Howard Jones (American singer)

Howard Jones (born July 20, 1970) is an American heavy metal and metalcore vocalist best known as the former lead singer of Killswitch Engage and Blood Has Been Shed. He is the current vocalist of Light the Torch, formerly known as Devil You Know, and SION with YouTuber/guitarist Jared Dines.

Howard Jones
Jones in 2018
Background information
Born	(1970-07-20) July 20, 1970 (age 55)[1]
Origin	Columbus, Ohio, U.S.[2]
Genres	Metalcore melodic metalcore alternative metal
Occupations	Singer songwriter
Years active	1996–present
Member of	Light the Torch SION
Formerly of	Killswitch Engage Blood Has Been Shed

Jones' vocal performances have been described as "emotive and strident", and he has been referred to as "one of metalcore's finest singers".^[3]

Career

Born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1970, Jones was metalhead growing up. With his classmates viewing him as an outcast but was cool by friends. He often searched for underground bands to invest in. During his school days he was always listening to something while walking down the halls. If someone approached Jones, he would discuss music until he shared what was on his mind. His exploration of music eventually led him to the band Driven in 1996.^[4]

Jones started making music in the underground band Driven in 1996, releasing a single album. He later performed with Blood Has Been Shed from 1997 to 2004. During this time Jones began to masters his growls while discovering his impressive singing abilities. In 2002, he joined Killswitch Engage as their new vocalist after Jesse Leach left the band. During his time with Killswitch Engage, they released two gold-certified albums, The End of Heartache and As Daylight Dies, as well as a second self-titled album. (As Daylight Dies has since been certified Platinum in 2021) These albums really showed Jones full ability of his singing. Using his colossal voice alongside his blistering screams. Jones left the band after nearly ten years in 2012, but remained a close friend. He would go on to collaborate with them again for the single "The Signal Fire" from their album Atonement. His later band Light the Torch would also tour with Killswitch Engage, and he would appear with the band onstage to perform the song, as well as other songs from his time with them, often as a duet alongside Leach.

Jones still makes sporadic appearances when Kill Switch Engage goes on tour. With him surprising crowds and singing alongside Leach.^[5]

Jones started a new band Devil You Know with guitarist Francesco Artusato (All Shall Perish) and drummer John Sankey (Devolved, Fear Factory and Divine Heresy). After Sankey's departure and his attempt to claim the copyright of the band's name, the rest of the band members started again with a fresh name, Light the Torch, with the addition of a new drummer. So far the band has released 4 studio albums with their most recent coming being released in 2021.

In 2020 Jones released a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s song Simple man once again showing his vocal capacity. Jones rendition of the song was met with high praise from fans and critics alike.^[6][7]

In March 2021, Jones joined with heavy metal YouTuber Jared Dines and producer Hiram Hernandez to release "The Blade" as part of a new project named Sion.^[8]

On December 3, 2024, Jones via his Instagram confirmed that He and former Killswitch Engage bandmate Adam Dutkiewicz were almost finished mixing a Debut Album for their new band called Burn Eternal.^[9] In July of 2025 Jones stated that he started working on a Solo album.^[10]

Personal life

Jones is an avid fisherman and owns property on the Red River of the North in Manitoba, Canada. He is a frequent guest on Jamey Jasta's podcast on the GaS Digital Network. Jones left Killswitch Engage in early 2012 to allow himself to manage his type 2 diabetes, which was worsened by a hectic touring lifestyle.^[11] In 2014, Jones stated that his diabetes put him in a coma for three days.^[12]

Jones later stated “I was going insane. It never occurred to me to get help. For years, I just tried to fight through it and I was driving those guys berserk. My anxiety was building and building, and near the end, there were a lot of times I’d sit in the back of the bus or lie in my bunk for hours on end without speaking to anyone.”

In 2015, Jones revealed that he had struggled with anxiety and depression for a long time, which had been worsened by his rise to fame in Killswitch Engage. He revealed that he had come close to committing suicide in 2009, when he had aimed a .44 Magnum revolver at his head in his apartment in Connecticut, and that the police had intervened after being notified by a concerned neighbor.^[13] In 2018, he teamed up with his former band to raise awareness for mental health;^[14] the resulting song "The Signal Fire" appears on the 2019 album Atonement.^[15]

Although formerly straight edge,^[16] Jones now shares a passion for medical cannabis with friend and fellow Killswitch Engage frontman Jesse Leach.^[14]

Discography

Jones in 2005

Blood Has Been Shed

• I Dwell on Thoughts of You (September 21, 1999, Ferret Records)
• Novella of Uriel (February 20, 2001, Ferret Records)
• Spirals (March 11, 2003, Ferret Records)

Killswitch Engage

• The End of Heartache (May 11, 2004, Roadrunner Records)
• As Daylight Dies (November 21, 2006, Roadrunner Records)
• Killswitch Engage (June 30, 2009, Roadrunner Records)

Light the Torch (formerly Devil You Know)

• The Beauty of Destruction (April 25, 2014, Nuclear Blast)^[17]
• They Bleed Red (November 6, 2015, Nuclear Blast)
• Revival (March 30, 2018, Nuclear Blast)
• You Will Be the Death of Me (June 25, 2021, Nuclear Blast)

SION

• SION (November 26, 2021, Independent)^[18]

Guest appearances

• Fragment – Answers ("Inertia") *First ever guest appearance
• 36 Crazyfists – Rest Inside the Flames ("Elysium")
• Demon Hunter – Summer of Darkness ("Our Faces Fall Apart")
• Eighteen Visions – Vanity ("One Hell of a Prize Fighter")
• Roadrunner United – All-Star Sessions ("The Dagger")
• Throwdown – Vendetta ("The World Behind")
• Ill Bill – The Hour of Reprisal ("Babylon")
• Every Time I Die – Last Night in Town ("Punch-Drunk Punk Rock Romance")
• Believer – Gabriel ("The Brave")
• Asking Alexandria – From Death to Destiny ("Until the End") *First guest appearance since leaving Killswitch Engage.
• Within Temptation – Hydra ("Dangerous")
• Jasta - The Lost Chapters ("Chasing Demons")^[19]
• Violent New Breed – Bad Reputation ("Bury Me")^[20]
• Killswitch Engage – Atonement ("The Signal Fire")
• Jasta – The Lost Chapters Volume 2 ("Heaven Gets What It Wants")
• Crobot – Rat Child ("Kiss it Goodbye")^[21]
• Eyes Set to Kill – Damna ("Face the Rain")^[22]
• Ov Sulfur – The Burden Ov Faith ("Wide Open")^[23]
• ONI – The Silver Line ("Aura")^[24]
• Crobot – "Obsidian". September 13, 2024^[25]
• Mark Morton – Ether EP ("Love My Enemy")
• Body Count – Merciless ("Live Forever")

Accomplishments

During Jones tenure with Killswitch engage the band won a hand full of awards. With The End of Heartache winning best album at the 2004 Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards along with the band being nominated for the best international act. The song The End of Heartache was also nominated for best metal performance at the Grammys in 2005.^[26][27]

In 2007 Jones and Killswitch would win best international band at that years Metal Hammer Golden God Awards.^[28] That same year Killswitch would win both most Outstanding Metal/Hardcore Band of the Year and Act of the Year at the Boston Music Awards. Along with their album As Daylight Dies being nominated for album of the year. Individually Jones was nominated for the National Male Vocalist of the Year.^[29]

In 2014 Jones and his new band Devil you know (now known as Light the Torch) won the Best New Band award at that year’s Metal Hammer Golden God awards.^[30]