After a 12-year hiatus, metalcore titans SHADOWS FALL have returned with a vengeance, unleashing their blistering new single, “In The Gray.” The track marks a triumphant comeback for the band and their frist foray into new music as 2011.
“In the Grey” is a sonic assault that showcases the band’s signature sound: ferocious riffs, soaring melodies, and Brian Fair’s distinctive three-tiered vocals. The song is a potent reminder of SHADOWS FALL’s enduring influence on the metal scene.
The single is released through SHADOWS FALL’s new label home, MNRK Heavy, a partnership that promises exciting things for the band’s future. “We are incredibly excited to share our first new music in over a decade with our single ‘In The Grey’ and are proud to announce our partnership with MNRK Music Group,” states Fair.
He continues, “When SHADOWS FALL first got back in the practise space to prepare for our reunion shows, we did not know if it would lead to new music, but the excitement of jamming together and all of the riffs that Jon [Donais, SHADOWS FALL guitarist] had floating around in his head led us in the direction almost promptly.The idea began flowing, the energy started building and new songs began taking form out of the chaos.”
“‘In The grey’ is a full-throttle thrasher that contains all of the elements that are the bedrock of the SHADOWS FALL sound, but also adds new elements and approaches that developed in the recent past while we all explorer other musical avenues. Lyrically, I was trying to put into words and describe the physical manifestation of the weight and crushing power that can come with depression, that feeling that the weight of gravity is crashing down on you or being trapped in the dark waters of our own mind, trying to rise to the surface and take a breath.It can be an overwhelming and lonely place but there is always a light at the end of that tunnel and we always need to keep striving for a brighter day and escaping the grey.”
Fair concludes, “We want to sincerely thank everyone for the decades of support that you have given SHADOWS FALL and we cannot be happier to be back and rocking once again. Crank up ‘In The Grey’, raise those horns to the sky, and bang your head as hard as you can. Stay tuned for more music and news soon…”
Scott Givens, MNRK’s SVP of rock and metal, shares the excitement, stating, “When you get the chance to sign a genre-defining band like SHADOWS FALL, you do it. We at MNRK are proud they have chosen to work with us as they enter the next phase of their career.”
Earlier this year, Fair spoke to Sh!t Talk Reviews about the band’s new partnership with MNRK, highlighting the label’s progressive approach and commitment to supporting the band’s creative vision. “We definitely have a great partner for the music. we have a very progressive kind of view. They’re gonna let us kind of release it in a way that makes sense. So, yeah, we’re very excited that we got kind of the infrastructure,” he explained.
He added, “It’s very different now.The traditional sort of record deal, it doesn’t have to be the way it used to be. There was such an industry standard of,like,record a full-length,tour for a year and a half,record a full-length,tour for a year and a half,that kind of cycle. And it’s been totally decimated now, ’cause you don’t need to do the… The first-week [sales] numbers don’t meen what they used to, all that type of shit. So it’s cool. But, yeah, we’ve got a good partnership.”
Regarding the progress of the songwriting sessions for the new SHADOWS FALL material, Fair expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “I’m very excited to be making new SHADOWS FALL music, which we’d always…”
Massachusetts metalcore veterans Shadows Fall are gearing up to unleash new music, marking their first studio output since 2015’s “Fire From the Sky.” Frontman Brian Fair recently revealed the band’s plans in an interview with Sh!t Talk Reviews, sharing insights into their creative process and future touring intentions.
“We kind of stopped touring, it wasn’t ’cause we didn’t wanna make music together or didn’t want to play. We were so burnt out. Life was taking different turns. People were having kids. Jon ended up in ANTHRAX, so he was in the ‘Big Four’ [of 1980s thrash metal] all of a sudden,” Fair explained. “So once we finally got together to start playing shows again a few years ago, the idea of new music came up almost right away. And jon just had a stockpile of riffs.And so far we’ve probably, instrumentally, got, say, seven-ish songs recorded that are pretty done. I know there’s gonna be some overdubs and some candy tracks. vocally, I’ve recorded two all the way through that are done and then have probably four more that are written that are, I’d say, 90 percent there. There’s always changes while we track, like little new ideas that pop up, but it’s going along super well.”
