Front	Back

Review

Fighting the War Within
by: The Metal Master
Special Agent to The MotherMetal Team

“The War Within” is a muscular album from Boston’s own Shadows Fall, featuring meaty yet taut production by the aptly named Zeus. Over 200,000 copies of the CD have been sold to date, a monstrous number for a metal band on the Century Media roster.

Opening up the album is the ethereal yet foreboding acoustic intro to “The Light That Blinds”, which pays homage to vintage Metallica. The intro abruptly jerks into a furious mid-paced double bass drum attack with caterwauling guitar lines. Huge riffs and an edgy but addictive hook complete the song to make a strong opening statement.

The rest of the CD features the band’s trademark sound, but offers something for everyone. “Stillness” and “Ghosts of Past Failures” give a tip of the hat to the Gothenburg sound, while “The Power of I and I” gets the blood flowing with a hint of Slayer in the opening riff. “Enlightened by the Cold” would sound at home on an early Anthrax album, as vocalist Brian Fair sounds eerily similar to Anthrax vocalist Joey Belladonna in spots.

The grandiose “Those Who Cannot Speak” is a fitting conclusion to the album. A melancholy intro soon yields to the trademark grinding riffs that are Shadows Fall’s bread and butter. Sweeping, majestic guitar harmonies direct the song into the calm eye of the hurricane, until the furious final onslaught.

“The War Within” has broad appeal. Fans of Bay Area thrash, Swedish melodic death metal, and even Metal Core will find lots to like about this disc. All in all, “The War Within” is a solid effort that cements Shadows Fall’s status as one of the top bands in metal today.

Go back to the Shadows Fall page.