Shadow Circus: From The Shadows

A decade is a long time for any band to be away, hence when Shadow Circus re-emerged after a hiatus of ten years, to expect them to simply pick up from where 2013’s On A Dark And Stormy Night left off would be folly. That said, when I first heard From The Shadows I did go and check that Shadow Circus were the band I was thinking of, because On A Dark… was indeed a dark progressive metal album - admittedly with many twists - that would have appealed to those with a predilection for the 70s prog standard bearers of years gone by - and more. From The Shadows is a different beast altogether….

Now featuring Devin Townsend Project drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen and Pain of Salvation/Meshuggah bassist Gustaf Hielm, the band still revolves around guitarist and keyboard player John Fontana, with David Bobick handling vocals - but almost completely gone are any progressive tendencies, with a goth, shock rock ideology put in its place. That said, the talent on show still gets a chance to shine from the shadows and there’s no denying the musical skills on display, but from where this band were before, this turn of events is - to me at least - something of a surprise. “Moonshine Haze� pulsates and pounds with an intent that’s metallic, bristling and threatening. Behind the kit Van Poederooyen turns in a masterclass of power and dexterity, driving the song on mercilessly, even if in terms of tempo we are firmly in mid-paced territory. Album opener, “Vampires�, while maybe not as schlock in nature reminds of a more grating, gargling and scary Rob Zombie, although the keyboards in the chorus offer a more melodic hard rock meets goth punk pay-off. For my taste, Bobick sometimes feels like this new terrain is a little challenging for him, but with bags of character in his attack and a style that undoubtedly lends itself to this more horror based setting, his believability is undeniable. Add in the forceful riffing from Fontana and a rock solid rhythm section, and the spit and fury of “A New Death� and thundering “Pay The Piper� hit home, although the more restrained and meandering “Second Star From The Right� does make for a slightly underwhelming close to the album, even if Fontana’s guitar solo is impressive indeed.

I won’t lie, going into this album with expectations that have been neatly and intentionally sidestepped by Shadow Circus, caught me unawares. Personally, in terms of style, I’m not 100% certain this is where I would have liked to have seen the band heading, but there’s no doubt that they have gone all-in here and delivered an album that reveals their bloody hearts and tainted souls.

Track Listing
1. Vampires
2. A New Death
3. Into The Fire
4. Moonshine Haze
5. From The Shadows
6. Through The Witching Hour
7. Pay The Piper
8. Second Star From The Right

Added: November 17th 2023
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Shadow Circus online
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Language: english

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