Shadowmaker (Apocalyptica album)

Shadowmaker
Studio album by Apocalyptica
Released April 17, 2015
Genre Symphonic metal, progressive metal, alternative metal, cello rock[1][2]
Length 53:57 (standard edition)
65:16 (limited edition)
Label Better Noise/Eleven Seven Music
Producer Nick Raskulinecz
Apocalyptica chronology

Wagner Reloaded-Live in Leipzig
(2013)		 Shadowmaker
(2015)
Singles from Shadowmaker
  1. "Shadowmaker"
    Released: December 15, 2014
  2. "Cold Blood"
    Released: February 13, 2015

Shadowmaker is the eighth studio album by the Finnish cello metal band Apocalyptica. It was released on April 17, 2015 in Europe and Australia, April 20 in the UK, France and Latin America, April 21 in the U.S. and Canada, and April 22 in Japan.[3][4] It will be the band's first album with one single vocalist, Franky Perez.[5]

Commenting on the album, member Eicca Toppinen said:[5]

“ I think it's a totally new kind of record for Apocalyptica especially because we have one singer on the whole album and I think it's making the whole album more solid. It's more of a band record compared to the album that we have had guest vocalists so I think it's more solid. ”

Background and recording

After the 7th Symphony tour, the band took some time off and did nothing except for Wagner Reloaded-Live in Leipzig. After the break, they reunited and discussed the next album. According to Eicca, "[...] if we wanted to do something, we have to do exactly what we want to do and this record is the result of that, that journey. We wanted to challenge ourselves even more and we wanted to be tight as a band before the pre-production."[5]

Regarding Franky Perez participation, Eicca said the band was looking for a vocalist to make the entire record, tour with them and "make the whole thing more understandable for people, to make the working circumstances more comfortable for us where things are not so dependant on people outside of the band".[5] In order to find a singer, the label came up with a list of 20-25 suggestions. The band analyzed it and asked 5 of them to record something, and then they invited 3 of them to sing a section of "Hole in My Soul", one of the album's tracks. Perez was ultimately chosen and accepted it since he wasn't committed to anything other than his solo career.[5] Eicca said he "loves" Perez's voice and commented: "He's not just a regular singer. He has a very soulful sound and he's able to sing different styles which is perfect for Apocalyptica because our songs are not only heavy metal, it's a variety of different colors and different dynamics and the singer needs to match that. [...] We did a couple of shows in Canada last August, a test run and it worked perfectly together".[5]

The album was mostly pre produced in Nashville with producer Nick Raskulinecz, with additional work being done by the band in Finland.[6] Perez was part of the album's pre-production and helped the band arrange the songs.[5] Commenting on the recording process, Perez said: "We were a team, in that each one had the right to speak and every opinion in the room was completely taken into account and were valuable."[6]

Track listing

All tracks produced by Nick Raskulinecz.

Standard edition
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "I-III-V Seed of Chaos" (instrumental)Eicca Toppinen, Perttu Kivilaakso, Paavo Lötjönen, Mikko Sirén 1:26
2. "Cold Blood"  Toppinen, Martin Hansen 3:27
3. "Shadowmaker"  Toppinen, Johnny Andrews, Franky Perez 7:35
4. "Slow Burn"  Toppinen, Andrews, Perez 4:44
5. "Hole in My Soul"  Toppinen, Hansen, Perez 4:05
6. "House of Chains"  Toppinen, Andrews 3:28
7. "Riot Lights" (instrumental)Toppinen 6:40
8. "Sea Song (You Waded Out)"  Toppinen, Guy Sigsworth, Richard Walters 4:54
9. "Till Death Do Us Part" (instrumental)Kivilaakso 7:50
10. "Dead Man's Eyes"  Perez, Toppinen, Kivilaakso, Lötjönen, Sirén 9:42
Total length:
 53:57

Release

Shadowmaker will be released in five different formats.

Standard CD

Contains the standard 10 track album.

Double Vinyl LP

Contains the standard 10 track album and two bonus tracks plus CD.

Mediabook Deluxe CD

Contains 12 songs (additional tracks being "Reign of Fear" and "Come Back Down").

Limited edition bonus tracks
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
5. "Reign of Fear" (instrumental)Toppinen 6:54
9. "Come Back Down"  Toppinen, Perez 4:24

Digital download

Digital download version includes 10 songs plus 2 bonus tracks.

Boxset

A collector's boxset including limited edition CD, double vinyl LP, vinyl-sized special booklet, band photograph, Apocalyptica/Shadowmaker candlelight and download code for exclusive digital content.

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ Friedrich. "Apocalyptica". Metal.de.
  2. ↑ "Apocalyptica - Shadowmaker Review - Angry Metal Guy". Angry Metal Guy.
  3. ↑ "APOCALYPTICA - SHADOWMAKER RELEASE DATES, TRACKLISTING CONFIRMED; NEW "COLD BLOOD" SONG AVAILABLE". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. February 13, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  4. ↑ "APOCALYPTICA: Entire 'Shadowmaker' Album Available For Streaming". Blabbermouth.net. April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Schizodeluxe, Andrew (14 January 2015). "Apocalyptica talks to The Rockpit". The Rockpit. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Tapia, Jorge Figueroa. "“Es un honor trabajar con APOCALYPTICA”: Franky Perez". Daemonica (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 April 2015.

External links