In a brand new interview with the Thunder Underground podcast, SHADOWS FALL singer Brian Truthful spoke in regards to the band’s newest single, “In The Gray”, which was made obtainable final December through SHADOWS FALL‘s new file label dwelling, MNRK Heavy. The monitor marked the band’s first new piece of music in additional than 12 years.
“We’re simply so joyful to lastly launch new music,” he stated (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). “We’re engaged on a full album’s value of fabric, however I really feel prefer it’s gonna drop form of in chunks after which hopefully the remainder of it form of factor. We simply could not sit on it. We have been simply so excited with how that tune got here out. And it is form of a special world now too, the place you’ll be able to launch singles main as much as extra songs and maintaining folks . So, yeah, man, we have been stoked with the way it got here out and simply needed to get it out in entrance of individuals. And I am tremendous psyched to only be writing once more with the fellows, ‘trigger we did not know if that was gonna be form of a part of the deal after we began enjoying reveals once more. And the writing has actually turn out to be the principle focus for the final yr and a half or so, which has been superior once more to form of get again in that mode. So it is killer.”
Relating to SHADOWS FALL‘s songwriting strategy for the brand new music, Brian stated: “After we first began form of writing music, we needed to verify it was gonna be SHADOWS FALL music. We hadn’t labored on new materials in such a very long time, and as soon as we began writing, issues simply clicked proper outta the gates. And ‘In The Gray’ was a kind of songs that form of got here collectively fairly rapidly too. And we needed to form of have the primary track fairly energetic, simply come out swinging thrash metallic fashion. It is acquired a giant, melodic refrain, however the remainder of it’s just about simply pedal-to-the-metal thrash. So, that was additionally — why fiddle? Simply come out with the primary one swinging. So we have been tremendous stoked. So, yeah, all the pieces about it was simply form of an thrilling new chapter.”
As for the way SHADOWS FALL approached the recording course of after being away from the recording studio for therefore lengthy, Brian stated: “This recording course of with [producer] Zeuss [Chris Harris] this time round, we have carried out it fairly stripped down so far as we’re not reamping guitar tracks a ton… Earlier than we might experiment with reamping one million various things and mixing tones and all this. This one we form of needed to make one thing that did not sound possibly as surgical and scientific as some metalcore or fashionable metallic’s form of gotten. We needed to carry somewhat little bit of thrash vitality to it and somewhat extra of a uncooked — not essentially sonically uncooked, however just a bit extra live-ish strategy to it.”
On the subject of SHADOWS FALL‘s new cope with MNRK Heavy, Truthful stated: “We talked to a couple labels, however only a few, ‘trigger we form of had an concept of what we needed to do and form of the kind of deal we have been in search of. So, we hit it proper off the bat with them. They’ve a fantastic roster with everybody from Zakk Wylde and Ace Frehley, however then additionally DARKEST HOUR and ESCUELA GRIND after which HIGH ON FIRE and CROWBAR — simply so many killer bands. So, it actually made sense. And so they’re form of additionally approaching it extra as we’re signing for a gaggle of songs the place we will type of launch issues slowly after which put all of it collectively. ‘Trigger simply the way in which we work as a band proper now, since it is not everybody’s full-time life, we wanna do it — not essentially take our time, however we wanna ensure we maximize our time after we can get it, ‘trigger it is so laborious to get everybody collectively. So, they have been actually keen to form of work with us on that stage of realizing the place the band is at this level in our life. In order that was a giant a part of it. And so they’ve been killer to date.”
Elaborating on the variations in the way in which music is being launched these days in comparison with the way it was a few many years in the past, Brian stated: ”Yeah, it is extra simply the break from the album-cycle type of factor. After we first have been round, you principally put out a file yearly and a half or so, and then you definitely toured nonstop. And that was form of the way it labored. And now there’s so many various retailers, there’s so many various methods to get your music to folks. It is not as conventional file label relationship form of setup, which is cool. And you must form of have a contemporary strategy. And for a band like us — we form of come from an old-school strategy, so it is good to have a label that has that ahead pondering and form of is aware of the best way to navigate the form of new manner of the music biz.”
