Shadows Fall started with Phil Labonte (who would quit and join All That Remains to much longer lasting popularity... to this day, even). This is the first release with Brian Fair and his metal dreadlocks of fury, and the Brian Fair shouty style of later releases is subdued in favor of a more death metal growly approach, which firmly sets this release in the melodic death metal territory, rather than the metalcore of subsequent releases. While the next two albums are far superior to this album, there are some tasty riffs and generally well-written songs, but nothing that stands out as truly memorable.

2.5/5 - Average melodic death metal/metalcore album.