IMMOLATION — Shadows in the Light (review)

IMMOLATION — Shadows in the Light album cover Album · 2007 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"Shadows in the Light" is the seventh full-length studio album by US, New York based death metal act Immolation. The album was released through Listenable Records in May 2007. It´s the successor to "Harnessing Ruin" from February 2005 although the two full-length studio albums are bridged by the May 2007 "Hope and Horror" EP (released only a few days before "Shadows in the Light"). Immolation recorded 13 tracks during the November 2006 recording sessions for "Shadows in the Light". 10 tracks appear on "Shadows in the Light", while the remaining 3 tracks appear on "Hope and Horror".

Stylistically the material on the album is unmistakably the sound of Immolation. Twisted, labyrinthical, and dissonant guitar riffs, abstract lead work, creative technical drumming, and Ross Dolan´s brutal growling vocals in front, spewing out anti-christian/blasphemous lyrics (and other dark themed topics). It´s like a whiff of accessibility has hit the death metal veterans though, and the slightly more accessible sound suits them well. It´s still brutal and challenging death metal, but "Shadows in the Light" is not quite as impenetrable and uncompromising as their previous releases. "Shadows in the Light" also features a clear, powerful, and detailed sounding production, which greatly enchances Immolation´s music. The last couple of releases suffered slightly from thin sounding production jobs, which didn´t provide the material on those releases the best conditions to shine.

Upon conclusion "Shadows in the Light" is one of the standout albums in Immolation´s discography. They changed their sound and style a bit here, and that development and change of sound was necessary. While the last couple of albums are arguably quality death metal releases, Immolation did sound like they had stagnated a bit, but with "Shadows in the Light" they bring in new musical elements and songwriting ideas, a slightly more technical playing style, and a clearly defined sound production, which ensure that the material shine. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

This Pain Will Serve You Metalcore
CONFESSIONS OF A TRAITOR
Buy this album from MMA partners
Will You Haunt Me, With That Same Patience Melodic Metalcore
BURY TOMORROW
Buy this album from MMA partners
Mindlapse Deathcore
EMERGE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Penumbra Atmospheric Sludge Metal
CASTIGO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State Alternative Metal
KATATONIA
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Confessions Of A Traitor - All The Devils Are Here (Official Music Video)
CONFESSIONS OF A TRAITOR
Bosh66· -36 second ago
Confessions Of A Traitor - Man About Town (Official Music Video)
CONFESSIONS OF A TRAITOR
Bosh66· -18 second ago
Confessions Of A Traitor - Don't Make A Girl A Promise (Official Music Video)
CONFESSIONS OF A TRAITOR
Bosh66· 0 second ago
Confessions Of A Traitor - Papercut (Linkin Park Cover) (Official Music Video)
CONFESSIONS OF A TRAITOR
Bosh66· -34 second ago
Confessions Of A Traitor - A Truthful Heart (Official Music Video)
CONFESSIONS OF A TRAITOR
Bosh66· -17 second ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed