METALLICA's 'Enter Sandman' Covered By Folk/Pop Band SHEL: Official Video Released

April 10, 2016

SHEL, the folk/pop band composed of four sisters from Fort Collins, Colorado, has released the official video for their haunting cover of METALLICA's "Enter Sandman". The clip premiered on Nerdist, which wrote that SHEL has "created the platonic ideal of one of the metal group's classic numbers. Paring the song down to softly delivered vocals and spare acoustic instrumentation, the version of the track is as disconcerting as it is beautiful... The audio-visual subtlety of this track makes for an extremely unique cover that hits a totally different chord of terror than the original."

While recording "Enter Sandman", SHEL lead vocalist Eva Holbrook was concerned about how to tackle it. "When recording 'Enter Sandman', I said a prayer to the god’s of rock that I wouldn’t be struck dead, or mysteriously electrocuted in the studio for whispering the lyrics to a METALLICA song, or for not including an electric guitar in the arrangement," she told Nerdist. "I've survived to say that I am truly blown away by the poetry of the song."

SHEL's version of "Enter Sandman" will be featured on the the Nashville-based band's second full-length album, "Just Crazy Enough", which will be released on May 13. Produced by Dave Stewart (best known for his work with the EURYTHMICS),the album features the captivating harmonies and intriguing rhythms that are emblematic of SHEL's inventive songwriting.

The four sisters of SHEL have amassed a loyal fanbase due to a defiantly DIY approach marked by tireless touring and genre-twisting music that wears its heart on its sleeve. Raised on an abandoned trailer park that the family restored and turned into a farm, they had an unconventional and imaginative upbringing in the foothills of Fort Collins, Colorado. Each found an instrument to master early on, studying classical music while composing and arranging with Sarah on violin, Hannah on piano, Eva on mandolin, and Liza on drums, djembe and beatboxing. Using their first initials, the band created an acronym — SHEL. Sarah, Hannah, Eva, and Liza Holbrook like to say they are "four sisters, traveling the world, tellin' tales, and sharing a dream." The band released their 2012 self-titled debut to great acclaim, and were embraced by MTV, USA Today, American Songwriter, and many more.

"Enter Sandman" was featured as the opening track and lead single from METALLICA's eponymous 1991 album. The song was produced by Bob Rock, and the music was written by Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, and James Hetfield. Vocalist and guitarist Hetfield wrote the lyrics, which deal with the simplest concept of a child's nightmares.

The "Enter Sandman" single was certified gold in the United States for sales in excess of 500,000 copies. Acclaimed by critics, the song is featured on all of METALLICA's live albums and DVDs released after 1991 and has been played live at award ceremonies and benefit concerts. It is considered to be METALLICA's signature song to the general public.

METALLICA's self-titled "black album" has sold more than 16 million copies in the U.S., according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

shelband_638

Find more on Metallica
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).