Requested in regards to the progress of the songwriting and recording classes for the following SHADOWS FALL album, Truthful stated: “We’ve a pair [of songs] which can be completely carried out which will want some combine [tweaks], however are tracked. After which we have now the instrumental tracks for lots. And we’re beginning to work on vocal demos. Proper now we’re form of buying and selling issues forwards and backwards. And we have got the skeletons to a different group of latest songs that we have not tracked instrumentally. So, all stated and carried out, we’re gonna form of maintain simply writing and recording form of as issues come alongside, however we have now a very good basis of, I might say, six or seven songs which can be just about there and tracked instrumentally. And the vocal concepts are at the least in a skeleton kind; it is a matter of getting in and getting time to file ’em. However then, like I stated, there’s a complete different group of songs proper behind it that we have gotta begin engaged on too.”
When “In The Gray” was first launched, Brian stated in an announcement: “We’re extremely excited to share our first new music in over a decade with our single ‘In The Gray’ and are proud to announce our partnership with MNRK Music Group.
“When SHADOWS FALL first acquired again within the apply area to arrange for our reunion reveals, we didn’t know if it will result in new music, however the pleasure of jamming collectively and the entire riffs that Jon [Donais, SHADOWS FALL guitarist] had floating round in his head led us within the route virtually instantly. The concept started flowing, the vitality began constructing and new songs started taking kind out of the chaos.”
He continued: “‘In The Gray’ is a full-throttle thrasher that comprises the entire components which can be the bedrock of the SHADOWS FALL sound, but in addition provides new components and approaches that developed within the latest previous whereas all of us explorer different musical avenues. Lyrically, I used to be making an attempt to place into phrases and describe the bodily manifestation of the burden and crushing energy that may include melancholy, that feeling that the burden of gravity is crashing down on you or being trapped at nighttime waters of our personal thoughts, making an attempt to rise to the floor and take a breath. It may be an amazing and lonely place however there may be all the time a light-weight on the finish of that tunnel and we all the time have to maintain striving for a brighter day and escaping the gray.”
Truthful completed: “We wish to sincerely thank everybody for the many years of assist that you’ve got given SHADOWS FALL and we can’t be happier to be again and rocking as soon as once more. Crank up ‘In The Gray’, elevate these horns to the sky, and bang your head as laborious as you’ll be able to. Keep tuned for extra music and information quickly…”
Final August, Truthful was requested by Sh!t Speak Evaluations whether it is “secure to say” that SHADOWS FALL “is again” and is “not going to go anyplace anytime quickly.” Brian responded: “It is not going anyplace, however I do not assume we’ll ever be the full-time touring band we have been. It is a variety of household stuff and other people have simply acquired various things occurring. Jon, being in ANTHRAX, that is gonna be form of his major gig more often than not. Jason [Bittner, drums], yeah, he left OVERKILL, however he is additionally acquired CATEGORY 7 with John Bush and Phil Demmel and all these guys, and that new file’s killer. In order that they’ll be busy with that. However we’re positively gonna maintain enjoying reveals. We’re gonna maintain doing festivals. We in all probability will hopefully do some brief excursions right here and there, particularly when new music comes out, however we’re gonna form of decide and select our battles, which is, once more, additionally a pleasant place to be in.
“When the band was our full-time job, you could not keep at dwelling for too lengthy or there wasn’t gonna be a house to return dwelling to,” Truthful defined. “You’ve got gotta exit and grind. So it is good to not have that strain, but in addition to do it as a result of it is enjoyable once more. Every present that we have carried out have all been blockbusters in our minds as a result of there’s simply sufficient time between each that you just get that excited once more. It ramps up after which it is similar to an explosion.
“Me personally, I used to be so burnt out by the point we stopped touring in 2015. We would been on a 15-year run the place I hadn’t been dwelling for quite a lot of weeks by that entire factor. And bodily, my neck was shot, my again was shot. I used to be burnt mentally as nicely, so it was time to return dwelling for some time. However then, now I am, like, ‘Okay, cool. Let’s go have some enjoyable.'”
