Adam Dutkiewicz

Adam Jonathan Dutkiewicz (born April 4, 1977) is an American musician and record producer. He is the lead guitarist of the metalcore bands Killswitch Engage, Aftershock and Times of Grace, as well as the guitarist and co-lead vocalist for the melodic death metal supergroup Serpentine Dominion. He has also produced and engineered albums for several other metal bands.

Biography

Early Years Dutkiewicz, of Polish, Austrian, Scottish, and English descent, was born and raised in Westhampton, Massachusetts. Growing up he taught himself Metallica riffs on bass and later learned how to play the drums and lastly the guitar. He attended Hampshire Regional High School. Dutkiewicz also later attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, studying production, audio engineering, and bass guitar. He graduated with a B.M. in 1999. While at college, he began playing guitar and producing for the band Aftershock with his brother Tobias Dutkiewicz and friend Joel Stroetzel. The group's debut album Letters was released in 1997, this was also the first ever recorded Dutkiewicz produced. The group released one more album in 1999 before shortly disbanding.

Killswitch Engage

Following the disbandment of Aftershock in 1999. Dutkiewicz began collaborating with former Overcast bassist Mike D'Antonio and vocalist Jesse Leach to form Killswitch Engage Dutkiewicz, now playing drums, also recruited guitarist Joel Stroetzel to complete the line up. Dutkiewicz was the drummer of Killswitch Engage, until the release of its second album, Alive or Just Breathing, when he moved to guitar, and Tom Gomes became the band's drummer.

In 2004 Dutkiewicz and the band would release their breakthrough album The End of Heartache. Dutkiewicz later commented on this time in a 2019 interview “The moment we were told that we were going to be featured in one of the Resident Evil movies, I realized that people were paying attention to us.” “It was a whole new world that opened up so many possibilities and potentials, so I think we did step it up. It was a good time for us.” During the recording of their certified platinum As Daylight Dies, Dutkiewicz pushed the band to relax their perfectionist habits that he instilled into theme during previous recordings. Part of loosening up was having more casual, relaxed recording sessions. Overall he has assumed the role of producer on all of Killswitch Engage's records,

While Killswitch Engage was writing material for their next album Atonement lead singer Jesse Leach was suffering from both physical and mental issues. So Dutkiewicz took him aside and offered words of inspiration and help him finish laying down the tracks, Leach has described Dutkiewicz as his “musical soul mate”. Their most recent album This Consequence was released in 2025.

Times of Grace

While touring with KillSwitch Engage in 2007 Dutkiewicz had to undergo immediate back surgery. While in the hospital, he wrote new material which he later recorded and demoed at home. Dutkiewicz later contacted Jesse Leach about writing lyrics and recording vocals. This resulted in a side project called Times of Grace, they began recording material in 2008 with Dutkiewicz stating on the group's Myspace that the songs were "an epic mix of Metal/Rock/Pop/Shoe gaze & Punk. Their debut album The Hymn of a Broken Man was released in 2011. In 2021 the group released their second album Songs of Loss and Separation as a celebration of The Hymn of a Broken Man's tenth anniversary.

Production work Dutkiewicz first got into engineering when he bought a four-track cassette recorder, he then continued working on his skills during his time at Berklee. The Acacia Strain, Unearth, All That Remains, From Autumn to Ashes, Parkway Drive, The Agony Scene, He is also an engineer for Zing Recording Studios, which has produced for numerous artists, including several from Tooth & Nail Records and its heavy metal sub-label Solid State Records. In 2003 he would once again join Ken Susi along with Derek Kerswill to form Burn Your Wishes. This group also only made one album before disbanding.

In late 2003, Dutkiewicz became a touring member for Unearth playing the drums as they searched for a permanent replacement for their previous drummer.

In 2009, Dutkiewicz wrote songs for George Fisher and asked him to perform vocals over them. This eventually led to Dutkiewicz forming Serpentine Dominion consisting of Fisher and Shannon Lucas. They released their debut self titled later that same year.

In December 2024, it was announced Dutkiewicz and his former Killswitch Engage bandmate Howard Jones were almost finished mixing a debut album for their new band called Burn Eternal.

