Springfield-based metal-meisters Shadows Fall have had the hardcore community scratching its collective, shoulder-length locks-laden heads in recent months.
Shortly after announcing an “indefinite hiatus,” frontman Brian Fair clarified that the sonic suspension may not pertain to new studio stuff. Then, what appeared to be a rare, one-off headlining appearance at Rhode Island’s Big Kahuna Festival blossomed into additional August dates.
But alas, as guitarist Jonathan Donais declared in this very column more than a year ago, everyone in Shadows Fall is moving on with their lives. And the fruits of at least two members’ latest labors of love — Donais and Matt Bachand — are starting to surface.
For his part, Donais has been holed up with Anthrax reportedly recording 20 new tracks to be considered for a forthcoming full length. Although the disc was still title-less as of press time, the first single, “Evil Twin,” was recently released on iTunes and is already drawing raves from critics and peers alike.
“Wow, new Anthrax is off the hook,” declared locally-based, nationally known metal producer Chris “Zuess” Harris on social media. “Great solo Jonathan Donais.”
One day prior to Kahuna, Aug. 21, Bachand and his new band — Act of Defiance — dropped their debut offering nationwide.
That disc is titled Birth and the Burial. The band features former members of Megadeth and finds longtime six-stringer Bachand assuming bass duties.
“I’d met Matt many times before and he’s a great guy and an all round great musician,” Defiance’s guitarist Chris Broderick explains of band’s origins. “He plays bass like a bass player, which was awesome for me, because when I demoed the songs it was pretty much laying down the bass just so it had some lower notes and then moving on! But Matt came in and he spent the time and made them into really nice bass lines that added an extra dimension to the songs. Not all guitarists can do that, but he really gets what we’re trying to achieve.”
Act of Defiance will make their local debut at Holyoke’s Waterfront Tavern on Saturday, Nov. 14.
In addition to Donais and Bachand, this week’s installment concludes with yet another fall guy (and luckily, yet another happy ending).
AC/DC imitator Tony Sitler checked in to report he’s back, black, and blue and slightly bruised, but will continue rocking without interruption.
“I went down on my bike last week, got a little wide in a left hand turn and five seconds later, it was over,” the singer revealed. “I landed hard on my left side and did a couple barrel rolls. Looks like the bike will be totalled, but the band will not be affected.”
In between Pennsylvania shows on Halloween and Nov. 27 — the latter of which finds them opening for ’80s rockers KIX — Back in Black is slated to play Crossroads in Palmer, Nov. 13.•
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 394-4262 or email garycarra@aol.com.
