Customer Reviews

The War Within

5 star:		(91)
4 star:		(35)
3 star:		(26)
2 star:		(19)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

A 4 star average review. How is this possible? This is one of the best CDs from one of the best modern metal bands. Four stars usually means that there are quite a few bad reviews, which is the case here.

I see in this bizarre list of review several, too many, who have given "The War Within" markedly bad reviews with ridculous logic. Among these reviews, you have 4 types - I would like to address each type individually
1. Old school metal-heads who have learned about Shadows Fall because of their popularity. These guys think that AC/DC and Anthrax are the greatest metal bands of all time. They cannot grasp the rough vocals that Shadows Fall uses. I say that if you have the entire AC/DC collection, then modern metal is definitely not for you & you have no business reviewing this CD. Also, get off of the computer because other people at the nursing home want to use it.
2. Fanatical death metal / hardcore fans. Its always the same with these guys. They always whip out the "nu-metal" tag like a dagger. And their reviews always end something like this: "If you want REAL metal then save your money & check out the bands I listen to: Cryptopsy,Deicide,Dying Fetus,Cattle Decapitation,Pig Destroyer, blah, blah, blah." Listen, I am a very well-listened metal fan & I always either own or have heard all of the CDs that these idiots rant about. None of them, I repeat, NONE, are even good enough to hold Shadows Fall's scrotum area while they prematurely relieve themselves.
3. People who always compare to the previous CDs ... with a vengence. Its o.k. to compare to their older albums because those are the baseline. But some people whine if a band changes their sound, yet others whine when a band doesn't change its sound. In this case, if you think that Shadows Fall have deviated from their previous albums, especially "Art of Balance", then I have to believe that you have mistaken this band for someone else.
4. Metal fans who just do not like this CD or do not like Shadows Fall. Finally, reviewers worthy of some respect. You opinions are always valid & welcomed.

My opinion...Shadows Fall have outdone themselves with "The War Within". I don't believe that I have heard a metal album in recent memory with songs this good from start to end. Not only is every song good - every song is incredible. There is no doubt that this album tops the other 2 best releases of the year, Lamb of God's "Ashes of the Wake" and Machine Head's "Through the Ashes of Empires" (what's up with "ashes" anyway?). Shadows Fall are the best metal band today, period.

This is my first Shadows Fall album. After all of the raving reviews I've read for The Art Of Balance, I became extremely interested in hearing this band. I did some research and discovered that they had a new album on it's way, so I held out for War Within. Let me just say that I am extremely impressed with this album. The guitar work is creative and very challenging. The lead guitarist plays lead while the rhythym guitarist plays rhythym creating a wall a sound I have longed to hear from American metal. The bass is actually really good. The bassist has a distinguishable tone and it comes out a lot when it needs to, especially in What Drives The Weak, the man is going off. The drumming is pretty good, a little soft sounding for a metal album, but pretty technical none the less. The singer has a good screaming voice, but also has a pretty good singing voice for a metal singer.

The DVD is pretty cool. It has some older songs recorded live. The camera quality is alright, there are a lot of angles and such, so it was done pretty professionally. There are also two guitar lessons and a drum lesson, which I find pretty cool for those musicians out there that want to learn the songs.

All in all, if you like top knotch metal music with fast drumming and ripping solos, then this is for you. Highly recommended.

There are two ways you can view Shadows Fall's fourth C.D. You can think of it as a very monotonous album which is in serious need of some melody; or you can view this album as a devastating, relentless thrash-metal assault which easily holds its own against metal's heaviest bands.

After I read some glowing reviews about it, I picked up "The War Within" and, after my first few listens, I thought it was very overrated. But after repeatedly listening to this C.D., it has definitely grown on me. I've found several "twists", surprises, and other things which I originally didn't hear.

I only partially agree with the statement that this album is "brutal and beautiful." It is definitely more brutal than it is beautiful, and there are only a few spots of prettiness. (Tracks 1 and 10 have acoustic intros/interludes that briefly make the songs pretty, but songs 2-9 are all slabs of relentless, melody deficient heavy metal.) Even super-heavy metal bands (like Pantera) would have a softer song here and there, but "War Within" doesn't sport a single ballad or melodic, radio-ready guitar lick.

