Shadows Fall
“The Art of Balance”
(Century Media)
Tough, exciting metal playing by its own rules, no trend hopping, no nu-metal crowd pandering, just out and out tip-top pure angry heavy metal. The guitar work ought to please fans of anything from old Metallica to new Metallica. The vocals are loud shouted things, but do relax into a Chuck Billy from Testament psuedo-singing from time to time. Since I was a fan of early bay area thrash I’d say Shadows Fall ought to appeal to others who were as well. True, Shadows Fall hails from New England but influence knows no geographical boundaries (kind of Like George W. who has yet to figure out where the borders of the United States, and thus his authority, ends and the rest of the miserable planet begins).
Song five (I have no track listing) kicks in with some super old style (not the king of LaCrosse beers) speed metal riffing sure to please a wide range of metal lovers. Shadows Fall has loud, modern day production and mastering, but a sense of their lineage that I find heartening in an era where too many bands are content to rip-off Korn without ever getting a solid grip on the fact that Korn didn’t just emerge from a vacuum somewhere in Bakersfield. These guys know their metal heritage and play off of it, within it, through and against it with verve, pep, piss and vinegar.
Highly recommended for you if you’re the kind of person who likes having things recommended to her.
