Last night, Nov. 25, American metalcore legends Killswitch Engage brought Prague’s SaSaZu venue alive like never before. The night’s lineup was absolutely stacked, with British up-and-comers Employed to Serve opening the night, Polish death metal band Decapitated following to rile the crowd up, and American deathcore band Fit For An Autopsy as direct support.
Employed to Serve came on first, getting the crowd ready for the night of heavy music to come. Lead vocalist Justine Jones thanked the early arrivals profusely for being there before launching directly into some guttural screaming, which she would impressively keep up for the rest of their set. And if the band’s energy wasn’t enough to get everyone excited, Employed to Serve closed their set with “Whose Side Are You On?” featuring Killswitch frontman Jesse Leach, and the man himself joined them on stage for the performance.
Decapitated was up next, and boy did they take things to the next level. Lead singer Eemeli Bodde led by example, whipping his long hair around as he sang, encouraging the crowd to do the same. The majority of their set consisted of tracks from their 2022 album Cancer Culture, but they also threw it back to 2002 with hits like “Spheres of Madness.”
Bodde made a point to be everywhere on that stage, leaning towards the crowd and drawing them into the performance. The peak of their set came when he introduced bassist Pawel Pasek. “This guy over here, his name is Pawel,” he said, “and he won’t start the next song until you guys are loud enough.” The crowd made as much noise as they could, and finally Pawel launched the band into their next song, riding the momentum through the end of their set.
By the time Fit For An Autopsy’s turn came, the room was almost full. The deathcore band played an incredible set at Rock For People 2025, so fans were excited to have them back in Prague again so soon. When they opened with “Lower Purpose” from their most recent album The Nothing There Is, the energy change in the room was palpable. The audience was immediately locked in, captivated by lead singer Joe Badolato’s vocals and the energy of the rest of the band members.
Their set was a good mix of songs from The Nothing There Is as well as their 2022 album Oh What The Future Holds. And, of course, they played their newest certified banger, “It Comes For You.” The crowd went particularly wild for “Hostage,” with Badolato occasionally pausing his screaming in favor of some clean vocals. Guitarist Pat Sheridan made a point of exploring every corner of the stage, playing to the parts of the crowd that were beginning to wrap around the sides of the stage and spill towards the back.
The band demanded a circle pit midway through their set, and the crowd immediately obliged. While pits had opened up a few times during the two openers, fans jumped into this one with a renewed vigor, making it the biggest one of the night so far. Fit For An Autopsy commanded the room until their closing song, “Far From Heaven.”
SaSaZu came alive with anticipation as the crowd waited for Killswitch Engage. We’d already seen Jesse Leach on stage once, and shortly before the set guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz surprised fans near the stage by walking into the crowd wearing an “I’m With Stupid” shirt and a headband that said “BEER,” posing for photos with his guitar. It was clear from that moment that Killswitch Engage’s energy would be like nothing we’d experienced before from such a legendary band: friendly, accessible, and a little bit silly, as if they were your best friends all along.
Jesse Leach opened the set at the front of the stage, launching into one of his signature screams — immediately letting SaSaZu know that Killswitch had arrived. They opened with “Strength of the Mind” from their 2016 album Incarnate before taking it all the way back to 2004 with “Rose of Sharyn.”
The energy radiated from the stage into the audience; Leach was everywhere all at once, while Dutkiewicz was constantly jumping up and down and playing to different sections of the crowd. Guitarist Joel Stroetzl occasionally joined Dutkiewicz in his antics, while bassist Mike D’Antonio occasionally came to the forefront to deliver an epic performance. Drummer Justin Foley sat comfortably in the back, holding down the fort.
The first few songs were a blur of action and emotion as the band took us back to their early days, with Leach even hopping off the stage and onto the barricades to sing into the crowd. And then the crowdsurfing started — and it didn’t stop. People were streaming towards the stage on the hands of others almost faster than security could handle.
After warming us up with some classics, Killswitch Engage dedicated some time to causes they care about, like the environment, with “Aftermath” from their most recent album This Consequence, released earlier this year. Leach also took the time to introduce “Broken Glass,” dedicating it to people who have suffered abuse at the hands of others and saying that he’s one of them. He promised the crowd that “people who abuse others will get what’s coming to them, I’ll tell you that,” before launching into a cathartic performance.
The band kept the energy going all night, peppering in songs from This Consequence between classics from the 2000s and 2010s like “The Arms of Sorrow” and “The Signal Fire,” the latter of which features former Killswitch vocalist Howard Jones.
Leach was constantly coming to the barricade, making sure he got to sing with every fan at the front of the stage, while Dutkiewicz pranced across the stage, making it his own. The circle pit was alive and well throughout the performance, shrinking and expanding at a moment’s notice like lungs when you take a breath.
Towards the end of the set, Leach took a moment to let the crowd know how amazing it was to be there, to make eye contact with fans and be connected during these moments. He took a moment to speak about mental health and encouraged people to reach out to someone if they needed help. “The world we live in looks at vulnerability as a weakness,” he said, “but vulnerability is a strength.”
He further encouraged fans to be good people, stating that the world today needs us to be more open and accepting to those different from themselves. He told us not to let the billionaires divide us, which was fitting given that on the left side of the stage, a sign reading “no war but class war” sat, quiet but powerful, for the entire show.
The crowd went particularly wild for hits like “My Curse” and “The End of Heartache,” fans screaming along with smiles on their faces. Killswitch fittingly closed things out with “My Last Serenade,” leaving fans sweaty, satisfied, and in a daze.
Killswitch Engage was the best show we’ve seen all year, hands down. The band’s energy and interaction with the crowd was unrivaled. Between Dutkiewicz coming out before the set, Leach’s momentum on the stage and his sincerity in what he said to fans, and the flawless musical performance delivered by each and every band member, this was a night we won’t soon forget.
Despite being one of the biggest bands in their genre, Killswitch Engage managed to create a playful yet intimate atmosphere — it truly felt like they could walk off stage at any moment to grab a drink and chat with you. They radiated positivity and their spirit was contagious. They may be a heavy band, but that energy and rage is channeled into positivity and goodness. We left feeling fulfilled and already anticipating our next Killswitch show.
Killswitch Engage will continue their European tour through December 3, when they’ll close things out with a show in Helsinki, Finland. Tickets to the remaining dates are available here.
Follow Killswitch Engage: Website // Facebook // Instagram // Spotify // X
Follow Fit For An Autopsy: Instagram // Spotify // Website
Follow Decapitated: Instagram // Spotify // Website
Follow Employed To Serve: Instagram // Spotify // Website
