Retribution

Despite building a large fan base and enjoying chart success, Massachusetts metallists Shadows Fall found themselves label-less prior to sessions began for their sixth studio album overall, 2009's Retribution. But everything worked out in the end, with the group collaborating with Warner Bros. Records on a new label venture, Everblack Industries. Any label snafus have not affected the way the lads go about their business, as Retribution follows the same game plan as latter-day Shadows Fall releases -- raging metal tempered with some melody. And it takes very little time to show that guitarist Jonathan Donais is a frontrunner in the "modern-day six-string gymnastics" department, as he gets downright Yngwie on us with his solo in "My Demise." Elsewhere, you'll find ditties that at various times, cross over into thrash metal, death metal, and hardcore metal territory, especially "War," "King of Nothing" (not to be confused with the similarly-titled Metallica tune), and "Embrace Annihilation." Shadows Fall have made quite the roaring return with Retribution. ~ Greg Prato|