Shadows Fall
is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. They are one of the few bands who take their lyrical influence from Buddhism [1]. 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).
Since its formation, Shadows Fall has released five studio albums, two compilation albums, and one DVD. 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
. The band was reportedly dropped by their international distributor Roadrunner Records in early October 2008.
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SHADOWS FALL TICKETS
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History
Formation, Somber Eyes to the Sky
, and Of One Blood
(1995-2000)
Shadows Fall formed in 1995 by guitarists
Jonathan Donais and
Matt Bachand with the help of
Adam Dutkiewicz.
[2] Donais and Bachand recruited vocalist
Philip Labonte, and bassist Paul Romanko to complete Shadows Fall's original line-up.
The band released its first EP
To Ashes
, with Dutkiewicz playing as a session drummer. After the release of the demo Dutkiewicz left to form
Killswitch Engage.
David Germain joined the band as drummer, to fill the empty position.
Shadows Fall toured the New England area opening for artists such as
Fear Factory and
Cannibal Corpse. The newly formed band recorded its first studio album
Somber Eyes to the Sky
, in November 30, 1997 through Bachand's recording label, Lifeless Records.
The band's name, according to Bachand, comes from the title of a comic book published in the early 1990s.
[3]
In 1998, Labonte was asked to leave the band due to personal and artistic differences. He later formed the band
All That Remains. The band looked for a replacement vocalist and found
Brian Fair at an
Overcast concert. After an 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, the release included re-recorded songs from
Somber Eyes to the Sky
. After the recording of the album David Germain left the band, and was replaced by former Stigmata drummer
Jason Bittner.
The Art of Balance
(2001-2003)
Shadows Fall 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.
[4] Shadows Fall released three music videos to promote the album; "Thoughts Without Words", "Destroyer of Senses", and "The Idiot Box".
[5] The Art of Balance
featured a
cover of the
Pink Floyd song "
Welcome to the Machine". Steve Huey 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."
[6] Shadows Fall supported
The Art of Balance
by touring on
Ozzfest in 2003.
[7]
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".
[8] "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".
[9] As of 2008, the album has sold almost 300,000 copies in the United States.
[10]
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.
[11] 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."
[12]
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.
[13] "Redemption" received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal performance; the award ceremony as held on February 10, 2008.
[14] 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."
[15] Keith Bergman of
Blabbermouth.net stated "
Threads of Life
is slick as hell."
[16]
Shadows Fall toured in support of
Threads of Life
, including making appearances at the
Jägermeister tour with
Stone Sour and
Lacuna Coil,
[17] the Operation Annihilation tour with
Static-X,
3 Inches of Blood, and
Divine Heresy,
[18] and the Black Crusade tour with
Trivium,
Machine Head,
Dragonforce, and
Arch Enemy.
[19] 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.
[20]
Retribution
(2009 onward)
Shadows Fall will release their sixth full-length 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."
[21] The band have made an exclusive track, entitled "King Of Nothing", available for streaming from their myspace.
Band members
;Current
- Brian Fair: lead vocals (2000 onward)
- Jonathan Donais: lead guitar, backing vocals (1995 onward)
- Matt Bachand: rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1995 onward)
- Paul Romanko: bass (1995 onward)
- Jason Bittner: drums, percussion (2002 onward)
;Former
- Philip Labonte: vocals (1995–1999) (lead singer of All That Remains)
- David Germain: drums (1995–2000)
;Session
- Adam Dutkiewicz: drums (1996)
- Derek Kerswill: drums (2000-2002)
Discography
;Studio albums
- Somber Eyes to the Sky
(1998)
- Of One Blood
(2000)
- The Art of Balance
(2002)
- The War Within
(2004)
- Threads of Life
(2007)
- Retribution
(2009)
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;Compilation albums
- Fear Will Drag You Down
(2002)
- Fallout from the War
(2006)
- Seeking the Way: The Greatest Hits
(2007)
;Video albums
- The Art of Touring
(2005)
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Singles
| Year
| Title
| US
Main.
[22]
| Album
|
| 2004
| "What Drives the Weak"
| 38
| The War Within
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| 2005
| "Inspiration on Demand"
| 33
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| 2007
| "Redemption"
| 37
| Threads of Life
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| "Another Hero Lost"
| 40
|
| "Burning the Lives"
| —
|
| 2009
| "Still I Rise"
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| Retribution
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| "—" denotes a release that did not chart.
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Awards and nominations
Nominations
- Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance – "What Drives the Weak" (2006)
- Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance – "Redemption" (2008)
References
- Shadows Fall Interview
- Shadows Fall biography - Allmusic
- Shadows Fall interview
- Shadows Fall - Artist Chart history
- Shadows Fall - Artist videography
- (((The Art of Balance)))
- Ozzfest alumini
- 48th Grammy Awards - 2006
- (((The War Within)))
- Shadows Fall biography - Atlantic Records
- Shadows Fall - The Art Of Touring DVD
- (((Fallout from the War)))
- Hear Shadows Fall's Single, "Redemption," Online
- Rock And Metal Featured In 2008 Grammy Nominations
- (((Threads of Life)))
- CD reviews - Threads of Life
- Stone Sour to Headline Spring Jagermeister Tour
- Operation Annihilation tour
- Shadows Fall Added To 'Black Crusade' European Tour With Machine Head, Trivium
- Soundwave '08
- Shadows Fall Begin Recording New Album
- Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks