Threads of Life

Threads of Life
Studio album by Shadows Fall
Released April 3, 2007
Recorded 2006 at Studio 606, Northridge, California
Genre Thrash metal, heavy metal
Length 49:05
Label Atlantic, Roadrunner
Producer Nick Raskulinecz
Shadows Fall chronology

Fallout from the War
(2006)		 Threads of Life
(2007)		 Seeking the Way: The Greatest Hits
(2007)
Singles from Threads of Life
  1. "Redemption"
    Released: February 14, 2007
  2. "Burning the Lives"
    Released: August 2, 2007
  3. "Another Hero Lost"
    Released: October 2007
  4. "Forevermore"
    Released: June 13, 2008
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
411mania [1]
About.com [2]
Allmusic [3]
AbsolutePunk 76%[4]
Alternative Press [5]
Blabbermouth.net [6]
Kerrang!
IGN [7]
Metal Hammer
MetalSucks [8]
The Phoenix [9]
Spin [10]
Sputnikmusic [11]

Threads of Life is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Shadows Fall. Released on April 3, 2007 in the U.S. through Atlantic Records, the album debuted at number 46 on the Billboard 200.[12] The first single, "Redemption", made its premiere on Sirius Radio's Hard Attack station on February 16, 2007 and was released on iTunes on February 20.[13] The song "Redemption" received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance at the 50th Grammy Awards.[14]

Background

Shadows Fall finished their contract on Century Media after the release of Fallout from the War, and signed with Atlantic Records for this release. The album was released outside of the U.S. through Roadrunner Records. This is the band's only album with these two record labels. The ballad "Another Hero Lost," was inspired by the death of Brian Fair's cousin, who was stationed in Iraq.[2]

Recording

The band entered the studio during September, 2006, to begin recording the album.[15] It was recorded at Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Northridge, a community located in Los Angeles, California. The band overwrote for this album, and ended up bringing thirteen songs to the studio.[16] According to Brain Fair, this was the first time the band had more than enough material for a record. Threads of Life was the first, and only, Shadows Fall album to be produced by Nick Raskulinecz, known for working with Foo Fighters and Velvet Revolver. Raskulinecz grew up listening to thrash metal, according to Fair, and thus fit well with the sound the band was looking to create.[17] The deviation from Zeuss, who has produced most of the band's albums, was explained by bassist Paul Romanko in an interview:

When Zeuss and I talked and we just kind of came to the conclusion that it was time to pull someone else in. We kind of felt like the idea’s pool had kind of dried up a little bit, we were finishing each other’s sentences.[18]

The album was still mixed by Zeuss, allowing for some familiarity, and Romanko notes that it was Zeuss himself who originally suggested the change.[19] The label, Atlantic Records, had no influence musically on the album.[20] The label did not hear the album until after it was mastered. In regards to the overall recording process, Fair commented, "We didn’t write a safe record."[16]

Reception

Threads of Life received positive reviews from critics. Alternative Press stated, "Threads of Life is the most unashamedly 'true' metal album any major label's released yet this year — and it's also one of the best."[5] MetalSucks complimented the band's effort stating, "Threads of Life is exactly what you would expect from Shadows Fall — aggressive thrash riffing and Swedish death-metal inspired guitar interplay underneath Brian Fair’s assortment of screams, singing, and something halfway in between the two — only this time the band has refined their songwriting abilities even further and lets their ’80s hair metal influences hang out even more."[8] The Phoenix added to this praise, "Threads of Life is rife with catchy, immaculately produced riffs, and singer Brian Fair has refined the gruff bellow heard on previous albums into a competently tuneful Hetfeldian growl; the call-and-response between Fair and the syrupy, multi-tracked clean singing of guitarist Matt Bachand sounds better than ever."[9]

Several critics addressed the more mainstream sound of the album. Blabbermouth provided a good summary, "The band has hit that very elusive line between broadening the appeal of the music and selling out completely – talk about the art of balance!"[6] 411Mania added that "the production could of [sic] been a bit more gritty and had more of an edge to it."[1] Perhaps the largest critic in this aspect was Vince Neilstein of MetalSucks, who criticized the "overwhelming presence of auto-tune on Brian Fair’s voice during the clean sung parts," concluding that it overly detracted from the listening experience.[8]

"Redemption" received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance during December, 2007. Brain Fair explained, "The song is a celebration of the power of music and the human voice as an agent of change and to have it recognized in such a way is incredible."[21] The 50th Grammy Awards took place on February 12, 2008, with the award ultimately going to Slayer. Other nominees in the category were King Diamond, Machine Head, and As I Lay Dying.[22]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Shadows Fall, except where noted. 