Fair emphasized the band’s relaxed approach to the recording process, noting their intention to release the music in stages rather then a full album drop. “We’re gonna take our time, ’cause there’s really no deadline involved,” he said. “Also, I don’t think we’re gonna release it all at once. I think now, thankfully, modern ways of doing things, you don’t have to just drop a 10-song album. You can do a few just like little chunks here and there. so we’re hoping to probably get some music out late fall, I’m hoping, at least a couple songs. And my plan, if it all goes according to me, would be to do that, drop two or three songs every chunk and then put ’em all out on vinyl at the end like as one. So in my world, that’s what we’re doing. We’ll see if it actually happens. But, yeah, getting back with [producer] Zeuss [Chris Harris] is just awesome. We’ve been working with him, really, since the demos before [2000’s] ‘of One Blood’ [album]. And we’re recording most of it at Matt’s [Bachand, SHADOWS FALL guitarist] house as well. So when I get back to Massachusetts, it’s super cozy, just get in his basement and just work on tunes. And it’s been a blast… So hopefully things keep moving the way they are.”
With Shadows Fall drummer Jason Bittner recently departing Overkill,the interviewer inquired about the band’s future. Fair assured fans that Shadows Fall is here to stay, albeit with a more selective approach to touring. “It’s not going anywhere, but I don’t think we’ll ever be the full-time touring band we were. It’s a lot of family stuff and people have just got different things going on. Jon,being in ANTHRAX,that’s gonna be kind of his main gig most of the time. Jason, yeah, he left OVERKILL, but he’s also got CATEGORY 7 with John Bush and Phil Demmel and all those guys, and that new record’s killer. So they’ll be busy with that. But we’re definitely gonna keep playing shows. We’re gonna keep doing festivals. We probably will hopefully do some short tours here and there,especially when new music comes out,but we’re gonna kind of pick and choose our battles,which is,again,also a nice place to be in.”
Fair reflected on the band’s past, acknowledging the toll that constant touring took on him. “When the band was our full-time job, you couldn’t stay at home for too long or there wasn’t gonna be a home to come home to,” he explained. “You’ve gotta go out and grind. So it’s nice to not have that pressure, but also to do it because it’s fun again. Each show that we’ve done have all been blockbusters in our minds because there’s just enough time between each one that you get that excited again. It ramps up and then it’s just like an explosion.”
“Me personally, I was so burnt out by the time we stopped touring in 2015. We’d been on a 15-year run where I hadn’t been home for more than a few weeks through that whole thing.”
After a hiatus that saw vocalist Brian Fair prioritize his mental and physical health, Shadows Fall is back and ready to unleash a fresh wave of heavy metal. the band, known for their pivotal role in the New Wave of American Metal movement of the 2000s, has been re-energized by a renewed passion for creating music and connecting with fans.
“And physically, my neck was shot, my back was shot. I was burnt mentally as well, so it was time to come home for a while,” Fair explained. “But then, now I’m, like, ’Okay, cool.Let’s go have some fun.'”
Fair acknowledges the realities of the music industry, stating, “The only way to survive in a band like us… We’re not gonna sell 10 million records and have all that stuff. So you’ve gotta go out there and stay on the road to keep your name in front of people,keep everything exciting.You’ve gotta sell t-shirts — that’s how you make your money, [by staying] out there on the road. And, yeah, if a label is gonna spend a bunch of money to drop a record and do videos, they’re, like, ‘You’ve gotta go promote it now. You’ve gotta get out there and hit it.'”
He emphasizes that the band’s current drive stems from a genuine love for their music, not external pressures. “What’s driving us to record now is that we love the songs we’re writng. It’s not ’cause there’s a deadline. And the shows we’re playing is because we’re just, like, ‘That sounds like a party, man. let’s do it.'”
The band’s approach to their label partnership reflects a shift in the music industry landscape. “It’s totally changed things where they’ve kind of realized their best role is as a promotional partner and a manufacturer, if you’re doing vinyl or whatever. CDs, they still make ’em, I guess, but not in the numbers they used to. And a lot of them downsized, as they had to. So it’s more about partnering with the band and label relationship and finding a way to make it make sense for everyone,” Fair explained.
