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Background information
Origin	Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
Genre(s)	Melodic death metal (early) Thrash metal Metalcore
Years active	1996–Present
Label(s)	Atlantic (USA) Roadrunner (international)
Website	Official website
Members
Brian Fair Jonathan Donais Matt Bachand Paul Romanko Jason Bittner
Former members
Philip Labonte David Germain Damien Mcpherson Derek Kerswill

Shadows Fall is a five-piece Metalcore band from Springfield, Massachusetts. Threads of Life, their new album, is scheduled to be released on April 3, 2007.

Contents 1 History 2 Members 2.1 Current members 2.2 Former members 3 Discography 3.1 Singles 4 Videography 5 Related Bands 6 External links

Shadows Fall was formed in 1996 by guitarists Jonathan Donais and Matt Bachand with the help of Adam Dutkiewicz. Jon wanted to start a new band after playing with the band Aftershock on their first demo, entitled To Ashes. Vocalist Philip Labonte, bassist Paul Romanko, and drummer David Germain later joined the band to complete Shadows Fall's initial line-up. Somber Eyes to the Sky, the band's debut album, was released in 1997 through Matt Bachand's recording label, Lifeless Records. Shadows Fall's debut record garnered the band considerable attention in the Massachusetts area and led to a record deal with Californian independent metal label, Century Media Records.

Of One Blood, the band's second album, was released in 2000. Of One Blood featured Brian Fair, formerly of Overcast, as a replacement for Phil Labonte. Labonte went on to be the frontman for the band All That Remains. Labonte's guttural death metal vocal style was replaced with Fair's range of screams, hardcore yelling, and clean singing. "Revel in My Loss", "To Ashes", and "Fleshold" from Somber Eyes to the Sky were re-recorded for the new album. Shadows Fall embarked on a worldwide tour with a wide range of artists, including The Misfits, King Diamond, and In Flames.

The band's third album, The Art of Balance, was released on September 17, 2002. It was inspired by a quest to find a perfect balance of melody and agression. Jason Bittner buoyed the rhythm section as the band's new drummer. The Art of Balance was marked by a shift away from the former metalcore and melodic death metal style to a traditional thrash metal approach. Bachand's clean vocals were used less frequently. Changes were apparent on the song "Stepping Outside the Circle" that had been previously released on the album Fear Will Drag You Down. The Art of Balance was re-recorded with a slower tempo, less crisp production, and with Fair's vocals replacing Bachand's voice in the chorus.

Shadows Fall was invited to play on Ozzfest tour in 2003. Shadows Fall was considered one of the best new bands on the tour^{[citation needed]} and sold more albums on each stop than other bands that appeared on the side-stage.^{[citation needed]} Several prestigious tours followed, including Japan's "Beast Fest" and MTV2's Headbanger's Ball tour with such bands as Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God. Shadows Fall released three music videos: "Thoughts Without Words", "Destoyer of Senses", and "The Idiot Box". Shadows Fall became the first band on Century Media to have album sales in excess of 100,000 copies. "The Idiot Box" (and later pressings of The Art of Balance) also featured a cover of the Pink Floyd single "Welcome to the Machine".

The War Within, the band's fourth album, was released on September 21, 2004. Music videos for the tracks "The Power of I and I", "What Drives the Weak", "Inspiration on Demand" and "Enlightened By the Cold" accompanied the album's release. The War Within soon reached the number one position on the Billboard Independent Albums chart while reaching the number 20th position on the top 200. The War Within has sold approximately 300,000 copies in the United States.^{citation needed}

Shadows Fall was named by Alternative Press as a "Top Five Band in Metal Today". Revolver Magazine readers voted the band "Best New Talent." Shadows Fall received the "Golden God Award" for Best Underground Act at the Metal Hammer Awards. Guitar World Magazine ranked the band's two guitarists among the "Top 100 Guitarists of All Time". Both guitarists have written monthly columns featured in Guitar World Magazine. Drummer Jason Bittner was praised as the "#1 Up and Coming Drummer" in a 2004 reader's poll for Modern Drummer Magazine.

Shadows Fall released their first DVD, The Art of Touring, in November of 2005. A live concert with backstage footage and six music videos are featured on the DVD. They released their final CD on the Century Media label, Fallout from the War, on June 13, 2006. The album contains material that was never finished during the recording sessions from "The War Within" but also includes covers and re-recorded vintage material from the band. The album peaked at 83 on the Top 200 charts.

Shadows Fall is currently working the album titled Threads of Life. It will be the first release on the band's new North American label Atlantic Records. The new album is scheduled to be released in April 3rd, 2007. "Redemption", the first single from the CD was released on February 20, 2007 through Itunes and a video for the single is currently in the works. The band recently signed a deal with Roadrunner Records for international distribution of the new record. The band cancelled remaining dates on a fall tour with Killswitch Engage and Bury Your Dead in late October to finish writing the new album. All That Remains filled in for the band in November and Hatebreed filled the tour slot in December. The band is scheduled to open for Stone Sour alongside former label mates, Lacuna Coil for the Jagermeister Tour which kicks off in Minneapolis, Minnesota on March 23, 2007.

Shadows Fall has recorded "Fury of the Storm" for WWE wrestler Rob Van Dam. "Fury of the Storm" was released on the WWE Wreckless Intent CD. Killswitch Engage also worked on the CD with WWE PPV Judgment Day 2006's theme, "This Fire Burns," which is now ECW Wrestler CM Punk's entrance song.

Their song "The Light that Blinds" appears as a bonus track in the video game Guitar Hero II.

Their song "Burning the Lives" appears in the video game Burnout Dominator.

• Brian Fair – Vocals
• Jonathan Donais – Lead Guitar, Vocals
• Matt Bachand – Guitar, Vocals
• Paul Romanko – Bass
• Jason Bittner – Drums

• Philip Labonte – Vocals
• Damien Mcpherson – Vocals
• David Germain – Drums
• Derek Kerswill – Drums
• Adam Dutkiewicz – Session Drums on bands first demo

Date of Release	Title	Label	US Billboard Peak	US sales
1998	To Ashes
1998	Somber Eyes to the Sky	Lifeless Records
April 4, 2000	Of One Blood	Century Media
2001	Deadworld EP	Century Media
2002	Fear Will Drag You Down	Century Media
September 17, 2002	The Art of Balance	Century Media	15 (Independent)	200,000+
September 21, 2004	The War Within	Century Media	20	300,000+
June 13, 2006	Fallout from the War	Century Media	83	50,000+
April 3, 2007	Threads of Life	Atlantic Records

Year	Title	Modern Rock	Mainstream Rock	Album
2002	"Destroyer of Senses"	-	-	The Art of Balance
2002	"Thoughts Without Words"	-	-	The Art of Balance
2003	"The Idiot Box"	-	-	The Art of Balance
2004	"The Power of I and I"	-	-	The War Within
2005	"What Drives The Weak"	-	#38	The War Within
2005	"Inspiration On Demand"	-	#33	The War Within
2006	"In Effigy"	-	-	Fallout From The War
2007	"Redemption"	-	-	Threads of Life

• The Art of Touring (2005)

• Overcast - Brian Fair's former band.
• Aftershock - Jonathan Donais' former band.
• Killswitch Engage - started by other former members of Aftershock and Overcast.
• All That Remains - started by Phil Labonte after leaving Shadows Fall.

• Official website
• MySpace site
• Shadows Fall at All Music Guide
• Brian Fair exclusive answering machine message