Grimoire of Ruin reviews

http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=1&id=11498

The revival of US Heavy Metal is continuing and I do not mean the modern bands such as LAMB OF GOD and the hordes of bands trying to emulate their style, no, I mean “real” Metal! The latest specimen coming from the States, more precisely Seattle, Washington, are SHADOW DEMON and they bring us a completely different brand of Metal, not just for the “hometown” of Grunge.

In the tradition of pioneers of the likes of QUEENSRYCHE and METAL CHURCH (to stay in this city), SHADOW DEMON deliver a pretty original and to some ears maybe slightly quirky blend of melodic Thrash Metal, some dark Power Metal as well quite unique vocals and vocal harmonies, which are not as accessible and catchy as some people might like them to be, yet they have this unique touch to them that makes them grow close to your heart.

Blaine Hammond’s vocals have some sort of semi-clear touch to them, also an a bit rougher edge and the harmonies more than once remind me a bit of Faroese masterminds TÝR, which was a very pleasant surprise, because both are elements that make SHADOW DEMON stand out far from the mass. And a song such as “A Dream Of Dreams” enhances this with its hybrid of dark Heavy Metal and a light Thrashy tinge. While on “Drums Of War” Blaine’s voice resembles a rougher Hansi Kürsch in some parts, the more aggressive approach in the faster “The Dark Citadel: Part I (The Shifter)” shows yet another side to his vocal talents.

The best song, though, is “…And The Meek”, where the Americans deliver brilliant melodies and harmonies, embedded into a variable song, which alternates between mid- and up-tempo, which clearly overshadows the following two tracks, which are less accessible and especially “Brave Murder Day” just does not want to get into my ears, despite the Jeff Waters-reminiscent riffing. After that, though, they recapture the spirit with “Umbris Mortis”, which is more in the style of the opening tracks and “Sea Of Oblivion” which’s intro could fool you into expecting a ferocious Black Metal onslaught, but turns into a slow-paced, melancholic track, which then speeds things up around the middle mark.

“Grimoire Of Ruin” definitely is not the sound you will find legions of fans for, rather the dedicated, passionate small group that will follow a band to its death. The Fournier cover just adds to the legend and this would be the kind of CD I personally would see on Belgian Mausoleum label, if you like what you read, you know what you’ll have to do! Oh, and if you want to check out some tunes, check the band website, it has a link to where you can stream a few of the songs.
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http://www.metalreview.com/3149/Shadow-Demon-Grimoire-of-Ruin.aspx

What's On Tap: A quality power/thrash release from Seattle, with some production issues.

I really can’t stand cold and flu remedy commercials. Every time one comes across the ol’ tube and I see some bastard blowing his nose and fighting off a specter of malaise disguised as a cloud or a snow beast, I feel a little ache or sniffle. The same goes for allergy commercials. The mere sight of those bloody computer animated pollen spores is enough to dry my eyes to near mummification and encase my ears and sinus’ with fluid. Ok, so this is a rather unconventional way to start a metal review, and quite possibly mildly disgusting, but in a very strange way, the production on this record makes me feel like I’ve got a bit of a head cold. Ya see where I’m going with this? The production on the bottom-end of Grimoire of Ruin needs a shot in the arm worse than a 70-year old before flu season.

Now, before you get the wrong idea that my experience with this record was entirely negative, let me make the following statement to set the record straight – Shadow Demon is a really good band. These guys have effectively taken the groundwork laid down by bands of yore such as Hallows Eve, Omen, and Savage Grace, thrown in a heaping spoonful of early 90’s era Iced Earth, and finished things off with a fine glaze of Pharaoh, resulting in a band that creates a very high caliber of modern power/thrash metal.

