SHADOWS FALL – The seventh studio album, Fire From The Sky, from Shadows Fall was released back on May 15th, 2012, via Razor & Tie. I bought my (unedited) copy at Super Walmart. That’s correct. Super Walmart. There are no cool and independent record stores anywhere near where I live, thus Super Walmart is my Metal pimp. I’ll have to admit I like Fire From The Sky a great deal and I’ll tell you why, (here and there).
I’ve always gravitated towards Shadows Fall’s sound. Enjoying their catalog of albums has come about quite easily for me. Maybe it’s cause I like quality Metal. Maybe it’s due to my being born and raised in New England? Over the years, I’ve never seemed to find anything that I dislike about the Metal of Shadows Fall. Even if there is some loyalty to the Boston Red Sox within the Shadows Fall band, I still feel they kick legitimate Metal ass. Their Metal has never failed to raise my adrenaline level a notch or two.
I have read many positive reviews for Fire From The Sky and deservedly so. A few reviews I’ve read have made me chuckle. A consistent “negative” jab at this new Fire From The Sky album has been that it’s “nothing new” and “it’s the same old” from Shadows Fall. Whoa. Stop right there. For decades, the likes of RUSH, Iron Maiden, AC/DC and Motörhead have essentially stuck to their musical blueprints and have released “the same old” too. Therefore, I am guessing that Shadows Fall are in legendary Metal company then, huh? Sometimes the “let’s change for change sake” school of thought in Metal is better left for another day.
What do some people want nowadays? Did they expect Shadows Fall to release an album that sounded like Men Without Hats meets KROKUS? Do these same critics want Tony Bennet to record an Industrial Metal album? I’ve never bought into the “same old club” and never will. It’s like that ancient Metal troll that lives deep in the Pennsylvania wilderness once told me: “Stone, if it ain’t broke, d-d-d-on’t f-f-fix it”.
Shadows Fall have evolved musically as a band and that’s change alone. One only needs to listen to their albums in succession to understand that. Critics who’ve only listened to Fire From The Sky and no other Shadows Fall album and decide to use the words “same old” only allows their Metal credibility to stick out like a swollen and sore thumb.
The beefy Thrash Metal sound meets (melodic) Metalcore is what I jump up and down for most from Shadows Fall. Yes, there are Melodic Death Metal tendencies/vocals, only Shadows Fall is not Amon Amarth for crap sakes. (Amon Amarth Rules, by the way). Shadows Fall rules on Fire From The Sky and this is yet another album that finishes and I’m like: “What the F**K, keep going! Don’t end now!”
This is a damn excellent album from a damn excellent band. They’ve sharpened their Metal skills once again. The intensity, heavy grooves, brain imprinting harsh and harmonious vocals, impressive guitar parts (all), eye-popping drumming, smart lyrics and grand song structures are all back from Shadows Fall on Fire From The Sky. I’ll take the “same old” from this band 24/7 and on a month of Sundays. Adam Dutkiewicz has produced and engineered yet another tremendous album and I’m now bestowing this nickname upon him: Modern Metal Marvel. Metal be thy name.
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SHADOWS FALL:
Brian Fair – vocals
Jon Donais – lead guitar
Matt Bachand – guitar/vocals
Paul Romanko – bass
Jason Bittner – drums
FIRE FROM THE SKY – Track Listing:
The Unknown
Divide And Conquer
Weight Of The World
Nothing Remains
Fire From The Sky
Save Your Soul
Blind Faith
Lost Within
Walk The Edge
The Wasteland
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* For more info on SHADOWS FALL, click on the links below!
http://twitter.com/ShadowsFallBand
http://twitter.com/brianshadfall
LONG LIVE SHADOWS FALL.
Stone.
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
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