Welcome to Rock Music Critic! Check out reviews in the Flash menu above or the static links below. This latest version of the site now includes reviews with an embedded music player so you can listen to whole albums once for free courtesy of Lala.com. Lala doesn't always have an album, but when they do I will include the player. What's easier than listening to an album to decide whether you like it? Feel free to ignore my petty ramblings and just listen to the tunes. That's really the whole point anyway. Up the Irons!! ~ George
Shadows Fall
The War Within
I used to think that Shadows Fall was just another terrible nu-metal American crap metal band. I don't know what gave me that impression, but I probably heard a too-short clip and wrote them off before giving them a fair shake.
Then a couple summers ago I saw them on the Ozzfest tour and decided I really needed to give them another listen. Their previous release, "The Art of Balance," as it turns out, was an excellent album, so when I saw that "The War Within" was soon to arrive I began salivating for what could only be another excellent slab of metal.
I am not disappointed. I think what draws me to Shadows Fall is their mix of something old and something new. There are harsh vocals that sound very contemporary, but the music also seems to remind me of thrash from the wonder years of the 80's. Only they have much better production than the acts of old.
The guitar work on this album is brilliant, something you don't often find these days on the really heavy releases. You could just as easily find lead work like this on a power metal album.
And the vocals, let me tell you about the vocals. The harsh vox are rough and violent sounding, but that's not all, he can sing clean pretty damn well too. I think you will start seeing a lot more of this vocal style. In this sense it is quite like Beyond the Embrace, another excellent band who mix up their vocals styles very well.
Barring any unexpected self destruction from within, I expect Shadows Fall will be around the scene for awhile to come. Hopefully they will continue to breathe new life into a scene that frankly seems to be heading for another period of stagnation.