Every track, including the songs with acoustic intros, are full of explosive, iron metal riffs, pounding drums, and thunderous rhythms. The only thing that prevents "The War Within" from being a death metal album is that the singer (Brian Fair) usually sings the songs cleanly--he doesn't have Cookie Monster vocals, and he snarls only a few times. The album does slow down in places, but it always picks up where it left off with a super heavy, super speedy onslaught. While there could stand to be a tad bit more melody or texture on tracks 2-9, you do get used to the album's hard hitting attack, and all of the songs grow on you.

Highlights include:

"The Light that Blinds" opens with an acoustic bit, which is very similar to Metallica's "Battery." It then shifts gears and rockets into a full on metal assault that explodes out of your speakers. After the song slows for the chorus, the fast double bass drums kick in and turbo charge the beat again. This song is full of good riffs, as well as a good guitar solo.
"Enlightened by the Cold" has heavy rhythmic (almost chugging) riffs, which should be tailor made for headbanging. Brian Fair cleanly sings the song's chorus, and this isn't the only song where he does so.
"What Drives the Weak" is a stadium sized anthem that is still full of booming riffs, but it is the album's closest thing to a semi-ballad. The choruses (part of which are sung, part of which are yelled) are huge. Around the three-minute mark the song turns to a bobbing beat with punching guitars and almost machine gun drums.
"The Power of I and I" opens with thunderous, lumbering riffs, then the verses change to an almost galloping beat. This song has a handful of good riffs, but the reason why this song is a personal favorite is the great Biohazard-esque shout-along chorus.
"Ghosts of Past Failures" has two of the "twists" that I found with repeated listens: the acoustic mid-section, as well as a scorching solo laid down by guitarist Matt Banchand.

So, "War Within" is definitely a worthwhile grab for any metalhead, especially those who are really into the "New Wave of American Heavy Metal" or `80's thrash. Just make sure you give it repeated spins, and listen with rested ears.

Since bands like Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax emerged in the 1980's, that decade is thought of as the golden age of metal. The new millennium is the second coming of that era. New Wave of American Heavy Metal bands (like Shadows Fall) are helping to recreate the "golden age of metal," by making heavy metal/thrash metal popular again. Some say that Lamb of God are the Pantera of this millennium (that they pick up where Pantera left off). That might be true, but if it is, then Shadows Fall is Sepultura's or Metallica's equivalent.

I've heard the best of classic metal, I've heard the best of thrash, and I've heard the best of death.
Now comes a band that combines the best of all three.

People who won't like this: a) Those who like "pure" black/death metal; i.e. metal that puts agression above musical skill and is produced in a garden shed.
b) those who aren't into anything heavier than Glam (Cinderella, Whitesnake, etc)
But if you like good metal, then trust me, you'll gravitate toward this eventually.
Here's the recipe:
2 parts Testament
1 part Anthrax
1 part death
1 part goth
1 part Iron Maiden
Directions: Drink beer, set CD in player for 8 hours.
Sit and enjoy. Repeat directions for several years, daily.
(Omit beer if you have a job)
Trust me.

Shadows Fall has to be the shining band of Amarican Metal. They were playing amazing song with solos in the hayday of nu metal. Now that takes balls. I'll admit Brian Fair is not the greatest singer BUT, if your a Shadows Fall fan like me, you'd know his voice fits perfectly. The bassist is acctually really good, makin nice interludes when the guitars go soft and Mat whips out his cean vox ala What Drives The Weak. Evey song on here is great, not one let down. The only song I ever consiter skipping over is The Act Of Contrition, because it sounds too much like Enlightened By the Cold. Shadows Fall have become too good to call them metalcore; they deserve the tite of the new thrash kings. Slayer hasn't made an album for 4 years, Metallica sold out, Exodus tries too hard, MegaDeth lost their umph and Testament lost their guitarist. So untill Slayer makes a new album Shadows Fall will stay in my CD player.

Ok first of all, I'm tired of hearing everyone whining about Shadows Fall being sellouts. It seems like when a good underground metal band gets some exposure, they get slammed for it. Although I am a fellow metalhead, I would like to say that we're some of the biggest cry baby-critics out there. Now to the Cd. This is an awesome CD, from start to finish. Their musicianship is unbelievable, and the highlight is definitely the guitars. Matthew Bachand and Jonathan Donais make a great twin guitar attack, and Jon's leads are simply amazing!! Jason Bittner has improved a bit, and he's a good drummer however, he isn't the greatest. Paul Romanko gives some pretty good bass lines, better than your average bassist but in metal, bassists don't really stand out (except for the bass god himself, Cliff Burton RIP). Brian Fair is an excellent vocalist, despite what most people say in these reviews. Great lyrics, and great delivery. Overall this is some bad@$$ thrash metal...yes, thrash metal. I hate how everyone is calling it "metalcore" cuz that tends to push people away from listening to this. Quit categorizing and just listen to it...if u like it, fine, and if not, than that's fine as well. Be sure to get "The Art Of Balance" and "Of One Blood" from Shadows Fall as well!!