Equipment

Guitars Dutkiewicz has been a longtime player of Caparison Guitars mostly using the Caparison PLM-3, a discontinued model, with EMG pickups (EMG 85 in the bridge, and two EMG SA single coils in the middle and neck positions) and DR Tite-Fit .012-.052 strings. He also uses the Caparison Dellinger, Horus, TAT, and Angelus models. He is quoted as saying that he likes the guitars because they have a very "strat-like neck." Ever since 2007, he has been seen using various models and brands, but still uses Caparison for tracking in the studio.

In 2008 shows, Dutkiewicz used a black Parker Fly with an EMG 81/EMG 85 set for pickups. Atop this, he used a custom Caparison, modeled after the Dellinger model. He previously used Parker Guitars for their light weight so as to avoid worsening his back problems, but ended his endorsement due to quality issues after getting his signature model. Sometime in 2008, he switched to using a stock PRS Guitars Custom 22, which he used for a few years. In the video for "In Due Time", Dutkiewicz can be seen using an EVH Wolfgang Hardtail. He has since then switched to EVH Wolfgangs full-time.

Amplification and effects Dutkiewicz has used a wide variety of amps throughout his career, including the Mesa/Boogie Roadster and Triple Rectifier heads, a Marshall JCM900, a modified Soldano SLO-100, and a Hughes and Kettner TriAmp MKII, which he did not like for metal because he said it "didn't hold together well." He has also used the Framus Cobra and Dragon, the Peavey 5150, the Splawn Nitro, the Diezel VH4, and the Fuchs Viper for distorted tones, and the Fender Twin '65 Reverb and Vox AC30 for clean tones. He is currently endorsed by Laney Amplification, used their Ironheart series of amplifiers and currently using Tony Iommi’s signature amplifier TI-100.

For his current live effects rig, he makes use of a Maxon OD808 Overdrive, Maxon AD-9 delay, Maxon CP-9 Pro+ compressor, Boss Corporation NS-2 Noise Suppressor, Boss ABY switcher, Jet City JetDirect DI box, and a Korg DTR2000 tuner. For wireless, he uses an Audio-Technica 5000 Series.

Dutkiewicz currently uses D'Addario EXL115 (.011 - .049) string sets with Intune 1.14mm picks.

Growing up Dutkiewicz listened to a lot of classic rock acts such as AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. He has cited Eddie and Alex Van Halen as an influence on his guitar playing and drumming.

Stage presence Adam Dutkiewicz (far right) performing in Killswitch Engage. Dutkiewicz is well known for his unique stage attire. Dutkiewicz's is known for his energy and humor during live shows, sprinting across the stage and providing other over the top movements. He is said to provide a combination of “comedic showmanship and musical mastery.” He is also known to occasionally wear comedic costumes on stage.

Regarding Dutkiewicz's stage personality, Joel Stroetzel stated, "Adam likes to take the piss out of things. Just wants to have a good time—kind of act like an asshole, but in a funny way. He likes to get people going, egg the crowd on. He gets up there and calls the crowd ‘pussies’ and all this stuff. But coming from a guy wearing short shorts and a cape, you gotta take things like that in stride."

Talking about Dutkiewicz's stage attire, Jesse Leach stated, "That's his sort of middle finger to everybody, to all the people who act very tough and think metal has to be doom and gloom and trying to be a cool or tough guy, that's his punk rock way."

Due to Dutkiewicz and his bandmates efforts they took home the award for best live band at the 2014 Metal Hammer Golden God awards.

Personal life Dutkiewicz resides in San Diego, California, he is an outdoor enthusiasts and stated he fell in love with the city's beaches and hiking trails while producing a record in the area. In his spare time he enjoys cooking and playing video games. Dutkiewicz used to be straight edge.

On February 10, 2015, Dutkiewicz was a contestant on the CBS game show The Price Is Right, where he won $51,832 in prizes, including a 2015 Honda Fit, a 2015 Nissan Frontier, a small trailer, and a trip to Borrego Springs.

Awards and nominations Under Dutkiewicz production work Killswitch Engage album The End of Heartache won best won best album at the 2004 Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards. The title track also gained the band their first Grammy nomination for best metal performance at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards. Since then the group have garnered two more Grammy Nominations in the same category for “In Due Time” (2014) and “Unleashed” (2020) Killswitch Engage has also won 3 Boston Music Awards and their 2006 album As Day Light Dies was nominated for album of the year in 2007. In 2009 their second self titled record won best international album at that years Bandit Rock Awards. Their albums Disarm the Descent and Incarnate were both nominated for metal album of the year at the Loudwire Music Awards. In 2012 Alive or Just Breathing was inducted into the Decibel Hall of Fame.

