Echoes In Ashes have released a new cover of Killswitch Engage’s “The End Of Heartache,” taking on one of the most recognizable songs from the Howard Jones era of melodic metalcore. The cover arrived on May 15, 2026, and has been picking up momentum among metalcore fans since.
For many in the scene, “The End Of Heartache” is not just another Killswitch Engage track – it is one of the songs that helped define what melodic metalcore could look and sound like: heavy enough to hit hard, emotional enough to stay. Taking on a track with that kind of weight says something about where Echoes In Ashes are as a band, and where they see themselves going.
Watch Echoes In Ashes take on Killswitch Engage’s “The End Of Heartache” below.
Echoes In Ashes Put Their Own Stamp on a Metalcore Classic
The cover keeps the emotional weight of the original firmly intact. Rather than reworking the track beyond recognition, Echoes In Ashes deliver a faithful but high-energy modern take – leaning into the same contrast that made the original iconic: heavy riffs, harsh vocals, sweeping clean melodies, and a chorus built to land hard. It is a tribute that understands exactly why the song still works more than two decades on.
That sense of connection with the source material is no accident. Killswitch Engage have been cited as a direct influence on the band’s sound, which gives this particular cover real meaning. “The End Of Heartache” is not a random pick – it is the kind of song that shapes a band long before they ever step into a studio of their own.
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Read The Rock Orchestra Covers AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck”Who Are Echoes In Ashes?
Echoes In Ashes are a metalcore band from Phoenix, Arizona, formed in 2019. Their sound sits at the heavier, more melodic end of modern metalcore – complex, emotionally intense, and built around the dynamic contrast between aggression and melody that the genre does at its best. The band released their debut album FLAWS in 2021 and followed it with the Proxima EP in 2025, building a steady following in the Arizona metal scene and finding new audiences with each release.
The band has shared stages with established heavy acts including Monuments and DOPE, and their catalog shows a band continuously refining its craft. With Killswitch Engage listed firmly among their core influences, a cover of “The End Of Heartache” is as much a personal statement as it is a musical performance.
Why “The End Of Heartache” Still Matters
Released in August 2004 as the title track from Killswitch Engage’s third studio album of the same name, “The End Of Heartache” marked a turning point for the band – and for metalcore as a whole. It was the first Killswitch Engage album to feature vocalist Howard Jones, and the title track became the band’s breakthrough single, peaking at No. 31 on the Mainstream Rock Chart.
The song reached well beyond the heavy music underground: it was selected as the main single for the Resident Evil: Apocalypse soundtrack, and in 2005 earned Killswitch Engage a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards. More than a milestone, it helped bring the emotional and melodic side of metalcore to a far wider audience – and twenty years later, it still holds up as one of the genre’s most enduring tracks.
You can also revisit Killswitch Engage’s original version below.
Covering a song like “The End Of Heartache” is a bold move for any modern metalcore band. Echoes In Ashes don’t try to erase what made the original special – they use it as a foundation, giving longtime Killswitch Engage fans and newer listeners alike another reason to return to one of the genre’s most enduring anthems. More than two decades later, “The End Of Heartache” still hits hard – and Echoes In Ashes clearly understand why.
For more heavy reinterpretations of iconic songs, check out our list of the best rock and metal covers of pop songs, revisit The Rock Orchestra’s explosive “Thunderstruck” cover featuring Daria Zaritskaya and Mia Asano, or explore our picks for the best female-fronted rock and metal covers.
