Shadows Fall

Infobox musical artist
Name = Shadows Fall

---

Img_capt = Shadows Fall performing in 2007. From left to right: Matt Bachand, Paul Romanko, Jason Bittner, Brian Fair, and Jonathan Donais.
Img_size = 250
Landscape = Yes
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
Years_active = 1995–present
Label = Century Media, Atlantic/Roadrunner
Associated_acts = Aftershock, All That Remains, Exhumed,Killswitch Engage Overcast
URL = [http://www.shadowsfall.com/ www.shadowsfall.com/]
Current_members = Brian Fair
Jonathan Donais
Matt Bachand
Paul Romanko
Jason Bittner
Past_members = Philip Labonte
David Germain
Adam Dutkiewicz
Derek Kerswill

Shadows Fall is an American heavy metal band formed in Springfield, Massachusetts in late 1995. Although the band has experienced several line-up changes, for most of its recording career Shadows Fall has comprised of Brian Fair (vocals), Jonathan Donais (guitar) , Matt Bachand (guitar), Paul Romanko (bass), and Jason Bittner (drums).

Since its formation, Shadows Fall has released five studio albums, two compilation albums, and one DVD. The band's first album featured Philip Labonte on vocals, although he was soon replaced by Fair. Shadows Fall's first two studio albums featured David Germain playing drums, but in 2002 Bittner joined the band full time. Last year, the band was a Grammy Award nominee in the category Best Metal Performance for the song "Redemption" off the album "Threads of Life".

History

Formation, "Somber Eyes to the Sky", and "Of One Blood"

Shadows Fall formed in 1995 by guitarists Jonathan Donais and Matt Bachand with the help of Adam Dutkiewicz.cite web| author=Huey, Steve |url=http://wc09.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fbfqxqwjldke~T1 |title=Shadows Fall biography - Allmusic |publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=2008-01-05] Donais and Bachand recruited vocalist Philip Labonte, and bassist Paul Romanko to complete Shadows Fall's original line-up. The band released its first EP "To Ashes", with Dutkiewicz playing as a session drummer. After the release of the demo Dutkiewicz left to form Killswitch Engage. David Germain joined the band as drummer, to fill the empty position. Shadows Fall toured the New England area opening for artists such as Fear Factory and Cannibal Corpse. The newly formed band recorded its first studio album "Somber Eyes to the Sky", in November 30, 1997 through Bachand's recording label, Lifeless Records. The band's name, according to Bachand, comes from the title of a comic book published in the early 1990s.cite web| author=Epstien, Daniel Robert |url=http://www.ugo.com/ugo/html/article/?id=17152 |title=Shadows Fall interview |publisher=Ugo.com |accessdate=2008-01-05]

In 1998, Labonte left Shadows Fall to form a band called All That Remains. The band looked for a replacement vocalist and found Brian Fair at an Overcast concert. The band asked Fair if he would like to join Shadows Fall. Fair left Overcast and joined Shadows Fall as a full time vocalist. While on tour Shadows Fall was signed to Century Media Records. The band recorded its second studio album "Of One Blood" with Fair on vocals in 2000, the release included re-recorded songs from "Somber Eyes to the Sky". After the recording of the album Germain left the band, and was replaced by former Stigmata drummer Jason Bittner.

"The Art of Balance"

Shadows Fall recorded its third studio album, titled "The Art of Balance". Released on September 17, 2002, the album peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Top Independent albums chart.cite web| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=341394&model.vnuAlbumId=907088 |title=Shadows Fall - Artist Chart history |publisher=Billboard.com |accessdate=2008-01-05] Shadows Fall released three music videos to promote the album; "Thoughts Without Words", "Destroyer of Senses", and "The Idiot Box".cite web| url=http://www.mvdbase.com/artist.php?last=Shadows+Fall&first= |title=Shadows Fall - Artist videography |publisher=Mvdbase.com |accessdate=2008-01-05] "The Art of Balance" featured a cover of the Pink Floyd song "Welcome to the Machine". Steve Huey of Allmusic stated the album is "a modern heavy metal album that is both brutal and highly musical, traditional yet forward-thinking", but criticized the placement of "Welcome to the Machine", stating the song "is stylishly well-executed, but seems a tad out of place nonetheless." [cite web| author=Huey, Steve |url=http://wc09.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3ifyxqtaldfe |title=(((The Art of Balance))) |publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=2008-01-05] Shadows Fall supported "The Art of Balance" by touring on Ozzfest in 2003. [cite web| url=http://ozzfest.com/static_content/view/alumni.html |title=Ozzfest alumini |publisher=Ozzfest.com |accessdate=2008-01-05]

"The War Within"