No. Title Length
1. "Redemption"   4:17
2. "Burning the Lives"   4:04
3. "Storm Winds"   4:50
4. "Failure of the Devout"   5:25
5. "Venomous"   3:31
6. "Another Hero Lost"   4:04
7. "Final Call"   6:48
8. "Dread Uprising"   4:14
9. "The Great Collapse"   1:38
10. "Just Another Nightmare"   4:55
11. "Forevermore"   5:21
FYE bonus track
No. Title Length
12. "Stupid Crazy"   4:40
Best Buy bonus tracks
No. Title Length
12. "Fade Into Smoke"   4:04
13. "Dread Uprising" (Live rehearsal) 4:07
iTunes bonus tracks
No. Title Length
12. "Redemption" (Live rehearsal) 4:20
13. "Venomous" (Live rehearsal) 3:30
Miscellaneous bonus tracks
No. Title Length
14. "Fury of the Storm" (from WWE Wreckless Intent) 3:37
15. "Blood of Destiny" (from God of War II Official Soundtrack) 2:44

Personnel

Shadows Fall
Production
  • Produced by Nick Raskulinecz
  • Mixed by Zeuss
  • Engineered by Paul Fig
  • Mastered by Ted Jensen
  • A&R by John Rubeli and Anthony Delia
  • Second engineering by John Lousteau and additional engineering by Nick Raskulinecz
  • "Dread Uprising" live rehearsal mixed and mastered by Chris Athens

Chart positions

Album
Year Chart Peak
2007 The Billboard 200 46[12]
2007 Rock Albums 12[12]
2007 Tastemaker Albums 7[12]
2007 Japanese Albums Chart[23] 95
Singles
Year Single Chart Position
2007 "Redemption" Mainstream Rock Tracks 37[24]
"Another Hero Lost" 40[25]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Marsicano, Dan (April 5, 2007). "Shadows Fall - Threads of Life Review". 411mania.com. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bowar, Chad. "Shadows Fall - Threads of Life". About.com. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  3. ↑ Jurek, Thom. "Threads of Life - Shadows Fall". Allmusic. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  4. ↑ Good, Tom (April 21, 2007). "Shadows Fall - Threads of Life - Album Review". AbsolutePunk. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Alternative Press. p.155.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Bergman, Keith. "Shadows Fall: Threads of Life (Atlantic)". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  7. ↑ Thompson, Ed (May 1, 2007). "Shadows Fall - Threads of Life". IGN Entertainment. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Neilstein, Vince (March 28, 2007). "Shadows Fall: Threads of Life". MetalSucks. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Richardson, Ben (May 1, 2007). "Shadows Fall Threads of Life - CD Reviews". The Phoenix. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  10. ↑ Burgess, Aaron (May 24, 2007). "Shadows Fall, 'Threads of Life'". Spin. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
  11. ↑ Stagno, Mike (April 2, 2007). "Shadows Fall Threads of Life". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Threads of Life - Shadows Fall. Billboard.com. Retrieved May 13, 2012
  13. ↑ IGN: Shadows Fall Unravel The Threads of Life IGN Entertainment. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  14. ↑ Shadows Fall Garners Grammy Nom For 'Best Metal Performance'. Starpulse.com. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Shadows Fall Begins Recording New Album". Blabbermouth.net. September 18, 2006. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Shadows Fall on new album". Metal Hammer. November 16, 2006. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  17. ↑ Kajzer, Jen (July 11, 2007). "Interview with Shadows Fall: A Personal Perspective". The Aquarian Weekly. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Shadows Fall Interview". The Daily Rock. May 16, 2007. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Shadows Fall interview". Illinois Entertainer. Apr 27, 2007. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  20. ↑ Gehlke, David. "Shadows Fall – Threading the Needle". Blistering.com. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  21. ↑ Shadows Fall Singer Comments on Second Grammy Nomination. Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  22. ↑ "Best Metal Performance". Grammy.com. Archived from the original on December 8, 2007. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  23. ↑ "シャドウズ・フォールのCDアルバムランキング、シャドウズ・フォールのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon.co.jp. Retrieved 2013-05-02.
  24. ↑ "Redemption - Shadows Fall". Billboard. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  25. ↑ "Another Hero Lost - Shadows Fall". Billboard. Retrieved May 13, 2012.