Long-running metal record label Roadrunner Records decided to have some fun with one of metal’s most polarizing sub-genres.

Back in 2002, Roadrunner Records decided to promote Killswitch Engage’s Alive or Just Breathing by staging a funeral for nu-metal. YouTuber Jon Satterley, who worked on the clip, posted the video on their YouTube channel for the world to see and said this about it:

“In mid 2002 the Australian branch of Roadrunner Records decided to launch the new Killswitch Engage album, 'Alive or Just Breathing', with a "funeral" for nu metal, a genre we thought would be put to the sword by the fresh (new) sound of KSE.
Little did we know how this funeral would become the stuff of legend! Now, for the first time on YouTube, is the highlight video we created of this timeless (and hilarious) event.
We all now know how effective our funeral and eulogy actually was...and of course it was all in good fun!”

Alive or Just Breathing would go on to become one of metalcore’s most influential albums. The 12-track album would be the final Killswitch Engage album to feature Adam Dutkiewicz on drums; they would jump to lead guitar with Tom Gomes taking over behind the drumkit. Gomes would exit the band a year later and current drummer Justin Foley would take over the position in 2003. Following their Roadrunner Records debut, Killswitch Engage would release five more studio albums with the label.

Roadrunner Records dove into the nu-metal pool during that time with Ill Nino, 36 Crazyfists, and Spineshank. In 2010, Roadrunner Records would sign influential nu-metal band Korn for a handful of studio albums, including the nu-metal/dubstep hybrid The Path of Totality.