Shadow Gallery

:"The Shadow Gallery is also the name of the home of the protagonist in the graphic novel V for Vendetta."

Infobox musical artist
Name = Shadow Gallery


Img_capt =
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, USA
Genre = Progressive metal
Years_active = 1992 - present
Label = InsideOut Music
Associated_acts = Amaran's Plight
URL = [http://www.shadowgallery.com ShadowGallery.com]
Current_members = Gary Wehrkamp
Joe Nevolo
Brendt Allman
Mike Baker
Carl Cadden-James
Chris Ingles
Past_members = Kevin Soffera

Shadow Gallery is a six-piece American progressive metal band formed in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania during the early 1980s, originally under the name Sorcerer. After changing their name to Shadow Gallery (taken from the graphic novel V for Vendetta by Alan Moore) and recording a short 8 track demo, the band was signed to Magna Carta Records in 1991. Shadow Gallery's eponymous debut was released the following year in Japan and Europe. On May 30th, 2005 (Europe) and June 7th, 2005 (USA) Shadow Gallery released their fifth studio album ("Room V"), their first under new record label InsideOut.

The band has a reputation amongst fans for complex song structures and virtuoso musicianship, and as such, they have been compared to contemporary progressive metal veterans Dream Theater, Queensrÿche and Symphony X. The members of Shadow Gallery have also collaborated with other progressive metal bands. Dream Theater's James LaBrie contributed backing vocals to the song "I Believe" (which appeared on Shadow Gallery's 1998 album, "Tyranny"), [ [http://www.dprp.net/specials/2005_shadowgallery/ DPRP Specials : Gary Wehrkamp - Shadow Gallery : Interview 2005 ] ] and in return Shadow Gallery members have contributed to LaBrie's side projects (such as Mullmuzzler). [ [http://shadowgallery.com/index.php?topic=History Shadow Gallery - History ] ]

Despite the many complex passages in their songs, Shadow Gallery manages to combine them with tight songwriting, production and performance. Their songs, often in the context of a concept album or story, are frequently long with extended instrumental pieces in the middle. For diversity, their music is heavy at times and mellow at others, sometimes incorporating elements of neo-classical and symphonic metal.Fact|date=August 2008

Influences

Shadow Gallery combines musical influences from virtuoso guitarists like Yngwie Malmsteen, Vinnie Moore, and Steve Vai,Fact|date=November 2007 as well as progressive rock bands such as Rush, Pink Floyd, and Dream Theater.Fact|date=November 2007 The band displays heavy metal influences from outfits Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest.Fact|date=November 2007 When interviewed on the subject, Gary Wehrkamp has also added that "The band likes everything from Tori Amos, to old Metallica, Alice Cooper, Gamma Ray, Type O Negative and Nine Inch Nails. Lately, for me, my favorite progressive rock CD is by Ayreon. I highly recommend Into the Electric Castle to anyone." [ [http://www.ram.org/music/articles/wehrkampinterview.html Interview with Gary Wehrkamp of Shadow Gallery ] ]

History

Sorcerer: 1985 - 1991

Sorcerer originally consisted of Mike Baker, Carl Cadden-James, Ron Evans, and John Coonie. The band began as a cover band, particularly interested in covering difficult to play songs by artists such as Yngwie Malmsteen and Rush. In 1985, guitarists Chris Ingles and Brendt Allman joined the band, with Ingles immediately switching to keyboard duties. At this time, Ron Evans departed in order to pursue other musical interests and goals. [ [http://shadowgallery.com/index.php?topic=History Shadow Gallery - History ] ]

Debut and Carved in Stone: 1991 - 1998

After changing their name to Shadow Gallery and recording a short 8 track demo, Mike Varney eventually signed them to Magna Carta records on August 23, 1991 as the label's second contract (the first having been Magellan). The record label's objective had been "..to bring a fresh breath of progressive rock to an audience who was subdued by larger record companies quest for typical commercial music". [ [http://shadowgallery.com/index.php?topic=History Shadow Gallery - History ] ] Impressed with Shadow Gallery's initial demo, Varney suspected the band could help fulfill this objective.

Shadow Gallery's eponymous debut was released the following year in Japan and Europe. However, before the arduous commitments of a supporting tour and a new studio album, the band needed to secure a stable lineup. April 1993 saw the recruitment of guitarist/keyboardist Gary Wehrkamp, originally of the band The Boxtops. Another lineup addition followed in April 1994 with drummer Kevin Soffera. With this new solidified lineup, Shadow Gallery released its second studio recording on July 11, 1995, titled "Carved in Stone". However, time constraints and other commitments precluded the band from touring in support of both albums.

Tyranny: 1998 - 2001

"Carved in Stone" was followed up by their 1998 release, "Tyranny". The album is a deeply political concept album, with themes including the nature of war and the military-industrial complex. "Tyranny" is also notable for the contributions made by a number of guest musicians. Beyond James LaBrie's vocal contribution to "I Believe," D. C. Cooper (a former vocalist of Royal Hunt) contributed vocals to the track "New World Order," and violinist Paul Chou made a guest appearance on the tracks "Spoken Words" and "New World Order," with the former featuring a duet between Mike Baker and Laura Jaeger. [ [http://www.dprp.net/specials/2005_shadowgallery/ DPRP Specials : Gary Wehrkamp - Shadow Gallery : Interview 2005 ] ] Shadow Gallery would return the favor to LaBrie in 1998 when Allman, Cadden-James, Wehrkamp and local musician/songwriter Gary Sloyer appeared on and aided in LaBrie's musical side project, Mullmuzzler. Their debut record, Keep it to Yourself, was released by Magna Carta in the Summer of 1999." [ [http://shadowgallery.com/index.php?topic=History Shadow Gallery - History ] ]

