REVIEW: SHADOW - SHADOW

 

SHADOW - SHADOW (Century Media - 2001): Debut recording from this Japanese band dedicated to the more melodic branch of death metal (something In Flames, Dark Tranquility or Arch Enemy, bah, the Gothemburg sound). The first thing that surprised me were the guiter arrangements (really good solos too!!!) and how good the drummer, Mitsuhiro Enomoto, is. The vocals are similar to the ones of Jeff Walker in the last recordings of "Heartwork" or "Swan SongIf I had to synthesize the main features of this band in only one song, that would be the first "The Arrival at the Last Quarter", listen how good are the solos, please!!!!, what melodies, what arrangements. Tha band is really tight and you can see that in the faster parts played with total precission. "Lunar Eclipse" is the next song and it shows the same face of this band, melodies, arrangements and power everywhere. The CD was recorded in the Free People Studios from Japan and mastered in the Finnvox Studios de Helsinki (I understand why thay got this great sound). The CD also has the curiosity of preseenting one female death metal vocalist: Tokiko Shimamoto, who is specatcular all over the record with her rotten vocals. Favorite tracks: "The Arrival of the Last Quarter", "Eden", "Observes from Satelite". Contact: www.centurymedia.com.br