[11] Gitter played the album for other Roadrunner employees and stated "The feeling was this was something that touched upon classic metal, pulls it up through hardcore, and creates something fairly new and completely exciting.

[12] In summer of 2001, Killswitch Engage recorded a demo produced by drummer/guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz which featured the songs "Transfiguration" (which would later become "Fixation on the Darkness"), "Just Barely Breathing", and "Numbered Days".

After giving the demo to Roadrunner, the label agreed to let Dutkiewicz produce Alive or Just Breathing because they were impressed with his production skills.

[11] As Killswitch Engage started writing for Alive or Just Breathing, then-guitarist Pete Cortese, who co-wrote "Fixation on the Darkness", left the band to spend more with his family.

This required Dutkiewicz to spend more time in the studio producing and writing songs as a whole, rather than just a collection of guitar riffs put together.

[14] On November 3, 2001, Killswitch Engage entered Zing Studios in Westfield, Massachusetts to begin recording Alive or Just Breathing.

Mike Gitter was reluctant to hear of this when Killswitch Engage turned the record into Roadrunner, but was ultimately pleased with the results.

[11] Before the completion of the record, the band brought in Tom Gomes to play drums as Dutkiewicz moved to the empty guitar position.

"In the Unblind" and two newly written songs titled "When the Balance is Broken" and "Untitled and Unloved" respectively, did not make it on to the album, but would eventually be heard on the 2005 reissue of Alive or Just Breathing.

[18] Alive or Just Breathing was mixed in February 2002 at Backstage Productions in Ripley, Derbyshire, UK by Andy Sneap.

Killswitch Engage filmed a music video for the song "My Last Serenade", which gained heavy rotation on MTV's Headbangers Ball and propelled the album to number 37 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart.

[20] By the time the band's third album, The End of Heartache was released, Alive or Just Breathing sold 114,000 copies in the United States.

With a combination of depression, missing his wife, and throat problems, Leach sent D'Antonio an email just a few days before the band was scheduled to play a show, announcing his departure.

"[8] Killswitch Engage very quickly set up auditions to fill the vocalist position in the band and eventually settled on Howard Jones, who was at the time the frontman of Blood Has Been Shed.

The re-release included a bonus enhanced cd with all of the songs left over from the album's recording sessions, as well as a re-recorded version of "Fixation on the Darkness", featuring Jones on lead vocals, a track of studio outtakes and music videos for "My Last Serenade", "Fixation on the Darkness", and "Life to Lifeless".

Erik Thomas from Metalreview.com said "while this album certainly is responsible for the vast amount of saturation, it stands as a pretty trendsetting, stellar must-own example of metalcore.

"[25] Taylor also expressed the impressiveness of the band's "do-it-yourself" work ethic as Dutkiewicz handled all production and D'Antonio "took the time to give much thought on the album's packaging and art direction.

[29] Kevin Boyce of CMJ said, "This album is more addictive than crack cocaine that's been smothered in caffeine and nicotine and drenched with chocolate.

"[27] Boyce also stated his favorite song from the album was "My Last Serenade," and applauded "Just Barely Breathing," comparing parts of it to Metallica's Ride the Lightning.

[34] In a review for 411mania.com, Evocator Manes stated his dislike for the melodic "smooth parts" that he felt were too repetitious throughout Alive or Just Breathing, however he praised the album's production and positive lyrics.

[18] Jesse Leach stated there was a small portion of Killswitch Engage fans who disliked his use of clean singing on the album.