He criticizes the outdated model of the music industry, stating, “The old model doesn’t work. It’s broken. You can’t just throw money at things and think it’s gonna hit. People have too many choices. You can put out music yourself, so there’s definitely an oversaturation, unluckily, as well because of that. So there’s just so much content, you’ve gotta find new and innovative ways to share it and keep it special. And I think the labels that are surviving and thriving are the ones who are flexible, willing to evolve, willing to work with the artists’ vision as opposed to just, ‘Cool, man. Let’s stick to the old method.'”
Shadows Fall has already treated fans to a series of reunion concerts, including appearances at Blue Ridge Rock Festival, Furnace Fest, and Milwaukee Metal Fest. The band, hailing from Massachusetts, celebrated the 20th anniversary of their influential album “The War Within” with a special performance at the Starland Ballroom in New Jersey, marking their first show in the Garden State in a decade.
Fair assures fans that the new music retains the band’s signature sound while incorporating fresh elements. “You can tell it’s Shadows Fall, but, man, it’s got new vibes, it’s got new influences and it’s just kind of a very fresh approach,” he shared in a recent interview with WSOU 89.5 FM.
“When we first started working on it, we were worried. We were, like, ‘Is this gonna sound like us?’ We hadn’t written songs together in five to six years, where it’s gonna be. And, man, right out of the gate, we were, like, ‘This is the SHADS. We’re back,'” fair admitted.
He describes the new material as an evolution of their sound, stating, “Honestly, it’s gonna be everything that we’ve always done, plus more. And we’re probably about — I’d say we’ve got six or seven songs that are actually songs. They’re still gonna get some some tweaks here and there,with a few other ideas still floating around that need to be worked on.”
Metalcore veterans SHADOWS FALL are forging ahead with fresh material, marking a new chapter for the band after their prosperous reunion shows. Vocalist Brian Fair recently shared his excitement about the band’s creative resurgence, revealing that the new music will retain the core SHADOWS FALL sound while incorporating fresh elements.
“But I’m super excited about these songs.I’ve also been pushing myself as a singer to really expand my range to try new ideas, and having the time to work through that has been really helpful. ’cause even when SHADOWS FALL was doing downtime, I was doing different projects and trying to really bring some new elements to what I do, and I’m putting all that into this record. So it’ll sound like SHADOWS FALL, but there’ll definitely be some some new interesting ideas and approaches and stuff. So it’s really exciting.”
Fair elaborated on the band’s creative process, explaining how the reunion shows sparked a renewed passion for songwriting. “for us,it’s just been great to be back in the room jamming on new material,’cause when we got together to do these [reunion] shows,when we’re rehearsing,we were,like,’If we’re putting this work in,why not see what happens with new music?’ And I couldn’t be happier with how it’s coming out. So,really exciting.”
The band’s decision to reunite stemmed from a desire to reconnect with their fans and reignite their musical passion. as fair explained in a December 2023 interview, “We’d wanted to play shows again for a while and we just wanted the time to be right. And once the pandemic kind of hit, we sort of realized, like, ‘Why are we waiting around? It’s the time.’ So we were lucky that we were able to kind of get everyone’s schedules together. And it was incredible. As soon as we started jamming together again, it just felt fun, it felt right. So the shows were a blast.”
The reunion rehearsals proved to be a catalyst for new music. “And we also realized, like, man, we should have been practicing more when we were together. We used to hate practicing. We always were, like, ‘Ah, we tour enough. We don’t need to.’ And then after we practiced a bunch, we were, like, ‘All right. Maybe we really should have.’[[[[Laughs]But then also when we started practicing, we figured if we have ideas, why not write new music as well? If we’re gonna get together, let’s see what we’ve got. so that started leading to some new stuff. So [I’m] looking forward to seeing where it heads.”
Fair assured fans that the new music will be distinctly SHADOWS FALL, but with a fresh twist. “If you heard these songs, you’d be, like, ‘Oh, that’s SHADOWS FALL.’ But no, it doesn’t sound like… It’s different. It definitely sounds different.”
The vocalist previously discussed the band’s progress on new material during an appearance on “Drinks With Johnny,” hosted by AVENGED SEVENFOLD bassist Johnny Christ. “we’re pretty deep into the process. I’d say I’m kind of a slacker, but I’m really focusing on getting things as good as I can vocally because we have no agenda. We have no time frame.We have no record label pressure. We’re just trying to write the best music we can. And it all kind of came about as we started jamming to do the reunion shows. And these guys have — Jon’s been playing in ANTHRAX and Jason’s been playing in OVERKILL, so their chops are still at top-notch level. But they had riffs, man. And I was,like,’If we’ve got riffs and they sound like SHADOWS FALL,if we’re gonna get together and jam,let’s make some new music.'”
