Shadows Fall

作為與LAMB OF GOD（上帝的羔羊）、Killswitch Engage（殺戮引擎）、Chimaira（奇美拉）齊名的美國重金屬新浪潮領軍樂團，SHADOWS FALL（陰影降落）的名字與作品樂迷們早已耳熟能詳。成軍于1996年，將傳統(tǒng)Thrash音樂與Hardcore元素相互融合，音樂不僅剛柔并濟，更是將來自于80年代的重金屬/流行金屬素材加以運用，可謂個性十足。
隨著2000-2002年金屬核趨勢的不斷上升，SHADOWS FALL憑借著《Of One Blood》（《同一血脈的》）與《The Art of Balance》（《平衡的藝術》）兩張作品的成功以及自身不斷的努力，逐漸成為這股潮流當中最具影響的代表樂團之一。2004年，當樂隊將專輯《War Within》（《戰(zhàn)爭本質(zhì)》）公諸于世，再次引來了整個兒金屬樂壇的連環(huán)爆炸。唱片銷量超過30萬，多支熱門單曲在歐美各大主流電臺與電視音樂頻道循環(huán)播放，大規(guī)模的不間斷全球巡演，以及擔任眾多著名音樂節(jié)的頭牌嘉賓。SHADOWS FALL的人氣不斷飆升，并在全球范圍內(nèi)逐漸擁有固定的歌迷群體，這一切都為樂隊之后的發(fā)展奠定了良好的基礎。
2006年，樂隊再度于Century Media公司旗下發(fā)行專輯《Fallout from the War》（《來自戰(zhàn)爭的放射》）之后，轉簽至Roadrunner Records公司，并于2007年發(fā)行專輯《Threads of life》（《生命的思路》）。主打單曲“Redemption”（“贖回”）被提名當年格萊美獎，樂隊以他們兇悍且不失優(yōu)美、狂暴亦動人的獨特風格成功被主流音樂界所肯定。在大廠牌Atlantic旗下發(fā)行EP《Forevermore》（《永恒》）（2008）之后，樂隊于2009年通過自有廠牌Everblack Industries發(fā)行最新專輯《Retribution》（《復仇》）。
盡管樂隊主唱Brian Fair本人表示，Hardcore是樂隊作品一貫的影響源，但不得不承認，在這張新作品中，樂隊已經(jīng)削弱了Breakdown節(jié)奏的出現(xiàn)頻率，更多的是來自于純粹Thrash的影響在支撐著作品的整體構架�！禦etribution》并不是一張尋求創(chuàng)新的唱片，一種更接近于傳統(tǒng)的風格被表現(xiàn)得格外突出。但從另一種角度來看，在這種缺乏花哨與賣弄的特點下，你會發(fā)現(xiàn)SHADOWS FALL音樂中的那種濃濃的誠懇與真摯之情；而同樣，這種固守著自我的姿態(tài)則顯示出樂隊經(jīng)歷14年音樂歷程洗煉后的穩(wěn)重與成熟。
by Steve Huey
Although their music sometimes bears strong similarities to the technical, progressive brand of death metal centered around Gothenburg, Sweden, and epitomized by bands like In Flames, Shadows Fall actually hails from Massachusetts. Guitarists Jonathan Donais and Matthew Bachand formed the band in 1996, and by the summer of the following year the lineup had solidified with vocalist Phil Lebonte, bassist Paul Romanko, and drummer David Germain. Building their songs around the stop-start tempo and riff changes pioneered by bands like Metallica, Slayer, and Iron Maiden, the band toured New England and eventually snagged opening slots for acts like Fear Factory and Cannibal Corpse. Toward the end of 1997, they recorded a self-financed, self-released album titled Somber Eyes to the Sky, which eventually charted in CMJ's Loud Rock Top Ten and was picked up for overseas distribution. In 1998, Shadows Fall replaced Lebonte with former Overcast vocalist Brian Fair, a more versatile singer capable of handling melody as well as pure aggression. After further touring, the band scored a deal with Century Media in 1999; their first widely distributed domestic album, Of One Blood, was issued in early 2000. Soon after, Germain left the band and was replaced by drummer Jason Bittner. After releasing The Art of Balance in 2002 the band spent the summer of 2003 on the Ozzfest tour, earning a larger fan base thanks to their intense live show. In turn, their 2004 album The War Within debuted at number 20 on the Billboard Top 200 charts. A collection of tracks left off the album appeared in 2006 as Fallout from the War. It was followed by Threads of Life in 2007.