Massachusetts' Shadows Fall have been toiling around the thrash scene for a few years now, with each release becoming more polished than the one previous, and The War Within is no exception. Brutally heavy, yet melodic thrash metal with just enough complexity to perhaps appease the prog-metal fan,Shadows Fall are like a modern day equivalent to 80's Metallica, Exodus, or Testament, as they roll out their chugging guitar riffs, dual lead harmonies, gruff and clean aggressive vocals, and a tight rhythm section that bludgeons your skull with intensity.
There's many cuts here to recommend, but some of the best are "Act of Contrition", with its tasty lead guitar work from Jonathan Donais and melodic vocals courtesy of Brian Fair; the commercial appeal of "Inspiration on Demand"; or the riff monster "The Power of I and I", a rampaging runaway train of a song containing brutal guitar work and Fair's manic vocals. The band reveals some catchy hooks amidst the metal mayhem on "Ghosts of Past Failures" , and lay to waste the landscape on the Slayer influenced "Eternity is Within." Fans of Black Label Society will love the slowed-down crunch of "Enlightened by the Cold", a tune that sees Donais and rhythm guitarist Matthew Bachand laying down some intricate riffs and effective dual lead harmonies.
The War Withinwill surely please modern day thrash fans, and although some of the songs here tend to sound similar to each other, this is still a quality release from Shadows Fall. Whether the mainstream metal masses will gulp it down in droves remains to be seen, but metal with this much instrumental punch and aggressive attitude needs to be heard.
Track Listing
1. The Light That Blinds
2. Enlightened By The Cold
3. Act Of Contrition
4. What Drives The Weak
5. Stillness
6. Inspiration On Demand
7. The Power Of I and I
8. Ghosts Of Past Failure
9. Eternity Is Within
10. Those Who Can Not Speak
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
