bassist Mike D'Antonio, and drummer Justin Foley. The band has released eight studio albums and three live performance albums. Their eighth studio album, Atonement, was released on August 16, 2019.
Alive or Just Breathing is the second studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. It was released on May 21, 2002, through Roadrunner Records. Alive or Just Breathing was Killswitch Engage's first album on Roadrunner and was recorded from October 2001 to February 2002. Produced by drummer and guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, this was the band's first album on a major label, which prompted them to write and record the album to the best of their abilities. Alive or Just Breathing has been viewed as a landmark album in the metalcore genre and was well praised upon its release by fans and critics. The lyrics, which were all written by vocalist Jesse Leach, were intended to bring a positive message through the music.
The End of Heartache is the third studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. It was released on May 11, 2004, through Roadrunner Records. It is the first album to feature lead vocalist Howard Jones and drummer Justin Foley. It received positive acclaim from critics.
Killswitch Engage is the debut studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage, released July 4, 2000 through Ferret Music. The album is the only release ever by Killswitch Engage to be released through Ferret, the band would later be signed to Roadrunner Records, where their follow-up LP, Alive or Just Breathing was released. The band's debut is considered to be one of the first ever successful albums in the metalcore genre, garnering a re-release five years after its original pressing. No songs in the album were released as singles.
Jesse David Leach is an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the metalcore band Killswitch Engage. He is also a vocalist for Times of Grace and The Weapon. Leach co-founded Killswitch Engage in 1999, but left the band in 2002; in February 2012, he rejoined the group following the departure of vocalist Howard Jones. He currently resides in the Catskill Mountains in New York.
EMG, Inc. is the current legal name of an American company based in Santa Rosa, California that manufactures guitar pickups and EQ accessories. Among guitar and bass accessories, the company sells active humbucker pickups, such as the EMG 81, the EMG 85, the EMG 60, and the EMG 89. They also produce passive pickups such as the EMG-HZ series, which include SRO-OC1's and SC Sets. There is also a series geared towards a more traditional and passive sound known as the X series.
Joel Michael Stroetzel is an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist from the Massachusetts metalcore band Killswitch Engage.
Hughes & Kettner is a German manufacturer of instrument amplifiers, cabinets and effects boxes.
Laney Amplification is a British designer and manufacturer of guitar amplifiers, bass guitar amplifiers, cabinets, and public address systems, selling them exclusively through a network of distributors and retailers.
(Set This) World Ablaze is the first live album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. The DVD is of a live show that was taped at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, on July 25, 2005. It includes live tracks from Killswitch Engage, Alive or Just Breathing and The End of Heartache. Set This World Ablaze is the only Killswitch Engage media to have a Parental Advisory logo.
"Holy Diver" is a song by American heavy metal band Dio. It was released in August 1983 as the lead single from the band's debut album of the same name. Although it only reached number 40 on the Mainstream Rock chart at that time, it is one of Dio's most popular songs today.
"My Curse" is a song by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage, the song is released as the first single from their fourth album As Daylight Dies. It reached #21 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, surpassing the band's last breakthrough single "The End of Heartache". The music video was directed by Lex Halaby, who has also directed videos for Hoobastank and Mudvayne. It is also one of the band's most well known songs.
Killswitch Engage is the fifth studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. It was released on June 30, 2009 through Roadrunner Records. It is the band's second album to be self-titled, the first being their debut album. It was produced by Adam Dutkiewicz and Brendan O'Brien. The album's reception from critics and fans has been mixed, with praise for Howard Jones's vocals and criticism of Dutkiewicz's and O'Brien's production and the album's reliance on formula.
"The End of Heartache" is the title track and second single from Killswitch Engage's third studio album The End of Heartache. The song also appeared as the theme song for the 2004 zombie action film Resident Evil: Apocalypse.
Times of Grace is an American metalcore band formed in Southampton, Massachusetts. The group consists of Adam Dutkiewicz and Jesse Leach while guitarist Joel Stroetzel, bassist Matt Bachand, drummer Dan Gluszak complete the touring lineup. An album was planned for 2009. However, the group remained largely inactive until 2010, releasing the single "Strength in Numbers", with their debut album, titled The Hymn of a Broken Man, released in 2011 through Roadrunner Records.
Disarm the Descent is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. The album was released on April 2, 2013, under Roadrunner Records. It is the band's first album with Jesse Leach on vocals since 2002's Alive or Just Breathing. Killswitch Engage announced the return of Leach in January 2012, after vocalist Howard Jones parted ways with the group due to illness. The album received generally positive reception from professional critics.
"In Due Time" is the lead single from Killswitch Engage's sixth studio album, Disarm the Descent. The song is the band's first single to feature vocalist Jesse Leach since 2003's "The Element of One". The song charted at no. 23 on the Active rock chart and no. 26 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
"Always" is the second single from Killswitch Engage's sixth studio album, Disarm the Descent. The song charted at No. 15 on the Mainstream Rock chart in the US.
Atonement is the eighth studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage, released through Metal Blade Records on August 16, 2019. Lead single "Unleashed" was released on June 25, and followed by "I Am Broken Too" in July which would later follow up with a music video in August, as well as "The Signal Fire" shortly before the album's release. The band began a co-headlining tour of North America with Clutch in promotion of the album in July.
"The Signal Fire" is a song by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. The song was released as the third single from the album in August 2019. The song features guest vocals from Howard Jones, who was the band's lead vocalist from 2002 to 2012.