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By JEFF MAKI
With a strong catalog and fanbase, Shadows Fall is well respected within the metal scene--so much so that there wasn't even a huge backlash when the band recently made the major label jump from Century Media to Atlantic Records, though some fans had to be worried about the possibility of a sellout. Lamb of God recently went major, and it didn't seem to water down their raw, aggressive sound; hell, Sacrament is probably Lamb of God's best release thus far. With Threads of Life, Shadows Fall didn't exactly sell out, though they seem to play things rather safe.
The album opens with “Redemption,” and though you immediately recognize it's Shadows Fall, a certain bite of the aggressiveness of previous albums is gone. Much like Trivium did on The Crusade, Shadows Fall opts for a more straightforward, riff-heavy style. Brian Fair's vocals are even cleaner, reminiscent of James Hetfield in parts. “Redemption” sets the pace for this hard-rockin' effort, though I wouldn't call a bulk of the songs thrash metal or even metalcore. Guitarist Matt Bachand provides great clean vocals and for those who haven't noticed yet, this guy is a great singer. “Burning the Lives” and “Storm Winds” follow much of the same formula—mid-paced, chugging riffs, alternating rough and clean vocals with melodic choruses. The album is much more melodic than previous efforts. “Failure of the Devout” is what Threads of Life could have been. This song absolutely rips with shredding guitar riffs and aggression, more along the lines of something from The Art of Balance. “Another Hero Lost” is an experiment for this band. It's a power ballad with sensitive lyrics and seems like a failed attempt at satisfying the label with a possible single. The song isn't horrible, but even the talented musicians of Shadows Fall need some fine tuning to successfully achieve something so accessible. “Final Call” is a heavy metal anthem and would have been at place on The War Within. “Forevermore” closes the disc in grand fashion, complete with an acoustic interlude and one of the most memorable choruses of the album. In between, the material is along the lines of the first part of the album—well above average, but not as powerful and lasting as The War Within or The Art of Balance.
The guitar work on Threads of Life sets Shadows Fall upon a pedestal looking down on fellow metal acts. Bachand and Jon Donais are true guitar heroes and in the elite group of players. Of course, drummer Jason Bittner pounds his way through another impressive performance. Shadows Fall is a great band, don't get me wrong. Threads of Life is not exactly the sellout fans may have feared; it's more like a band that wasn't entirely sure which direction they wanted to go. Other than “Another Hero Lost,” the band fails to drastically evolve or break new ground. For a lot of fans, that will be just fine; if something isn't broken, why fix it? Shadows Fall is at somewhat of a crossroads, and this album is necessary at this point in their career. I fully expect their next effort to be a fucking monster. Fortunately, Shadows Fall is such a good metal band that even if they release a bad record you probably won't be able to tell.
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