Shadows Fall

Shadows Fall performing in 2007. From left to right: Matt Bachand, Paul Romanko, Jason Bittner, Brian Fair, and Jonathon Donais.
Background information
Origin	Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
Genre(s)	Thrash metal, metalcore, melodic death metal (early)
Years active	1996-present
Label(s)	Century Media, Atlantic/Roadrunner
Associated acts	All That Remains Overcast Aftershock Killswitch Engage
Website	www.shadowsfall.com/
Members
Brian Fair Jonathan Donais Matt Bachand Paul Romanko Jason Bittner
Former members
Philip Labonte David Germain Adam Dutkiewicz

Shadows Fall is an American heavy metal band formed in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1996. Although the band has gone through several lineup changes, for most of its recording career Shadows Fall comprises Brian Fair (vocals), Jonathon Donais (guitar), Matt Bachand (guitar), Paul Romanko (bass), and Jason Bittner (drums). Since its formation Shadows Fall has released five studio albums, two compilations, and one DVD. The band's first album featured Philip Labonte singing lead vocals, but he was soon replaced by Fair. Shadows Fall's first two full-length albums featured David Germain playing drums, but in 2002 Bittner joined the band full time and is regarded as one of heavy metal's best drummers alive. The band is currently a Grammy Award nomminee for Best Metal Performance for the band's latest studio album Threads of Life.

History

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

Shadows Fall formed in 1996 by guitarists Jonathan Donais and Matt Bachand with the help of Adam Dutkiewicz.^[1] Donais and Bachand recruited vocalist Philip Labonte, and bassist Paul Romanko to complete Shadows Fall's initial line-up.^[1] The band released its first demo To Ashes with Dutkiewicz playing as a session drummer. After the release of the demo Dutkiewicz left to form the band Killswitch Engage. David Germain joined the band as drummer, to fill the empty position.^[1] Shados Fall toured the New England erea opening for artists suchas Fear Factory and Cannibal Corpse. The newly formed band recorded its first full length album Somber Eyes to the Sky, in November 1997 through Bachand's recording label, Lifeless Records.^[1] The band's name, according to Bachand in an interview with Daniel Robert Epstien of Ugo.com, comes from the title of a comic book published in the early 1990s.^[2] In 1998 Labonte left Shadows Fall to form a new band, All That Remains. The band looked for a replacement vocalist and found Brian Fair at an Overcast concert. The band asked Fair if you would like to join Shadows Fall. Fair left Overcast and joined Shadows Fall as a full time vocalist.^[1] While on tour Shadows Fall was signed on to Century Media Records. The band recorded Of One Blood with Fair singing lead vocals. Tha album was released in 2000 and included re-recorded songs from Somber Eyes to the Sky. After the recording of the album Germain left the band, but was soon replaced by former Stigmata drummer Jason Bittner.^[1]

The Art of Balance

Shadows Fall recorded its third studio album, titled The Art of Balance. The album was released on September 17, 2002 and reached number 15 on the Billboard Top Independent albums chart.^[3] Shadows Fall released three music videos from the album in support of it, the titles of the videos are "Thoughts Without Words", "Destoyer of Senses", and "The Idiot Box".^[4] The Art of Balance also featured a cover of the Pink Floyd song "Welcome to the Machine." Steve Huey of All Music Guide stated the album is "a modern heavy metal album that is both brutal and highly musical, traditional yet forward-thinking", but critisized the placement of "Welcome to the Machine", stating the song "is stylishly well-executed, but seems a tad out of place nonetheless."^[5] Shadows Fall supported The Art of Balance by touring on Ozzfest in 2003.^[6]

The War Within

Shadows Fall released its fourth studio album The War Within on September 21, 2004. The band recieved its Billboard 200 albums chart debut, with the album peaking at number 20, and peaking at number one on the Top Independent albums chart.^[3] In promotion for the album, Shadows Fall released four music videos over the course of a year, the names of the videos are "The Power of I and I", "What Drives the Weak", "Inspiration on Demand", and "Enlightened By the Cold".^[4] The song "What Drives the Weak", recieved a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance, however the award went to Slipknot for their song "Before I Forget".^[7] Wade Kergan of All Music Guide 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." on The War Within.^[8] As of 2008 the album has sold nearly 300,000 copies in the United States.^[9] Shadows Fall released its first DVD The Art of Touring in November 2005. The DVD includes a full length live concert, backstage footage, and six music videos.^[10] The band released its final CD on Century Media Fallout from the War on June 13, 2006. The release is a compilation album and debuted at number 83 on the Billboard 200. Fallout from the War includes previous 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 All Music Guide claimed the album is "a great informal introduction to the ferocious and melodic witches' brew Shadows Fall always seems to nail."^[11]

Threads of Life

Shadows Fall signed a deal with Atlantic Records to distribute the band's albums throughout the United States, and a deal with Roadrunner Records for international distibution.^[2] 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.^[12] "Redemption" recieved a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal performance, the award ceremony will be held on February 10, 2008.^[13] Shadows Fall appeared on many major tours in support of Threads of Life, including the Jägermeister tour with Stone Sour and Lacuna Coil,^[14] the Opperation Annihilation tour with Static-X, 3 Inches of Blood, and Divine Heresy,^[15] and the Black Crusade tour with Trivium, Machine Head, Dragonforce, and Arch Enemy.^[16] The band will be part of the Soundwave tour in Australia in February 2008, along with Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, and Bleeding Through.^[17]

Members

• Brian Fair: lead vocals (1999-present)
• Jonathan Donais: lead Guitar, backing vocals (1996-present)
• Matt Bachand: rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1996-present)
• Paul Romanko: bass (1996-present)
• Jason Bittner: drums, percussion (2000-present)

Former members

• Adam Dutkiewicz: session drums (1996)
• Philip Labonte: vocals (1996-1999)
• David Germain: drums (1996-2000)

Discography

Main article: Shadows Fall discography

• Somber Eyes to the Sky (1997)
• Of One Blood (2000)
• The Art of Balance (2002)
• The War Within (2004)
• Threads of Life (2007)

Awards and Nominations

Nominations

• Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance, "What Drives the Weak" (2006)^[7]
• Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance, "Redemption" (2008)

References

External links

• Official website
• Shadows Fall at MySpace