CoC : Shadows Fall - The Art of Balance : Review

Shadows Fall - _The Art of Balance_
(Century Media, 2002)
by: Adrian Magers (9 out of 10)

Shadows Fall are a band that has been making waves with their blend of old-school thrash tendencies, Gothenburg-esque leads, and souped-up hard rock elements featured on _The Art of Balance_. Always a band to put out more or less solid material (_Of One Blood_, _Somber Eyes to the Sky_), Shadows Fall have put forth their best effort by far and are poised to take the metal realm by the throat. This album has propelled them from being a fairly well-known New England metalcore band, to being featured in just about every last major metal magazine and truly becoming a force in American metal. Century Media has provided well for the band, and for the first time in a long time, we see a band can live up to its hype. This record would please a music fan looking for the grind/groove diversity of a band like Killswitch Engage, Unearth, or Diecast with an old-school thrashy edge. Shadows Fall takes elements from different scenes, different decades, and creates their own personal blend. We hear bits of Metallica and Megadeth at the top of their games (_...And Justice For All_ and _Rust in Peace_ respectively), mixed with a second-hand Maiden influence, by way of Gothenburg death. I also can't help but occasionally be reminded of middle-era Carcass during the grittiest, most wind-mill inducing moments on _The Art of Balance_. After successfully touring with Kittie and Mushroomhead, experiencing an impressive amount of airplay of their video for "Thoughts Without Words", and landing an upcoming stint on Ozzfest, it seems that Shadows Fall are not only poised for personal greatness, but have the potential to help spearhead a new and refreshing metal movement.

Contact: http://www.shadowsfall.com

(article published 21/4/2003)

ALBUMS
6/20/2006	J Smit	8	Shadows Fall - Fallout From the War
12/13/2004	Q Kalis	8	Shadows Fall - The War Within
5/25/2000	A Bromley	8	Shadows Fall - Of One Blood

DEMOS
3/10/1998	B Meloon	4	Shadows Fall - Shadows Fall

GIGS
9/12/2005	A McKay	Mudvayne / Shadows Fall / In Flames / Trivium	Dodging a Bullet
4/21/2003	A Magers	Shadows Fall / Shai Hulud / Unearth / Cephalic Carnage	Shadows Fall Over Columbus, Ohio