He also produced the As I Lay Dying album An Ocean Between Us, the lead single "Nothing Left" was nominated for best metal performance at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards.

Discography

Aftershock

Letters (1997) – drums Through the Looking Glass (2000) – lead guitar, vocals

Sweatpant Boners Cruisin' With the Masters (2002) – drums

Burn Your Wishes Split EP w/ The Awards (2003)- guitar

Killswitch Engage

Killswitch Engage (2000) – drums, backing vocals, production Alive or Just Breathing (2002) – drums, piano, guitar, backing vocals, production The End of Heartache (2004) – lead guitar, additional percussion, backing vocals, production As Daylight Dies (2006) – lead guitar, vocals, co-production Killswitch Engage (2009) – guitar, backing vocals, co-production Disarm the Descent (2013) – guitar, vocals, production Incarnate (2016) – guitar, backing vocals, production Atonement (2019) – guitar, vocals, production This Consequence (2025) – guitar, backing vocals, production

Times of Grace

The Hymn of a Broken Man (2011) – vocals, guitars, drums, bass, production Songs of Loss and Separation (2021) – vocals, guitars, bass, production

Serpentine Dominion Serpentine Dominion (2016) – guitars, bass, backing vocals, production

Other appearances Total Brutal by Austrian Death Machine (2008) – production, guitar solo in track "Come with Me If You Want to Live" "A Song for Chi" by Various (2009) – guitars