Legacy: 2001 - 2005

On April 10, 2001, the band released their fourth studio album, "Legacy", which would prove to be their last under Magna Carta Records. While this album was released in between "Tyranny" and "Room V", it had no relation to the ongoing narrative of the two albums, instead forming a collection of independent songs. [ [http://www.dprp.net/specials/2005_shadowgallery/ DPRP Specials : Gary Wehrkamp - Shadow Gallery : Interview 2005 ] ] The album was met with generally favorable reviews, [A review of Legacy by Duke Egbert from The Daily Vault: http://shadowgallery.com/article.php?story=20050615214537498] [ A Review of Legacy from Carol Dellinger of Rock Authority: http://shadowgallery.com/article.php?story=20050615213954492] for example Dan Birchall of Screaming in Digital wrote that:

2005 - Present: Room V

On May 30th, 2005 (Europe) and June 7th, 2005 (USA) Shadow Gallery released "Room V"; the band's fifth studio album, and first under new record label InsideOut. It is a concept album which continued the narrative set out in "Tyranny". The album included Jaeger returning to perform a vocal duet on "Comfort Me."

Included as a limited edition, the band also released a second disc. In addition to a multimedia segment titled "The Story of Room V" (that can be accessed on a computer's CD ROM) the album contained five extra tracks, including a Joe Nevolo drum solo ("Joe's Spotlight"), an unreleased demo (entitled "Memories"), an acoustic version of "Room V"'s "Rain", and a long medley covering many Pink Floyd songs titled "Floydian Memories". This track is particularly notable, as it features Mark Zonder performing drums on the "One in a Crowd" portion of the medley, as well as Arjen Lucassen performing guest vocals and the "Shine On" guitar solo. [ [http://www.rockreviews.org/reviewpage.php?ID=319 Music review of Room V CD by Shadow Gallery (2005) [RockReviews ] ]

Creative process

Wehrkamp has described the creative process involved in creating a Shadow Gallery album as follows:

cquote2|One of us will start working on an idea, and work quite a bit with it. Most of the members of Shadow Gallery are audio engineers to one degree or another, and multi-instrumentalists as well.... so an idea can be developed and recorded quite rapidly. Very often the process is to record some "musical idea" first, then have the lyrics fitted in later, at which point the music may be altered or more fitted to some melodic vocal line. Most often Brendt or I programs the drums into one of our drum machines, or sequencers, and we start layering almost immediately. The process usually develops into a two-man songwriting team. We have covered all the 2-man possibilities, and listening to Tyranny, you can hear the different approaches based on which two people start writing the song..such as Chris/Brendt on "War for Sale" or "Out of Nowhere" as opposed to Carl/Gary on "I Believe" or "New World Order".

Once the initial demos are recorded by the 2 person-music-only group, the cassettes are made and passed on to everyone else. Then we all think about what else we could add. At this point Carl and Mike take over much of the work, working on vocal melodies, then turning them into lyrical vocal lines. Its a bit of "back and forth" for a while 'till the music and lyric contain the same emotion. Many times are sons change drastically or have parts that are re-written many times. I remember re-writing certain parts of the musical sections for "New World Order" over and over till it was just right - This is where having everyone else's input can help quite a bit... When the latest tape is met with a round of "Alright!! Wow! That's it!" You know the part was justified in being reworked to its full potential.|excerpted from an October 6, 1999 interview with Gary Wehrkamp|http://www.ram.org/music/articles/wehrkampinterview.html|25px|25px

Shadow Gallery as a studio band

To the chagrin of long-time fans, the band has never conducted a live tour (nor played a live show) despite having been together (as Shadow Gallery) since the early 1990s. When asked the question in one interview, Wehrkamp explained that "We have always been more a studio band than a performing band unfortunately, and while we rehearsed for a tour just before "Tyranny" was started, a few obstacles blocked our touring options, and we were locked back in the studio to make another record. I know there are many people who cannot understand why we haven't played in support of this record, and I can see why they feel that way, but honestly, it's very difficult." [ [http://www.ram.org/music/articles/wehrkampinterview.html Interview with Gary Wehrkamp of Shadow Gallery ] ]

In a more recent 2005 interview, he cited the band's various side projects as a reason, stating that "I truly think that it will maybe never happen as we all have full diaries, families, full time jobs and mortgages... I for instance give lessons and I play in 2 other bands... But we will seriously consider it this time, as it will be very difficult to get all the guys of the band together to go on tour. Besides it was never our intention in the first place to do live gigs as SG is most and for all a real studio band. Maybe, some day, never say never…." [ [http://www.dprp.net/specials/2005_shadowgallery/ DPRP Specials : Gary Wehrkamp - Shadow Gallery : Interview 2005 ] ]

Current formation

*Mike Baker - Vocals
*Gary Wehrkamp - Piano, guitars, keyboards, vocals
*Brendt Allman - Guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals
*Carl Cadden-James - Bass, vocals, flute, fretless bass
*Chris Ingles - Piano, keyboards
*Joe Nevolo - Drums

Former members

*Kevin Soffera - Drums

Discography

*"Shadow Gallery" (1992)
*"Carved in Stone" (1995)
*"Tyranny" (1998)
*"Legacy" (2001)
*"Room V" (2005)
*"Prime Cuts" (2007)

References

External links

* [http://www.shadowgallery.com Official Shadow Gallery website]
* [http://www.shadowgalleryforums.com Official Shadow Gallery message board]