Best songs are The Light That Blinds, What Drives the Weak, Power Of I and I, Act Of Contrition, Ghost Of Past Failures, Inspiration on Demand

I bought this cd a week after this band played here in Jacksonville. I wasn't impressed enough with "The Art of Balance" to go see them, and after hearing "The War Within", I hate myself. This is the best metal album I've heard since Metallica's "Master of Puppets" or Pantera's "Far Beyond Driven". I had mixed feelings on the first few listens because the album is derivative. There are elements of Iron Maiden, Metallica, Pantera, and Megadeth in almost every song - especially in the solos. I came to realize on the fourth or fifth listen that this is not a bad thing. It's freaking awesome! Face-melting solos are a forgotten artform in today's metal, and this album marks a return to the format that made me love metal in the first place.

I realize that most of the more popular newer metal bands seem to be following the scream-o formula of bands like Killswitch Engage and the whole hardcore scene, but this is the trend that needs to catch on: awesome musicianship, complex song structure, and face-melting guitar solos. Since Metallica cannot live up to being Metallica anymore, I nominate Shadows Fall to take their place.

In a year of incredible metal releases: unearth, lamb of god, god forbid, killswitch, and atreyu...shadows fall has outdone them all. i love all of the others mentioned above but, shadows fall is in a class all by themselves. if you've heard anything by them before, you know what to expect. if you've never heard them before and want some top-notch musicianship...check this one out.

Metal has truly had a rebirth. Bands like God Forbid, Chimaira, Hatebreed, Killswitch Engage, Atreyu, Lamb of God, Unearth, and Eighteen Visions have all released incredible albums in a span of a little over a year. And with the release of "The War Within", Shadows Fall set themselves in front of all of them. None of these bands or their recent albums can touch "The War Within", period. Not even God Forbid's "Gone Forever", which I previously thought was a shoe-in for Album of the Year.

The hype over this offering is not to be taken lightly...IT REALLY IS THAT GOOD! It's a landmark record for Shadows Fall, as they elevate their sound unimaginably, and elevate their band to legend status. Mark my word guys...we will still be talking about this album in 10 years. You can count on it.

Standout tracks: "The Light That Blinds", "What Drives The Weak", "Inspiration On Demand", "Ghosts Of Past Failures", and "Those Who Cannot Speak"

For how long metal music been underdog in the mainstream?? NO MORE! they are just come back...... with one of the best album of 2004, Shadows Fall show you how they become "the best metal band since Metallica" (the quoted part is what i read on mag.). Thru out the whole ablum, over-the-top performance of everyone of them, not to mention the melting solo on every track by guitarists, highly creative, physical demanding arrangement.

"Slayer/Slipknot"-ish trash-speed of "The Light That Blinds" and "The Power Of I and I", sentimental Pantera-ish(R.I.P. Dimebag) "Eternity Is Within", Metallica-ish rhythm "Inspiration On Demand", "Zakk Wylde"-ish squealing harmonies on "Enlightened By The Cold", they just cross every boundaries of metal music and made all of them their own, "The War Within" will no doubt become one classic album of metal history, just like Black Album, Cowboy from Hell and Reign in Blood!!! Go get yourself a copy of this, if you like heavy stuff, or you are headbanger, they won't disappoint you!!!

i missed one thing very important, that is, go and get yourself this copy of "The War Within" which COME WITH THE BONUS DVD, that's a very important thing, the DVD, included 2 live bootleg ("Fire in Babylon", "Of One Blood"), which they show their ability on how their live sound as tight as on their CD. Two guitar lessons ("Enlightened By The Cold", "The Power Of I and I"), which show how Donais and Bachand play the two tunes, together and one by one, original tempo and slower tempo, you just can't imagine how flawless they are when they play together. and also Bittner's drum lesson on showing you how to play "The Light That Blinds", the 180 beat per minute opening tune, again, he show us how to play the tune in original tempo and slower tempo, also included the original studio take video, Bittner is the most up-and-coming drummer nowadays, i remember last time I felt that same fear about a drummer was when i saw Joey Jordison of Slipknot, both of them are highly technique, but yet very musically on their instrument.