Originally written by Andy Smyth
It is hard to believe that it has been about a year since a revived Headbanger’s Ball brought metal to the masses with their tour of said name. Nu-metal has come and faded away. Alongside such bands as Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God, Shadows Fall show us the new “it” sound. With music of this caliber, “mainstream” metal has never sounded so good (the term “mainstream” is to be taken lightly). I am proud to be a part of the rebirth of metal that has been going on the past several years, not that it ever died. I could go on and on about the current state of metal, but let’s get straight to the album review.
The War Within, begins with epic acoustic guitar that leads into the crushing onslaught that follows. It is the calm before the storm. The production is nothing less than stellar, as should be expected, this being Shadows Fall’s fifth album (counting European and Japanese imports) on Century Media. Brain Fair has awesome clean and dirty vocals, and thanks to the guitarists for providing backup. The guitars can be and have been compared to that of many Swedish legends such as In Flames. Johnathan Donais has great leads, to say the least, and they flow perfectly with each song structure. Jason Bittner’s double bass drumming is not overdone, and also fits perfectly with the album. Heavy and melodic stylings are mixed in great balance as to not overdo one or the other.
My favorite song of the album is “Ghost of Past Failures,” with the most anthemic chorus of the album. “I am, still bleeding you…” The current single, “The Power of I and I,” begins with fast heavy double bass, the way I like it, and never lets down after that. The quick guitar at (:30) leading into the rest of the song makes me feel good all over. For fans of old metal and new metal alike, Shadows Fall’s The War Within is a great addition to any metal library. Make this album one of the soundtracks to your life.
I really can not say much more, because the music speaks for itself, but anyhow, this is a kickass album, with flawless production and musicianship. Shadows Fall definitely improved upon their sound from the last album and found their niche and or style, just as Killswitch did. The album is solid all the way through. I suppose the only negative is that it lacks in the realm of surprises. It’s really thrashy, and has a steady flow throughout. No surprises here. It’s Shadows Fall. Pure American Metal!!! \m/ \m/ You may not know me, but just trust me. If you are the kind to bitch about the current metal scene, then you should not be reading this, and Shadows Fall is not the band for you. If however, you are as stoked as I am about the revival of metal, then pick this one up. We can expect nothing but big things from Shadows Fall .
