“We’re way more into that 80s thrash than anything death metal. Testament and Among the Living era Anthrax, Master of Puppets Metallica – that’s all the stuff when we were growing up that really influenced us the most. We’ve always listened to some of the death metal, some of the Swedish stuff like At the Gates, In Flames, and stuff like that, and you can’t ignore that at this point; it’s part of metal now.”
— Shadows Fall lead singer Brian Fair
Shadows Fall has been honing its craft since 1997. The band’s debut album, the independently-released “Somber Eyes to the Sky,” laid a solid foundation of hard-hitting metal with a thrash edge and melody for the band to grow and expand upon.
A fairly substantial hit in the underground New England metal scene (the band hails from Massachusetts), Shadows Fall soon grew a substantial local following and caught the attention of Century Media. The band’s frontman Phil Labonte left to pursue other avenues (eventually forming All That Remains); the band picked up former Overcast singer Brian Fair; and the rest is history … well, not quite.
The group’s national debut, “Of One Blood,” was a solid outing, but the band seemed to find more success overseas (the group is absolutely huge in Japan) than in its own backyard. Shadows Falls started to become one of those metal bands that people knew of, but didn’t really know (much like Vision of Disorder back in the da, where it became trendy to name-drop the band or wear the shirts even if you weren’t really a fan).
A compilation (“Fear Will Drag You Down”) furthered the band’s growing “mystique,” and by the time “The Art of Balance” was released in 2002, the band’s national fanbase was expanding rapidly. Constant touring with the likes of Hatebreed, Mushroomhead, Kittie and In Flames didn’t hurt and, after a widely successful outing with the Ozzfest tour in 2003, the band’s elite status in the metal scene was solidified. Following the killer “Balance” disc with the equally-impressive “The War Within” in 2004, the band is obviously in a groove, a roll, and shows little signs of letting up.
Shadows Fall is one of the first bands to really bring the European mentality of metal and incorporate it into an American form. The band is technically sound, able to bust out intricate guitar solos at the drop of a hat; the vocals shift from gritty death growls to melodic bridges without missing a beat; the drumming is fierce yet subtle and never overpowering.
When it came time to pick a classic, the choice was pretty easy. Labonte’s outing on “Somber Eyes” is a great album, but hardly the band’s best work (though an important part of the late ’90s metal scene in my opinion). “Of One Blood” still felt like an underground effort — solid, but hardly a classic. “The War Within” is phenomenal, but it almost seems like a retread of what I consider to be a true New Classic …
Shadows Fall
The Art of Balance
Century Media Records
We wanted to create a full on thrash metal album, especially the way they had variety back then. You had like the three-minute basher to open the record, an eight-minute metal epic somewhere in the middle, and the total power thrash ballad somewhere along the line. We wanted to do that instead of just making nine songs that all sounded very similar. We just wanted to mix it up.
— lead singer Brian Fair
The core of Shadows Falls sound comes from the tag-team of guitarists Jonathan Donais and Matthew Bachand. The duo trade licks and riffs, crafting amazing solos which the metal scene had really been lacking for a good part of the late ’90s. This, coupled with the dual vocals from Fair (everything from growling wails to melodic singing) and the complex back beats is what pushes Shadows Fall to the front of the line.
The song structures are never boring: a combination of the technical mastery and shifting tempos keep listeners on their toes and only add to the overall metal-effect of the band’s music. Much like Metallica’s “And Justice For All” (only with audible bass), “The Art of Balance” is an epic of a metal release. Each track is turgid with solos, bridges, anthemic choruses and elaborate verses.
From the explosive (“Destroyer of Senses,” “Idle Hands” and “Thoughts Without Words”) to the epic (“Stepping Outside the Circle” and “Idiot Box”) to the haunting and almost beautiful (the instrumentals “Casting Shade” and “Prelude to Disaster” and “Fire in Babylon”), never is a song predictable and every one is a headbanger. The band sounds like a throwback to mid ’80s power metal, but with that European edge of technical mastery; not quite thrash, not quite melodic hardcore … but definitely a classic.
Like I already said, Shadows Fall’s follow-up “The War Within” almost felt like a retread of “The Art of Balance,” not that that is a bad thing. And really, that’s simply this writer being a little too harsh in order to justify a pick. If anything, “The War Within” is a glimpse of where Shadows Fall is headed. The album is edgier, heavier, but still undoubtedly Shadows Fall.
Fusing metal and melody, the band has crafted a sound instantly recognizable and hard to duplicate. Each element of the band’s sound — the hard-hitting drumming and bass work; the dueling guitarists; the two-sided vocals — is a perfect piece to the puzzle that is glued together with inspiration (the 80s metal scene) and emulation (the European metal scene).
The band can only improve, so I see big things in its future. (Personally, I envision the band becoming even more elaborate and epic in its song structure, but I’m not sure if that’s really where the band is headed or simply my own wish.) If ever there was an album to retread over and over again, “The Art of Balance” isn’t a bad choice.
I hold Shadows Fall in an elite class. The band is definitely at the forefront of the American metal scene. With “The Art of Balance,” Shadows Fall displayed just that, balancing a variety of influences and abilities into one of the better metal outings of the new millennium. THIS is the ultimate Shadows Fall album and if someone were t ask me for a short list of solid tech-metal albums to pick up, this would be right near the top of the list.
There’s a difference between loving a band and loving a band’s material. While Shadows Fall doesn’t have a permanent spot on my list of favorite bands, I can’t deny just how good the group’s material is. If you’re a fan of any style of metal, there’s something on here for you. “The Art of Balance” actually packs the most bang for your buck as I can’t think of many other recent albums filled with more metal.
And that’s that. Until next time, take it easy. Stay tuned and enjoy the ride …