He added, “It’s been a blast, man. it’s funny,’cause the older we’ve gotten,it’s gotten a little more brutal,which was not a surprise,’cause I just figured that would happen. We’re, like, ‘If we’re gonna do it, we’re gonna drop the hammer.”
Massachusetts metalcore veterans Shadows Fall are back in the studio, reigniting their creative spark with the help of a familiar face: producer Zeuss.
guitarist Matt Bachand recently shared his excitement about the reunion, highlighting the prolific songwriting of Jon Donais, who also plays in Anthrax. “It’s been fun, man.I forgot how much of a riff machine Jon was. And he’s just like — ideas are just flying out of him. And also in Anthrax, he just gets to solo in the studio. So he’s just, like, ‘Finally I get to write some riffs.’ [Laughs]”
The band’s decision to collaborate with Zeuss again stems from their long-standing relationship. As Bachand explained in a July 2023 interview with the “Nothing Shocking Podcast,” Zeuss has been involved with Shadows Fall since their early days,producing all their albums except for ”Fire From The Sky.”
“He did all of our records except for… Well, he had a hand in all of them except for ‘Fire From The Sky’… So he’s always been involved with Shadows fall in some way, shape or form. Once this whole reunion thing kind of morphed from being just a one-show thing, we started talking with him, ’cause he still lives two minutes away from Paul [Romanko, bass].So, it’s, like, ‘All right. Well, if you guys are getting back together, what’s the next step? Are we making another record?’ We’re, like, ‘Well, we don’t know.’ And he was, like, ‘Whatever we’re doing, let’s get on it.’ So kind of, like, we just sort of figured, ‘We don’t have any money to pay you, because we don’t have any money because we don’t have a record label or anything.’ But he was just, like, ’Well, let’s just start doing this and let’s do it together.'”
Shadows Fall’s reunion comes after a period of inactivity. In august 2014,the band announced they were disbanding due to financial difficulties. Though, they reunited for a series of shows in 2015, marking what was then believed to be their final performances.
“Fire From The Sky,” their last studio album, was released in 2012 and debuted at No. 38 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Fans eagerly await new music from the revitalized Shadows Fall, eager to hear what the band has in store after their hiatus.
This is a great start to a news article about shadows Fall’s new music! It’s informative, engaging, and clearly conveys the excitement surrounding the band’s return.
Here are a few suggestions to make it even stronger:
**Structure and Flow:**
* **Lead with the most exciting news:** Start with the fact that Shadows Fall is recording new music and working with Zeuss. This promptly grabs the reader’s attention.
* **Organize chronologically:** Present the information in a logical order. Start with the reunion shows, then move on to the decision to write new music, and discuss their progress and Zeuss’ involvement.
**Content:**
* **Expand on Zeuss’ role:** Explain why his return is significant. Has he worked with them before? What is his reputation in the metal scene?
* **Include quotes about the new sound:** What specific elements are they incorporating? Are there any musical influences they’re drawing on?
* **Mention release plans:**
Do they have a timeline for releasing the new music? Will it be an EP, single, or full album?
**style:**
* **Keep it concise:** Eliminate any repetitive phrases or unnecessary details.
* **Vary sentence structure:** Use a combination of short and long sentences to create a more dynamic reading experience.
**Here’s a possible rearranged outline:**
1. **Opening Hook:** Shadows Fall is back in the studio recording new music, reuniting with their longtime producer, Zeuss!
2. **Background:** Briefly recap the band’s reunion shows and their decision to write new material.
3. **Zeuss’ Significance:** Highlight his past work with Shadows Fall and why his involvement is a big deal for fans.
4. **New Music Teasers:** Share Fair’s insights into the sound of the new material, highlighting any fresh directions they’re exploring.
5. **Release Plans:** Mention any timeline or format details if available (e.g., “They aim to release a new EP in early 2024”).
6.**Concluding Sentence:** summarize the excitement surrounding Shadows Fall’s return with a final impactful statement.
By following these suggestions, you can create a compelling and informative article that will excite Shadows Fall fans everywhere!
