Killswitch Engage Tears the Roof Off Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto
Words by: JJ Tartaglia @jjtartaglia
Photos by: Rae Chatten @raerocknroam
It’s Killswitch Engage and Machine Head on a Saturday night in Toronto, you bet metalheads aren’t missing this one. And sure enough the Queen Elizabeth Theatre is packed. First off, what a great package this is, just awesome. This is exactly what gets people out to shows. Plus openers Malevolence on top, whom Killswitch shouted out during their set.
Machine Head haven’t even set foot on stage yet and the crowd is already chanting loudly “Machine-fuckin-Head! Machine-fuckin-Head!” Yes indeed. And they do not disappoint one bit straight out of the gate.
You can’t help but acknowledge that Robb Flynn is one hell of a frontman, he commands the stage and audience with undisputed confidence. And the whole band is ripping too. Sound is perfect. It’s clear the influence Machine Head have had on metal music over the decades, this groove-metal / nu-metal thing that Flynn has perfected, that makes you want to bounce, I feel like it’s truly his. You can see that his dedication to his craft, his music and message, is unwavering.
Absolutely killer show as they pump out the tunes, demanding constant energy from the audience. If I had a beer ticket for every time Flynn called out for a circle pit... They close their set with "Davidian," with the crowd joining in at full volume on the iconic Shotgun Blast line. It’s no wonder Machine Head are still an international headliner in 2026, but tonight, that honour goes to the legendary Killswitch Engage.
MACHINE HEAD SETLIST
Imperium
CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE
Game Over
ØUTSIDER
Locust
BØNESCRAPER
Is There Anybody Out There?
Davidian
Yes pinch yourself and blink twice: Killswitch is in the building and about to go on. They have an exceptional affinity with metalheads, their songs hold a special place. And oh it’s good to see them again, as they take the stage with “Shout At The Devil” as their entrance song, and then right into “Fixation on the Darkness.” The sound is a tad quieter and takes a few songs to dial in, but vocalist Jesse Leach (whom we had the privilege of interviewing earlier in the day, interview coming soon!) wastes no time, already stagediving from the 1st song, still singing while the crowd carries him.
Adam Dutkiewicz is at 110% as always, with his signature antics, hopping along, and singing most of the time even when not doing the backing growls into the mic. The tightness between Adam and drummer Justin Foley is just amazing, as they dig deeper and somehow play harder as the set goes on.
We’re only at the 3rd song and they already break out “The End of Heartache”; everyone in the place is singing now. And they continue to bang out the anthems, spanning their classics, much of their discography and 4 songs from their latest album as well. “Where It Dies” stands out, the groove is ridiculous at this point, just pure smiles and grimacing to the groove.
The band shows their love for the audience, with sincere words of thanks from both Adam and Jesse, also making a point that everyone is always welcome at a Killswitch show. They finish off with a sprint of more hits, to the point that had me wondering what do they have left to play? Do not fret, they close with “My Last Serenade” and conclude a perfect evening of metal. Toronto will be waiting for you for the next time.
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE SETLIST
Fixation of the Darkness
This Is Absolution
The End of Heartache
Aftermath
A Bid Farewell
In Due Time
To the Sons of Man
Unleashed
Hate by Design
Where It Dies
Forever Aligned
The Signal Fire
I Believe
Daylight Dies
Rose of Sharyn
This Fire
My Curse
My Last Serenade
