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| Shadows Fall |
Shadows Fall is an American metal band from Springfield,
Massachusetts, formed in 1995. They are
one of the few contemporary metal bands who take their lyrical influence from
some references to the Rastafari culture. Although the band has experienced
several line-up changes, for most of its recording career Shadows Fall has been
composed of Brian Fair (vocals), Jonathan Donais (lead guitar), Matt Bachand (guitar), Paul Romanko (bass), and Jason Bittner (drums).
Shadows Fall have
released seven studio albums, two compilation albums, and two DVDs. The band's
first album featured Philip Labonte
on vocals, although he was soon replaced by Fair. Shadows Fall's first two
studio albums featured David Germain
playing drums, but in 2002 Bittner joined the band full time. In February 2008,
the band was a Grammy Award
nominee in the category Best Metal Performance
for the song "Redemption" off the album Threads of Life.
In late 2011, the band entered the studio to begin recording their latest
studio album. The album, Fire From the Sky, was released on May
15, 2012, and is the first to be produced by Adam Dutkiewicz since the band's first
studio release.
History
Formation and Somber
Eyes to the Sky (1995–1997)
Shadows Fall was
formed in 1995 by guitarists Jonathan Donais and Matt Bachand, then good friends from the
local music scene. Bachand had perviously been a founding member of a death
metal band and Donais a member of the metalcore band Aftershock.
By 1996 the band had found a complete lineup with the addition of Damien McPherson
(vocals), Mark Laliberte (bass), and David Germain (drums). Also in 1996, Adam Dutkiewicz performed live drums to
fill in for Germain. By late 1996, the band recorded and released a demo titled
Mourning a Dead World, of which only about 200 copies were produced.
McPherson decided to leave the band, and was replaced by Philip Labonte in 1997. Around the same
time, bass guitarist Paul Romanko, formally of the hardcore band Pushbutton
Warfare, was recruited as a permanent replacement for Laliberte, who had
originally joined on a temporary basis. Now with a more solid lineup, the band
released its first EP, To Ashes, with Dutkiewicz playing as a session
drummer. The band's name, according to Bachand, comes from the title of a comic
book published in the early 1990s.
Shadows Fall toured the New England area opening for
artists such as Fear Factory
and Cannibal Corpse.
On November 30, 1997, the band released its first studio album Somber Eyes to the
Sky, through Bachand's recording label, Lifeless Records.
Of One Blood (1998–2000)
In 1998, Labonte
was asked to leave the band due to personal and artistic differences. He had
ideas for a side project while a member of the band, and went on to form All That Remains.
The band looked for a replacement vocalist and eventually recruited Brian Fair of the pioneering metalcore
band Overcast.
The band had been friends with Fair for years. After a US Summer tour with Shai Hulud,
Overcast disbanded and the band asked Fair if he would like to join Shadows
Fall. While on tour Shadows Fall was signed to Century Media
Records. The band recorded its second studio album Of One Blood
with Fair on vocals in 2000, and the release included re-recorded songs from Somber
Eyes to the Sky. In 2001, David Germain decided to leave the band due to
alcoholism, and was replaced by former Stigmata drummer Jason Bittner.
The Art of Balance (2001–2003)
Due to repeated
comparisons with Gothenburg melodic
death metal bands, Shadows Fall decided to change its style to find
its own sound. Inspired by more thrash, hard rock and power ballad influences, the band recorded
its third studio album, titled The Art of Balance.
Released on September 17, 2002, the album peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Top Independent albums chart.
Shadows Fall released three music videos to promote the album; "Thoughts
Without Words", "Destroyer of Senses", and "The Idiot
Box". The Art of Balance featured a cover of the Pink Floyd song "Welcome to the
Machine." Andy Hinds of Allmusic stated the album is "a
modern heavy metal album that is both brutal and highly musical, traditional
yet forward-thinking", but criticized the placement of "Welcome to
the Machine", stating the song "is stylishly well-executed, but seems
a tad out of place nonetheless." Shadows Fall supported The Art of
Balance by touring on Ozzfest in 2003.
The War Within (2004–2006)
Shadows Fall
released its fourth studio album The War Within
on September 21, 2004. It was the first release to enter the Billboard 200 for the band at number 20,
and peaked at number one on the Top Independent albums chart. In promotion for
the album, Shadows Fall released four music videos over the course of one year;
"The Power of I and I", "What Drives the Weak", "Inspiration
on Demand", and "Enlightened By the Cold". The song "What
Drives the Weak" received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance in 2006, however the award went to Slipknot for the song "Before I Forget".
"The Light That Blinds" was featured in the video game Guitar Hero II. Wade Kergan of
Allmusic praised the album stating the band has "grown beyond the confines
of the metal-loving hardcore crowd anyway, with more in common now with the
classic thrash of Metallica
than the metal-tinged hardcore of Coalesce". As of 2008, the album has
sold almost 300,000 copies in the United States.
Shadows Fall
released its first DVD The Art of Touring
in November 2005. The DVD included a live concert, backstage footage, and six
music videos. The band released its final CD on Century Media Records, titled Fallout from the
War on June 13, 2006. Released as a compilation album, it debuted at number 83
on the Billboard 200. Fallout from the War included tracks recorded for The
War Within that did not make it on to the album, b-sides, re-recordings, and cover songs. David
Jeffries of Allmusic claimed the album is "a great informal introduction
to the ferocious and melodic witches' brew Shadows Fall always seems to
nail."