Production discography Year Artist(s) Album Role1997 Aftershock Letters Producer, engineer, recording, mixing, lead guitar, vocals Shadows Fall To Ashes (EP) Co-producer Shadows Fall Somber Eyes to the Sky Producer, mixing 1998 Aftershock, Dive Aftershock / Dive (Split) Recording, drums, bass, lead guitar, backing vocals, writer 1999 6thirty7 Seed. Producer, mixing Aftershock Through the Looking Glass Engineer, recording, lead guitar, backing vocals, synth programming Aftershock, State Craft Constructive Deconstruction / Forever Yours (Split) Producer, engineer, recording, mixing, drums, lead guitar, backing vocals Liz Lysinger Falling Off My Bench... Mixing (tracks 3, 4 and 9) Maudlin of the Well My Fruit Psychobells...A Seed Combustible Mixing Grimlock Crusades of Reality (EP) Recording, mixing Killswitch Engage Demo Producer, recording 2000 Burial Enlightened with Pain Engineer Flatlined One Step Closer to Eternal Rest (EP) Producer In Pieces Brick Wall Stare (7") Engineer, mastering Rain Fell Within Believe (EP) Mixing Killswitch Engage Killswitch Engage Producer, engineer, recording, guitar (track 9), drums, percussion, backing vocals, writer (track 9) Aftershock Five Steps from Forever (EP) Recording, mixing, guitar, backing vocals 2001 Melodram Melodram (EP) Producer Unearth The Stings of Conscience Producer, recording, mixing Aftershock Propaganda (Compilation) Producer, engineer, recording, mixing (disc 1: tracks 1–8, 11–14, disc 2: tracks 1–14), guitar, backing vocals, programming Acephalus Fetal Display (EP) Recording Every Time I Die Last Night in Town Producer, engineer, recording, mixing From Autumn to Ashes Too Bad You're Beautiful Producer, engineer, additional vocals (track 9), additional guitar, double bass (stand up bass) (track 10) Arma Angelus Where Sleeplessness Is Rest from Nightmares Producer, engineer, recording 2002 Cannae Demo 2002 Engineer Split Shift Split Shift Engineer Trauma Concept The End of Denial Producer, recording, mixing and mastering Proclamation Let the Truth Be Told (Compilation) Remixing (tracks 1-24) Acephalus Forgotten Shadows Engineer, mixing All That Remains Behind Silence and Solitude Producer Killswitch Engage Alive or Just Breathing Producer, engineer, recording, additional guitar, drums, percussion, piano, double bass (stand up bass), backing vocals, writer Norma Jean Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child Producer The Acacia Strain ...And Life Is Very Long Recording Unearth Endless (EP) Producer, engineer, recording (tracks 1–3), mixing 2003 Burn Your Wishes, The Awards Burn Your Wishes & The Awards (Split) Recording (tracks 1–4) With Honor With Honor (EP) Recording, mixing and mastering The Agony Scene The Agony Scene Producer, engineer Cannae Horror Producer, engineer, recording, mastering 2004 All That Remains This Darkened Heart Producer, engineer, recording, mixing, writer Killswitch Engage The End of Heartache Producer, engineer, recording, mixing (tracks 16–18), lead guitar, additional percussion, backing vocals, writer Unearth The Oncoming Storm Producer, engineer, recording, mixing The Acacia Strain 3750 Producer, engineer Salem, Johnny Truant The Bloodening / Brighton By The Sea (Split 7") Producer, mixing and mastering He Is Legend I Am Hollywood Producer, mixing 2005 Killswitch Engage Killswitch Engage (2005 Reissue) Producer, remixing, remastering, guitar (track 9), drums, backing vocals, writer (track 9) Parkway Drive Killing with a Smile Producer, engineer, recording, mixing Johnny Truant In the Library of Horrific Events Producer, vocal producer, vocal recording (track 2), mixing and mastering August Burns Red Thrill Seeker Producer, engineer, recording, mixing Unearth Our Days of Eulogy Producer, recording, mixing Killswitch Engage (Set This) World Ablaze Producer, mixing, lead guitar, backing vocals, writer 2006 Once Beloved Once Beloved (EP) Producer The Acacia Strain The Dead Walk Producer, recording, mixing Underoath Define the Great Line Producer, guitar (track 11) All That Remains The Fall of Ideals Producer, engineer, recording, mixing Killswitch Engage As Daylight Dies Producer, engineer, recording, mixing, lead guitar, backing vocals, writer 2007 Caliban The Awakening Mixing As I Lay Dying An Ocean Between Us Producer, recording Parkway Drive Horizons Producer, engineer, recording, mixing 2008 MyChildren MyBride Unbreakable Mixing Austrian Death Machine Total Brutal Producer, guitar solo (track 6) Overcast Reborn to Kill Again Producer, engineer, mixing Underoath Lost in the Sound of Separation Producer Unearth The March Producer, engineer, recording 2009 A Day to Remember Homesick Mixing Killswitch Engage Killswitch Engage Co-producer, engineer, recording (guitar and bass), mixing, lead guitar, writer Caliban Say Hello to Tragedy Mixing Various "A Song for Chi" Guitar, writer 2010 Various God of War: Blood & Metal (EP) Co-producer, mixing, guitar, backing vocals, writer (track 1) As I Lay Dying The Powerless Rise Producer, engineer, recording A Day to Remember Attack of the Killer B-Sides (EP) Mixing All That Remains ...For We Are Many Producer, engineer, recording, mixing 2011 Times of Grace The Hymn of a Broken Man Producer, engineer, recording, mixing, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, vocals, lyrics, writer Unearth Darkness in the Light Producer, engineer The Devil Wears Prada Dead Throne Producer, engineer, recording, mixing As I Lay Dying Decas Producer, engineer, recording (track 1) 2012 Shadows Fall Fire from the Sky Producer, engineer, recording All That Remains A War You Cannot Win Producer, engineer, recording 2013 Killswitch Engage Disarm the Descent Producer, engineer, recording, lead guitar, backing vocals, lyrics, writer The Devil Wears Prada 8:18 Producer 2016 Killswitch Engage Incarnate Producer, engineer, recording, mixing, lead guitar, backing vocals, writer Serpentine Dominion Serpentine Dominion Producer, engineer, mixing, guitar, bass, vocals, lyrics, writer 2018 Unearth Extinction(s) Engineer (drums), recording 2019 Killswitch Engage Atonement Producer, engineer, recording, lead guitar, backing vocals, writer As I Lay Dying Shaped by Fire Co-producer (additional), engineer (drums), recording 2020 Killswitch Engage Atonement II: B-Sides for Charity (EP) Producer, engineer, lead guitar, backing vocals, writer 2021 Two Minutes to Late Night Covers Vol. 8 (EP) Guitar, writer (track 3) Times of Grace Songs of Loss and Separation Producer, engineer, mixing, guitar, bass, backing vocals, lyrics, writer 2023 Creeping Death Boundless Domain Producer, recording, mixing A Day to Remember For Those Who Have Heart Remixing 2025 Killswitch Engage This Consequence Producer, engineer, lead guitar, backing vocals, writer