Shadows Fall released its fourth studio album "The War Within" on September 21, 2004. It was the first release to enter the Billboard 200 for the band at number 20, and peaked at number one on the Top Independent albums chart. In promotion for the album, Shadows Fall released four music videos over the course of one year; "The Power of I and I", "What Drives the Weak", "Inspiration on Demand", and "Enlightened By the Cold". The song "What Drives the Weak" received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance in 2006, however the award went to Slipknot for the song "Before I Forget".cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2006/grammys.htm |title=48th Grammy Awards - 2006 |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-01-05] "The Light That Blinds" was featured in the video game "Guitar Hero II". Wade Kergan of Allmusic praised the album stating the band has "grown beyond the confines of the metal-loving hardcore crowd anyway, with more in common now with the classic thrash of Metallica than the metal-tinged hardcore of Coalesce". [cite web| author=Kergan, Wade |url=http://wm10.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:aifexqysldke |title=(((The War Within))) |publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=2008-01-05] As of 2008, the album has sold almost 300,000 copies in the United States.cite web| url=http://www.atlanticrecords.com/shadowsfall/bio |title=Shadows Fall biography - Atlantic Records |publisher=Atlanticrecords.com |accessdate=2008-01-05]

Shadows Fall released its first DVD "The Art of Touring" in November 2005. The DVD included a live concert, backstage footage, and six music videos. [cite web| author=Chad Bower |url=http://heavymetal.about.com/od/reviews/gr/rev_sfalldvd.htm |title=Shadows Fall - The Art Of Touring DVD |publisher=Heavymetal.about.com |accessdate=2008-01-05] The band released its final CD on Century Media Records, titled "Fallout from the War" on June 13, 2006. Released as a compilation album, it debuted at number 83 on the Billboard 200. "Fallout from the War" included tracks recorded for "The War Within" that did not make it on to the album, b-sides, re-recordings, and cover songs. David Jeffries of Allmusic claimed the album is "a great informal introduction to the ferocious and melodic witches' brew Shadows Fall always seems to nail." [cite web| author=Jeffries, David |url=http://wm10.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:jzftxqldldfe |title=(((Fallout from the War))) |publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=2008-01-05]

"Threads of Life"

Shadows Fall signed a deal with Atlantic Records to distribute the band's albums in the United States, and a deal with Roadrunner Records for international distribution. The band released its fifth studio album "Threads of Life" on April 3, 2007. "Redemption", the first single from the CD was released on February 20, 2007 through iTunes with an accompanying music video. [cite web| url=http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=24411 |title=Hear Shadows Fall's Single, "Redemption," Online |date=2007-02-22 |publisher=Metal underground.com |accessdate=2008-01-05] "Redemption" received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal performance; the award ceremony as held on February 10, 2008.cite web| url=http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=31736 |title=Rock And Metal Featured In 2008 Grammy Nominations |date=2007-12-06 |publisher=Metalunderground.com |accessdate=2008-01-05] Slayer's "Eyes of the Insane" won the award. Thom Jurek of Allmusic stated Shadows Fall has "lost none of the fire, attack or attitude" on "Threads of Life". Jurek also said the album featured "killer guitar breaks, big fat chugging riffs, power-slam skin work, cattle prod bass, and cool little hooks and melodic touches on top of those bludgeoning riffs make "Threads of Life" a major label debut of merit, and a metal record worthy of celebrating." [cite web| author=Jurek, Thom |url=http://wm05.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:azfpxzq5ldje |title=(((Threads of Life))) |publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=2008-01-05] Keith Bergman of Blabbermouth.net stated "Threads of Life" is slick as hell." [cite web| author=Bergman, Keith |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/showreview.aspx?reviewID=1086 |title=CD reviews - Threads of Life |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |accessdate=2008-01-05]

Shadows Fall toured in support of "Threads of Life", including making appearances at the Jägermeister tour with Stone Sour and Lacuna Coil, [cite web| url=http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=23627 |title=Stone Sour to Headline Spring Jagermeister Tour |date=2007-12-07 |publisher=Metalunderground.com |accessdate=2008-01-05] the Operation Annihilation tour with Static-X, 3 Inches of Blood, and Divine Heresy, [cite web| url=http://www.operationannihilationtour.com/ |title=Operation Annihilation tour |publisher=Operationannihilationtour.com |accessdate=2008-01-05] and the Black Crusade tour with Trivium, Machine Head, Dragonforce, and Arch Enemy. [cite web| url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=74867 |title=Shadows Fall Added To 'Black Crusade' European Tour With Machine Head, Trivium |date=2007-06-16 |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |accessdate=2008-01-05] The band was a part of the Soundwave tour in Australia and in Asia in February 2008, along with Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, and Bleeding Through. [cite web| url=http://www.mtv.com.au/tours/67/ |title=Soundwave '08 |publisher=MTV |accessdate=2008-01-05]

Band members

;Current
* Brian Fair: lead vocals (2000–present)
* Jonathan Donais: lead guitar, backing vocals (1995–present)
* Matt Bachand: rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1995–present)
* Paul Romanko: bass (1995–present)
* Jason Bittner: drums, percussion (2000–present)

;Former
* Adam Dutkiewicz: session drums (1996)
* Philip Labonte: vocals (1995–1999)(lead singer of All That Remains)
* David Germain: drums (1995–2000)
* Derek Kerswill: drums

Discography

* "Somber Eyes to the Sky" (1997)
* "Of One Blood" (2000)
* "The Art of Balance" (2002)
* "The War Within" (2004)
* "Fallout from the War" (2006)
* "Threads of Life" (2007)

Awards and Nominations

Nominations

* Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance – "What Drives the Weak" (2006)
* Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance – "Redemption" (2008)

References

External links

* [http://www.shadowsfall.com/ Official website]
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