Shadows Fall

With war being waged at every level and in almost every corner of the world right now, it’s no surprise that Massachusetts metal powerhouse Shadows Fall has named its upcoming album The War Within. The disc’s first single, “The Power of I and I,” is a venting of pent-up savagery and internalized rage that maintains the power, precision and passion of the group’s previous three releases, including last year’s masterpiece, The Art of Balance. Drawing from Swedish death-mongers like At the Gates and In Flames as well as the classic thrash of Slayer and Megadeth, the band pounds out progressive riffs and floor-buckling breakdowns while Brian Fair’s acidic vocals simultaneously eat at all the evils of the world and convey a sense of unity and hope. Top it all off with a bloodstained cover of Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the Machine” that rivals Voivod’s version of “Astronomy Domine,” and you’ve got the recipe for a righteous, riot-inciting protest that’s louder than bombs.