SHADOWS FALL: Complete 'Retribution' Details Unveiled

Massachusetts metallers SHADOWS FALL will release their fifth full-length album, "Retribution", on September 15. The follow-up to 2007's "Threads of Life" will be made available on the band's own label, Everblack Industries, which was created in conjunction with Warner Music Group's ILG, Ferret Music and ChannelZERO Entertainment. The CD was produced by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, MUNICIPAL WASTE),with vocal production by Elvis Baskette (INCUBUS, ALTER BRIDGE). The cover artwork (see below) was created by Sons of Nero (UNEARTH, EVERY TIME I DIE, BRING ME THE HORIZON).

Commented singer Brian Fair: "We learned everything from the ground up. We've gone through the independent metal world to the major label world, and have come to realize that, given the way things are now, it's all about the band re-taking control of everything: music, business, ownership, publishing. Everything."

Regarding the new CD's musical direction, Fair said, "With each album we've gotten a little more confidence to really let all of our influences show. We're unapologetic about the old-school metal and the '80s influence, as well as the thrash and the melodic death metal. There's really no holding back when it comes to our songwriting. Once the floodgates open, we go all the way."

Fans can now sign up for the SHADOWS FALL mailing list and street team at this location. Exclusive downloads are now available for all members!

"Retribution" track listing:

01. The Path to Imminent Ruin
02. My Demise
03. Still I Rise
04. War
05. King Of Nothing
06. The Taste Of Fear
07. Embrace Annihilation
08. Picture Perfect
09. A Public Execution
10. Dead And Gone

SHADOWS FALL vocalist Brian Fair recently spoke to Noisecreep about the band's decision to form their own label.

"We had an amazing run with Century Media that opened up many doors and taught us even more," he said. "This led to our decision to sign with a major label like Atlantic Records to see what that world was all about. We realized quickly that the entire music industry was in a state of flux and panic as sales figures and profits were dropping by huge percentages each year. It was time to change up the business model in a way that would help break the cycle of large unrecouped budgets and put the power and profits back in the hands of the band."

Fair continued, "In a traditional record deal, the band is fronted large amounts of money by the label and they control the spending for promotion and video that then must be paid back through album sales, leaving the band as the last ones to get paid as the money trickles in. In our current deal, we have the power of a major label distributor combined with the everyday input of an independent label that understands our music and scene."

Fair told Revolver magazine that the band's new songs are similar to those on 2007's "Threads of Life", though darker and almost ballad-free. "There's more like two half-ballads," he said. "There are some acoustic moments and some melodies that let the songs breathe, but there's old-school thrash as well. We've written a lot of fast stuff which is definitely going to be fun to play live."

Video footage of SHADOWS FALL performing a brand new song entitled "A Public Execution" on June 20, 2009 at a private party in Southwick, Massachusetts can be viewed below.

"Threads of Life" was made available through Atlantic in the U.S. and Roadrunner Records in Europe.

SHADOWS FALL guitarist Matt Bachand was recently interviewed on "The Barry Kirkey Radio Show". The program is now available for download as an MP3 audio file at this location.