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Album Review

Shadows Fall

The War Within (2004)

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From the opening moments of The War Within it’s very clear that Shadows Fall has 80’s thrash metal running through their veins. The clean, Metallicaesque acoustic intro paves the way for forty minutes of some of the best Metal I’ve heard in a very long fucking time. The melodic Gothenburg-influenced riffs are painfully amazing, and are played with a precision that seriously makes you want to smash things over your head!

The opening track “The Light That Binds” thunders in paying homage to the Swedish Metal scene that inspired the band. Just when you think that you’ve have heard this all before, vocalist Brian Fair kicks your ass all over town with the most “Metal” sounding vocals I have heard in ages. Fiercely brutal; anyone who is into Maiden/Testament (myself included) will lap this up.

Track two “Enlightened by the Cold” is a definite groover; the bass rolling under the riffs gives the song a “Vulgar Display of Power” sound. Furthermore it’s when the vocals come in that the band grabs your full attention. The melody, the guitars’ sound, and THAT chorus (it will not leave your fuckin’ head for days) make this song an instant classic.

Tracks “What Drives the Weak”, “Inspiration on Demand”, and “Ghosts of Past Failures” all show the band’s more melodic side. Frontman Brian Fair shows his flair for cleaner vocals giving these songs the perfect accompaniment to the pulverising guitars that continuously squeal, solo, and SHRED throughout the entire album.

The band also, occasionally demonstrates a definite hardcore influence, with the occasional breakdown and use of gang vocals. Nevertheless true metalheads don’t despair; The War Within is more metal than a robots cock!

This album also has no filler…. I could crap on about every song for days, but just go and get the album if you don’t already have it. The production is flawless, the song writing is incredible, and the pure aggression and brutality of this release makes The War Within a definite must have in any metalhead’s collection.  [ END ]

Track Listing:

01. The Light That Blinds
02. Enlightened By The Cold
03. Act of Contrition
04. What Drives The Weak
05. Stillness
06. Inspiration on Demand
07. The Power of I and I
08. Ghosts of Past Failures
09. Eternity Is Within
10. Those Who Cannot Speak

Run Time: 42:21

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