Adam Dutkiewicz is best known for being the driving force behind metalcore band KillSwitch Engage. He is a talented all round musician, equally at home on bass, drums, and lead guitar, as well as being a talented background vocalist, producer and engineer.
Dutkiewicz was born in 1977 and grew up in Westhampton Massachusetts. After leaving school he attended the Berklee College of Music, Boston, and studied music production and engineering as well as bass guitar. In 1992 he formed the band Aftershock with his brother Tobias and college friend Joel Stroetzel (Stroetzel did not join until 1996). The band released three EP’s before breaking up in 1999. Aftershock would later reform in 2001.
KillSwitch Engage is undoubtedly the band which Dutkiewicz is most famous for. KillSwitch Engage evolved out of the break up of two Massachusetts metal bands, Aftershock and Overcast. KillSwitch Engage originally comprised of Adam Dutkiewicz on drums, Joel Stroetzel on rhythm guitar, Mike d’Antonio (of Overcast) on bass and Jesse Leache (also of Overcast) on vocals.
KillSwitch Engage recorded a self-titled debut album in 2000. Although the album sold poorly, it gained the attention of Roadrunner Records who went on to sign the band. KillSwitch Engage recorded the album Alive Or Just Breathing in 2002 which gave the band moderate success. The band toured internationally including the UK Road Rage 2002 tour and Ozzfest 2003.
The second album, The End of Heartache, was released in 2004 and was highly successful, receiving a Gold Record. As Daylight Dies was released in 2006 and KillSwitch Engage in 2009.
KillSwitch Engage were named by MTV as being one the Greatest Metal Bands of all time and as one of the ‘founders of metalcore’. The band has toured extensively with some of metals biggest names, such as Slayer and Marilyn Manson.
Dutkiewicz has produced all KillSwitch Engage albums, save the most recent self titled album. Dutkiewicz endorses Parker guitars, and has created a Parker Dragonfly DF842AD Adam Dutkiewicz Signature Model.
In 2008 Adam formed Times Of Grace with Jesse Leache, formerly of KillSwitch Engage. Their first album The Hymn of a Broken Man was released in January, 2011.