Threads of Life (2007–2008)
Shadows Fall signed
a deal with Atlantic Records
to distribute the band's albums in the United States, and a deal with Roadrunner Records
for international distribution. The band released its fifth studio album Threads of Life on April 3, 2007.
"Redemption", the first single from the CD was released on February
20, 2007 through iTunes with an accompanying music video.
"Redemption" received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal
performance; the award ceremony as held on February 10, 2008. Slayer's
"Eyes of the Insane" won the award. Thom Jurek of Allmusic stated
Shadows Fall has "lost none of the fire, attack or attitude" on Threads
of Life. Jurek also said the album featured "killer guitar breaks, big
fat chugging riffs, power-slam skin work, cattle prod bass, and cool little
hooks and melodic touches on top of those bludgeoning riffs make Threads of
Life a major label debut of merit, and a metal record worthy of
celebrating."[25] Keith Bergman of Blabbermouth.net stated "Threads
of Life is slick as hell."[26]
Shadows Fall
toured in support of Threads of Life, including making appearances at
the Jägermeister tour
with Stone Sour and Lacuna Coil, the Operation Annihilation
tour with Static-X, 3 Inches of Blood, and Divine Heresy, and the Black Crusade tour
with Trivium,
Machine Head,
Dragonforce, and Arch Enemy.
The band was a part of the Soundwave tour in Australia and in Asia in February
2008, along with Killswitch Engage,
As I Lay Dying,
and Bleeding Through.
Retribution (2009–2011)
Shadows Fall
released their sixth album, Retribution,
on September 15, 2009, through the band's own label, Everblack
Industries, which was created in conjunction with Warner Music
Group's ILG, Ferret Music and ChannelZERO Entertainment. It is being released
in the UK via Spinefarm Records.
The album was produced by Chris "Zeuss" Harris. Drummer Jason Bittner
recently stated about the band's new material, "The songs are a little
more on the darker, angry side... lots of heaviness, lots of crazy guitar, and
LOTS of room for me to have some fun. There is no doubt in my mind that this
will be the best performance of my career, so far, and I owe that to my guys
for bringing me incredible riffs to write killer drum parts to." As of the
fall of 2009 the band was appearing on the 'Shock & Raw' tour of North
America with 2Cents, Otep & Five Finger Death
Punch. After a South American tour, Shadows Fall will be playing on
the Jägermeister Stage in the 2010 Rockstar Mayhem Festival in July and August
2010. The band is also scheduled to support Lamb of God
on their Australian tour in December 2009[31] Shadows Fall is pleased to
announce their first and only New York City performance this year, taking place
at Santos Party House on December 18, 2010 with direct support from Thy Will Be Done.
Shadows Fall
released a live CD/DVD, Madness in Manila: Shadows Fall Live in The
Philippines 2009, on October 26.
Fire From the Sky (2012)
In late 2011,
Shadows Fall entered the studio to begin recording their seventh studio album.
While in the studio, they held live video streams to discuss the progress of
the album and answer questions from fans. This album is the first to be
produced by Adam Dutkiewicz
since the band's original studio release, Somber Eyes to the
Sky. Fire From the Sky
was released on May 15, 2012 through Razor & Tie.
Band members
Current members
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Former members
Session members
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Discography
Albums
Studio albums
Year
|
Album
|
|
1998
|
–
|
|
2000
|
–
|
|
2002
|
15[A]
|
|
2004
|
20
|
|
2007
|
46
|
|
2009
|
35
|
|
2012
|
38
|
- A^ The Art of Balance debuted at No. 15 on the Top Independent Albums.
Compilation albums
Year
|
Album
|
2002
|
|
2006
|
|
2007
|
Video albums
Year
|
Album
|
2005
|
|
2010
|
Singles
Year
|
Title
|
Album
|
|
2004
|
"What
Drives the Weak"
|
38
|
The War Within
|
2005
|
"Inspiration
on Demand"
|
33
|
|
"Enlightened
by the Cold"
|
—
|
||
2007
|
37
|
Threads of Life
|
|
"Another
Hero Lost"
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40
|
||
2009
|
"Still I
Rise"
|
—
|
Retribution
|
"King of
Nothing"
|
—
|
||
2010
|
—
|
||
2012
|
"The
Unknown"
|
—
|
Fire from the
Sky
|
Music videos
Year
|
Title
|
Director
|
2002
|
"Thoughts
Without Words"
|
|
"Destroyer
of Senses"
|
||
"The Idiot
Box"
|
||
2004
|
"The Power
of I and I"
|
|
"What
Drives the Weak"
|
Zach Merck
|
|
"Inspiration
on Demand"
|
||
2005
|
"Enlightened
by the Cold"
|
Zach Merck
|
2006
|
"In
Effigy"
|
|
2007
|
"Redemption"
|
|
"Another
Hero Lost"
|
||
"Burning
the Lives"
|
||
"Forevermore"
|
||
2009
|
"Still I
Rise"
|
Zack Merck
|
2010
|
"Bark at
the Moon"
|
David Brodsky
|
Awards and
nominations
Nominations
- Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance – "What Drives the Weak" (2006)[18]
- Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance – "Redemption" (2008)
Official website www.shadowsfall.com
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