Shadow
Forever Chaos ()
Wydane przez Spikefarm RecordsRok wydania Kraj JapanNapisał Wouter8
What if the true Arch Enemy actually resides in Osaka, Japan and calls itself Shadow? "Forever Chaos" is just that – melodic death metal with a fierce female behind the mic that recalls Arch Enemy's second coming with 2001's "Wages Of Sin". Despite being founded in 1993 it is not until 2008 that Shadow makes itself heard with its second record for Finland's quality label Spikefarm Records. Like their more popular peers Shadow combines the best of NWOBHM and the ‘80s thrash movement in fleshripping riffs that are both brutal and melodic at the same time. There are plenty of lightning fast, vitriolic leads/solos to be found through out this record and while the drumming isn't always as interesting as one would expect Shadow know how to write an engaging melodic death metal track without indulging in the saccharinity that usually plagues this genre. Unlike Arch Enemy or Children Of Bodom (the solo'ing and riffing is particularly Bodom inspired) Shadow keeps their material always at a breakneck pace with many grooves passages with blood curdling vocal lines and engaging dynamics. Tokiko Shimamoto is demonic behind the mic, her black metal rasps could very well be mistaken for Children Of Bodom's Alexi Laiho in the band's early days while her death grunts should very well fit in Immolation. Yuichi Sumimoto and Shinichiro Okada excel on guitar delivering catchy riffs, memorable hooks and extended leads/solos that make any of the Swedish melodic death metal take notice. Yoshio "Cain" Kubo (bass) provides the record with a sufficient bottom end groove while quietly fulfilling his purpose on the background. The high end production is crunchy with a crisp guitar tone and a snare drum sound that nearly borders on industrial. The artwork, design and lay-out of "Forever Chaos" are fitting if not exactly spectacular. A digital rendering by Joachim Luetke (Dimmu Borgir, Divine Heresy, Kreator) would have made of difference of night and day for this record. Nevertheless, Shadow have delivered a beast of a melodic death metal album that might possibly force a breakthrough in Europe and beyond. The cover of Slayer's veritable classic ‘Black Magic' is a nice touch but not entirely necessary as every band in the underground covered it at some point.
www.spinefarm.fi
