So I'm listening to this new record here.

[Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye 0]

Shadow's Fall - The War Within

 

1. The Light That Blinds

2. Enlightened By The Cold

3. Act Of Contrition

4. What Drives The Weak

5. Stillness

6. Inspiration On Demand

7. The Power Of I And I

8. Ghost Of Past Failure

9. Eternity Is Within

10. Those Who Cannot Speak

 

And I don't actually have a serious hate on for this release like I thought I might. The opening acoustic piece sets up the first song just fine, and the first song is total riff madness. Only problem is that the whole things starts off sounding like a Nevermore song if it was played by an energetic Joe Stump. It's just mad up and down strumming speed that disguises the fairly untechnical nature of the scaling. This is very much the nature of many of the other songs on this record aswell. It's fun to listen to but you're kidding yourself if you think it's innovative playing.

 

Performances are competent, if not unpredictable in almost every way that their genre demands. Drums are double kicked appropriately for a stomp appeal, guitars are shreddy when needed, moshy when needed. You know the drill for NuMetal. I'm sure that this stuff comes off really well in a live setting if you're just looking for something to jump to. Vocals follow the same rules basically as there is plenty of Hard Core shouting mixed with suprisingly (for a big budget band anyway, why the producer would allow that is beyond me) unconfident sounding clean singing. They even manage to sneak some death metal gruff growling in there, but it's really for show since it doesn't go anywhere with the music, neither leading nor accentuating.

 

Shadow's Fall are masters of their world and this record will undoubtedly get a ton of praise from more mainstream rock press. And really, they deserve the good press they'll get, if only because they are about the best ambassadors to ..."Real"... Heavy Metal coming out of the current crop of big budget touring bands today. When I heard some of their previous output, I believed that they were being primed to be the second coming of Metallica. Now that Nevermore has seemingly dropped off the radar, I get the feeling that they are being inserted into their spot to continue their work of progressive without pretense metal that appeals to the masses. Only this band wears dreadlocks and baggier pants. They just aren't quite there yet.

 

A release that should not offend tr00 'bangers (but will anyway), and one that should be heard just to see the face of the top general of the enemy that is mainstream or Nu Metal.

 

The Swiss:

 

1. The guitar work isn't innovative or mind blowing, but when the chording starts to take over, the band shows hard chops and what sound like some pretty off kilter chords patterns to keep things momentarily interesting

 

2. The band members have at least and very good understanding of their instruments and how to use them. This greatly helps the quality of the material, particularly when they get into the more generic areas of mosh stomp chug chug

 

3. The band is one musical revelation away from becoming the numer one "Straight Metal" band on the planet.

 

The Cheese:

 

1. The flip side to number 2 above. The biggest problem with that technical ability is that they generally don't use it properly. Particularly in the lead guitar shreds. They are played fast...and not much else. Nothing terribly interesting happens.

 

2. further to number 3 above, this band would probably get Slayer level cred if they stopped listening to their producer/label so much and just slammed it. Too much production hurts, but it still retains that intentional dirtyness that occurs when you're trying to force feeling into your sound.

 

3. Too much simplification on the parts that are obviously designed safely for singals play on radio

 

4. Corey will surely fap over this record, that bastard.

 

6.5/10

 

I wouldn't buy it, but I'm not terribly offended while listening.

 

Guess that's why I downloaded it.

 

Wasted Opportunities is pretty much the theme of my thinking about this one.

[Black Lushus 0]

it's not the best album, but I got it for 7.99 so at that price you really cannot go wrong...

[Crimson Platypus 0]

A friend of mine is in with their manager, got a free copy, after listening to it I paid for it to support em, they fucking rock.

[Slayer 0]

Back in 2000 I bought Of One Blood

 

I no longer own it, and haven't pursued anything further by SF

 

That sums up my feelings

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I got a single for free when I bought the new Mastodon, and I haven't even listened to it yet. I might. I don't like their last release at all.

[Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye 0]

You should hope it's not one of the singles type songs. The shredders will definitely tickle you better.

[Guest Banders Kennany]

Is The Light that Blinds a sick cover of Blinded By The Light?

[SinToxic 0]

wait this is the same Shadow's Fall that has the lead singer fronting the Rastafarian dreadlocks?

[Placebo Effect 0]

I don't know how someone can not love The Art of Balance.

 

But yeah, the new album is good, but far from great.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I don't know how someone can not love The Art of Balance.

The slow numbers are predictable and repetitive, the vocal work is patchy at best, it's not that heavy, and it's severely overproduced and overhyped. Thumbs down, after being on the fence about it for a while.