The gold star for outstanding performance on this record definitely deserves to land on the fridge of vocalist, Blaine Hammond. His style is deep, warm, confident, and never strays too far out of his range. Think of a solid mixture between Tim Aymar of Pharaoh and Jon Oliva and Zachary Stevens of Savatage. And despite the murky mix on Grimoire of Ruin, Hammond’s vocals remain mostly uneffected, making the songs that spotlight him stand out as the record’s highlights. “A Dream of Dreams”, “Drums of War”, “The Dark Citadel”, “And the Meek”, and “Umbris Mortis” all feature the kind of fantastic vocal layering and chorus hooks often uncharacteristic of a band this young with only one full-length under their belts. Also of note is the fine lead guitar work of newcomer axe-man, Ryan Gallagher. There are a number of instances throughout Grimoire of Ruin where his fine noodling and shredding solos cut through the brume like a beacon from a heavy metal lighthouse.

Sadly, it’s the bottom end of Shadow Demon that truly gets lost in the murk. Co-founder/rhythm guitarist, Jeff Helm, bubbling-bass-banger, James Rinker, and skinsman, Jay Davidson are all very competent with their respective wares, but without the extra snap of a clear, precise production, their contributions get lost in the haze for a good part of the album. “Waking Among the Dead” and “Sea of Oblivion”, two tunes that rely less on Hammond’s vocals, and more on the band's hard drivin’ rhythm section, unfortunately fade to the background due to the lackluster production.

Folks, sometimes the ol’ grumbler in me comes kicking to the surface when I’m faced with a release like this. Grimoire of Ruin is truly a solid power/thrash release, and one I can easily recommend to fans of the genre, but with a little Claritin-D in the bottom-end, it could have been an excellent record. Of course these are the type of things that (hopefully) get hammered out as a young band gains recognition and gets a little extra spending cash in their back pockets, and I truly believe Shadow Demon are destined for that route. Definitely worthy of attention, despite the relatively minor gripe.
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From Metal to Infinity:

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I recieved Shadow Demon's self-titled, 3 song EP back in late 2003 and was thrilled with the result in every way. They brought us a highly recommended form of US Power Metal with influences haling from the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal scene. Satisfied as i was those days of reviewing this excellent, my inner soul was already waiting for the follow-up. I knew for sure hearing more from this Seattle based natives and check it out, Shadow Demon do my expectations end up with the release of a full length, new album entitled "Grimoire Of Ruin".

What's changed since then? A new drummer named Jay Davidson and also Ryan Gallagher entered the SD ranks to handle the lead guitars. The original members stayed together like true brothers of Metal so a renewed line-up is formed and trust me when i say that Shadow Demon sounds a lot better than three years ago. Was it worth as long as to wait? Sure it does! Blaine Hammond still do reminds me from time to time to Matt Barlow (ex-Iced Earth) or Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian) but his vocally skills on this new album took another direction.

I mean, Blaine found his own way of singing which led to more originality and that's awesome. He was great on the EP, well check this guy out while doing his job on "Grimoire Of Ruin" and you'll be agree with me. For me, there's something changed regarding their style. There's more power and energy to observe than before. I'd like to call the new album something like US Power / Thrash Metal with a high appreciation factor. That's what i find of it of course! First song of the album " A Dream Of Dreams" keeps you pretty busy for at least 9 minutes without trouble moment. Great up tempo track "Drums Of War" is next in line, a superb Power Metal work with Thrash influences.

Speaking about Thrash Metal, better prepare for "The Dark Citadel:part 1". Heavy tuned guitars and spine cracking tempo's, hang on for what's coming up! "...And The Meek" is one of my favourite songs because this one has a lethal dose of US Power Metal elements aboard, it cut my breath already. Brilliant vocals, awesome guitar riffs and wolo works to the extreme,...to make it short, phenomenal ! "Walking Among The Dead" is another song that gives you the possibilies banging your head like you never did before.

