Killswitch Engage’s Jesse Leach Talks Summer of Loud, Cigar Breaks, Def Leppard Love, and Staying Human in the Chaos

By Meltdown – WRIF Detroit

I've never had the chance to interview Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage, so it was cool to connect with him. We covered everything—from his birthday plans to voice acting gigs, the healing power of live music, and even his love for Def Leppard, Sabbath, and more.

His birthday is this week - July 3rd - and he's got plans. “My wife’s flying out as we speak,” he told me, “She booked us an Airbnb. Gonna relax, have a cigar, eat good food.” Yep, the guy who rips his throat open on stage every night likes to chill hard when he can. “I like cigars, man. Just the taste—don’t inhale, just vibe.”

Turns out Jesse shares a birthday with Stephen Pearcy of RATT, which led us into some ‘80s rock talk. “Big Def Leppard fan,” he said. “Their riffs? You’ll hear some of that in Killswitch if you listen close.”

And yeah, he’s met Joe Elliott. “Got a pic with him and everything. Adam [Dutkiewicz] and I both told him what a big deal the band is to us.”

Though glam rock caught his ear early, Jesse said it was punk and hardcore that truly sparked his desire to sing. “That music felt like mine,” he said. “Not handed to me by the radio. It was something I had to find—it felt like I belonged to a tribe.”

He also told me he wasn’t even allowed to listen to secular music growing up. “My dad was a minister. We had to sneak Metallica tapes in.” He even remembered the moment he saw the video for One—a life-changing experience.

Now? “My dad’s one of my biggest fans.”

The Summer of Loud tour is rolling, and Jesse’s loving it. “It’s like summer camp out here,” he said. “No egos, just a bunch of dudes (and one awesome woman) getting along, playing killer shows.”

Old friends like Parkway Drive, Devil Wears Prada, and I Prevail are all on the lineup—and Jesse’s already hit it off with the Beartooth guys.

Yes, Jesse Leach does voice acting. “I played a Viking in a video game,” he told me. “All the yelling, singing, and grunts—that’s me!” He even visited a Japanese animation dubbing studio on tour. “Fascinating stuff. Just a factory of sound and storytelling.”

Killswitch’s latest single, “I Believe” has been resonating. “It’s the message I wanted to put out there,” Jesse said. “Hope. Unity. That there are more good people than bad.”

He added, “That chorus came first. I played it for my wife, and she said, ‘That’s gonna be a hit.’ I agreed.”

We both geeked out over the art of songwriting. “Start with a chorus, man,” he said. “That’s the message in a nutshell.”

Jesse’s a big animal guy. “Two cats right now. I grew up with dogs. Losing the last one was tough—still not ready yet.” We swapped stories about losing pets and how they somehow say everything without saying a word. “Cats would probably talk crap if they could,” he joked. “Dogs just want to make you happy.”

Jesse’s also part of the upcoming Heavy Healing documentary. “Music is therapy,” he said. “It makes you feel less alone in this world. And live music? It’s communal. I talk about that every night on stage—how we come together, no matter who we are, for the love of a band.”

He added, “There’s a ritual to our shows. Adam D makes sure there’s room for fun—reminds people to drink beer and laugh too.”

We wrapped things up talking about Black Sabbath’s final show. “The music world owes a massive debt to Ozzy and Sabbath,” Jesse said. “It’s amazing when a band gets to say goodbye the right way.”

He contrasted that with Iron Maiden. “Bruce is still at the top of his game in his 60s. We toured with them twice. One of the highlights of my life—professional, polite, just class all the way.”

Killswitch Engage hits Detroit mid-July as part of the Summer of Loud with I Prevail, Beartooth, and more. And if you needed a reminder that music is more than sound—it’s connection, memory, and catharsis—Jesse Leach just gave it to you.