Killswitch Engage’s ‘Rose of Sharyn’ Gets Stunning Acoustic + Violin Treatment
It's truly incredible how universal music is as one style is often reinterpreted under wholly different sonic circumstances. By now, we've grown accustom to classical renditions of heavy metal songs as the two genres have a fair amount of crossover similarities in both playing and composition. Here, we're treated to a stunning rendition of Killswitch Engage's fan-favorite "Rose of Sharyn," which is stripped down to just just two acoustic guitars, a keyboard and a violin.
For an immediate comparison, this cover by the band Boomin carries a similar aesthetic to Tori Amos' ethereal cover of Slayer's brutish "Raining Blood." Even die-hard Killswitch fans will likely not recognize this song as a cover of "Rose of Sharyn" as this version is a polar contrast of the original.
Opening up with delicate acoustic strumming and a timid vocal delivery, Boomin offer a slightly minimalist approach before getting an energy boost from impassioned singing, more aggressive strumming and the added textures of the keyboard and the ever-mournful violin. A full 20 seconds longer than the Killswitch Engage cut, the band plays around with the vocal phrasing, but do retain a balance of lighter moments against a fuller sound, much like the metalcore veterans do.
This isn't the first time fans have had the opportunity to hear Killswitch in a different light as the Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star series released lullaby renditions of seven KsE hits earlier this year. "Rose of Sharyn" was not amongst the song selection, but other tracks like "The End of Heartache" and "Hate By Design" appear on the release as well as "My Curse," which can be heard here.
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