“The one strategy to survive in a band like us… We’re not gonna promote 10 million information and have all that stuff,” Brian added. “So you have gotta go on the market and keep on the street to maintain your title in entrance of individuals, maintain all the pieces thrilling. You’ve got gotta promote t-shirts — that is the way you make your cash, [by staying] on the market on the street. And, yeah, if a label is gonna spend a bunch of cash to drop a file and do movies, they’re, like, ‘You’ve got gotta go put it up for sale now. You’ve got gotta get on the market and hit it.’
“What’s driving us to file now could be that we love the songs we’re writing. It is not ‘trigger there is a deadline. And the reveals we’re enjoying is as a result of we’re simply, like, ‘That seems like a celebration, man. Let’s do it.'”
Elaborating on how he and his SHADOWS FALL bandmates selected their new record-label companion, Brian stated: “It’s very modified issues the place they’ve form of realized their finest function is as a promotional companion and a producer, in case you’re doing vinyl or no matter. CDs, they nonetheless make ’em, I suppose, however not within the numbers they used to. And a variety of them downsized, as a result of they needed to. So it is extra about partnering with the band and label relationship and discovering a strategy to make it make sense for everybody.
“The outdated mannequin does not work,” the 49-year-old singer, who now lives in St. Louis, Missouri along with his spouse and their two youngsters, added. “It is damaged. You may’t simply throw cash at issues and assume it is gonna hit. Individuals have too many selections. You may put out music your self, so there’s positively an oversaturation, sadly, as nicely due to that. So there’s simply a lot content material, you have gotta discover new and progressive methods to share it and maintain it particular. And I feel the labels which can be surviving and thriving are those who’re versatile, keen to evolve, keen to work with the artists’ imaginative and prescient versus simply, ‘Cool, man. Let’s keep on with the outdated technique.'”
Truthful and his SHADOWS FALL bandmates have performed a lot of reunion concert events to date, together with at Blue Ridge Rock Competition in Alton, Virginia, on the Furnace Fest in Birmingham, Alabama, and on the Milwaukee Steel Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The long-running Massachusetts-based metallers, who have been on the forefront of the New Wave Of American Steel scene that dominated the ’00s, celebrated the twentieth anniversary of their “The Warfare Inside” album by enjoying the LP in its entirety in March 2024 on the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey, the positioning of the band’s many basic reveals. It additionally marked the primary time the band has carried out within the Backyard State in a decade.
In December 2023, Truthful advised RichardMetalFan about SHADOWS FALL‘s resolution to reunite: “We would needed to play reveals once more for some time and we simply needed the time to be proper. And as soon as the pandemic form of hit, we type of realized, like, ‘Why are we ready round? It is the time.’ So we have been fortunate that we have been in a position to form of get everybody’s schedules collectively. And it was unbelievable. As quickly as we began jamming collectively once more, it simply felt enjoyable, it felt proper. So the reveals have been a blast. We actually rehearsed like loopy for it. And we’re in all probability higher ready for that than something we would ever been for earlier than that. And we additionally realized, like, man, we should always have been training extra after we have been collectively. We used to hate training. We all the time have been, like, ‘Ah, we tour sufficient. We need not.’ After which after we practiced a bunch, we have been, like, ‘All proper. Perhaps we actually ought to have.’ [Laughs] However then additionally after we began training, we figured if we have now concepts, why not write new music as nicely? If we’re gonna get collectively, let’s examine what we have got. In order that began resulting in some new stuff. So [I’m] wanting ahead to seeing the place it heads.”
SHADOWS FALL launched an announcement in August 2014 through which the bandmembers defined that monetary difficulties made it nearly inconceivable for the group to proceed as a full-time concern.
In August 2015, SHADOWS FALL performed just a few reunion reveals on the U.S. East Coast, one yr after finishing what was being billed on the time because the band’s “last” European tour.
“Hearth From The Sky” was launched in Might 2012 through Razor & Tie. The CD bought round 10,000 copies in the USA in its first week of launch to debut at place No. 38 on The Billboard 200 chart.
Picture credit score: Jeremy Saffer