"Unbris Mortis" is another personal fave due to it sounds very US Metal minded and that's more than just OK to me. That the band is more original than before is recognizable by the last two songs entitled "Sea Of Oblivion" and "Red". Yeah, i'm pleased with the album. What i've heard was renewed and most important element to mention is that Shadow Demon is able to create awesome Power / Thrash Metal works at their own.

In searh for an oustanding Metal album with different forms of technical skills and a lot of musical prgresses? Your hunt just ended here with Shadow Demon! Check them out and spread the word of how great they really are. It's a totally acquisition for our world of Metal music, wish there were more of this gauge.
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PiTRiFF Online :: Your Source For All That's Metal

There are times when a record immediately gives me tons of ideas to write about, and then there are records that don’t lend themselves to being a wordsmith about. Shadow Demon is one such band. After living with it for well over a month and seeing 35 plays through on the ol’ Ipod, I’m no closer to coming up with a heaping does of verbosity to help you understand what this band is about. For some bands, you don’t really need a lot. Shadow Demon – Barlow era Iced Earth slams head-on into Nevermore to create a deep, vocally driven guitar record that seems steeped in power metal chords, a touch of progression here and there and some big vocals from singer Blaine Hammond. There…that about covers it.

You really have to give it to this Seattle band. Much like Nevermore, Shadow Demon comes with a powerful guitar barrage that clearly creates a sonic wall of sound. Players Ryan Gallagher and Jeff Helm showcase powerful chord progressions and old-school thrash stylings on songs like “…And The Meek”. In essence, this song defines the guitar sound of the entire album. Unlike most bands today who use their guitars to drive the listener into a jumping frenzy that will be overplayed in the mosh pit full of 20-somethings, Helm and Gallagher are more straight up players who leave you knowing you’ve just been hit in the head with a sledgehammer of powerful guitarwork. They play masterfully on the mean “Brave Murder Day”, which also features the excellent underbelly created by drummer Jay Davidson and bassist James Rinker. Be it this song, or the rhythm-powered track “Drums Of War”, and you understand that this band is far beyond the average collection of players that comes with most bands today.

Without doubt though, the focal point of GRIMOIRE OF RUIN is vocalist Blaine Hammond. Clearly, if Jon Shaeffer ever wants to get back the Barlow sound in Iced Earth, this could very well be the guy. On songs like the meaty “The Dark Citadel: Part 1”, Hammond roars in a way very reminiscent of everything on IE’s HORROR SHOW, with a bit of James Hetfield-like accenting on some of his vocal lines. You add this to the blistering guitars and rapid fire drumming on this song, and you’ve got the formula for a truly great band.

The only negative thing about this CD is that the production is a bit dodgy. Solid? Yeah, it’s OK – but a good producer and some extra time mixing and mastering could have made this album one of those classic albums that fans happily pull out all the time. Instead, the guitars fail to shine as brightly as their performances demand on songs like the murky sounding “Umbris Mortis”. It’s too bad, really.

...For a Seattle band, Shadow Demon has European success written all over them. With influences ranging from Iced Earth to Nevermore to Testament to old Metallica, GRIMOIRE OF RUIN is a great record that stands above most even with some pretty average production value. This is one band that I’m positive would kill live!
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BLABBERMOUTH.NET

Those into the classier side of U.S. power metal, the type that hearkens back to the days of OMEN and classic JAG PANZER, have just found their newest band to champion. SHADOW DEMON hail from the Pacific Northwest, and their stock in trade is unrepentant, glorious, down and dirty '80s metal, a combination of power and thrash that will appeal to fans of ICED EARTH's earlier works, but has an even more epic and encompassing scope.

The throwback feel to "Grimoire of Ruin" is only accented by its fairly bargain-basement production. The drums, particularly, suffer from what can only be a lack of funds – I'm still not entirely convinced that a human being played them, and if he did, he should be ashamed for letting such bad triggered sounds be used. Vocalist Blaine Hammond hits a few sour notes, too, though his overall performance is an impressive mix of melody and grit that recalls former ICED EARTH man Matthew Barlow and BLIND GUARDIAN's Hansi Kürsch in places.

As far as songwriting goes, though, SHADOW DEMON are already world class. Delve into "The Dark Citadel" for some moments of pure thrash bliss that would do prime TESTAMENT proud, while "…And the Meek" is a flat-out barnstormer with a chorus that could raise the dead. "Brave Murder Day" contains a lot of cool parts as well, although it's a bit more disjointed, and the dodgy production gets in the way of the song's presentation (particularly at the beginning). "Umbris Mortis" starts out with a surprising round of blast beats and retains a sinister black metal feel, despite Hammond's using an eerie clean monotone vocal for effect. These guys are clearly comfortable with many influences, and not concerned with fitting into anyone's easy definition of "power metal" or anything else – the end result is a dynamic and interesting album.

SHADOW DEMON have a personality and a uniqueness to them, which keeps them interesting despite the occasional misstep. "Grimoire of Ruin" is awesome even with rough sound, its essence not squeezed out by autotuned and computerized perfection (except for those pesky drums, of course). The band can take its place alongside other quirky, passionate US trad-metal bands like PHARAOH and IMAGIKA, those following their own muses and fighting to survive amid cruel economic reality and the indifference of a vast majority of their countrymen. SHADOW DEMON is well worth your support, easy contenders for Rookie of the Year, and a refreshing testament to the life still left in traditional heavy metal done right. Arguably a 9 with better production.
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http://www.deadtide.com/reviews/albums/page.php?id=3707

Shadow Demon is a five-piece power thrash metal band out of Seattle and this is their debut release. "Grimoire of Ruin" is a traditional underground metal album in terms of riffs, song arrangements, vocals and production - everything is certainly up to snuff if you're into the style, but there's not a hint of "modern" metal to found, so if you're addicted to the Pro-Tools sound and breakneck intricate riffage, you probably won't find much to your liking here.

Vocalist Blaine Hammond utilizes a mildly gritty mid-range for the most part, though he also croons or busts out the occasional deathly roar (somewhat reminiscent of what Chuck Billy has been doing since "Low"). While his range is limited, he utilizes what he has and maintains control, only breaking out the higher notes on brief screams that are effective thanks to their sparing use. Some of the cadences that Hammond uses remind me of what Heri Joensen of Tyr does, which is intriguing. There's a healthy does of backing "ooh ooohs" to add to that ancient, other-worldly vibe and the choruses feature good use of multi-tracked backing vocals. Riffs are a very straightforward, ranging from frenetic, bouncy thrash (tossing in a false harmonic now and then) to gigantic power chords. The tempos shift from quiet acoustics to plodding to stomping to rampaging down a mountain (spear held out in front). Lead guitarist Ryan Gallagher provides melodic solos with little flash but nice substance. It's a utilitarian band of musicians, but they are completely successful in creating the style - any jaw-dropping shredding would just get in the way.

Guitar production is dirty and thick while the mix pushes the vocals way up front - not an ideal situation for me, but it sure sounds old school. Bass is often hard to discern in the mud, but there is a healthy bottom end (and we all like healthy bottoms, right?). Many of the songs are long, the average being a bit over five minutes with the shortest clocking in at 4:18 and the opener a too-long 8:45. The attractive 12-page booklet contains the lyrics, one page of credits/thanks and several pages of decent Photoshop graphics. Lyrics deal with topics ranging from rueful introspection to the fantastic (lots of demons flying about - naturally). All in all this is a solid debut and recommended to fans of heavier US power metal - in particular, I think those into Iced Earth, Jag Panzer and maybe "Ride the Lightning"-era Metallica would dig what Shadow Demon is up to (those are reference points; Shadow Demon isn't a clone of any group).

Standout Tracks
The Dark Citadel: Part 1 (The Shifter)
Sea of Oblivion
...And the Meek
Umbris Mortis
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http://www.metal-rules.com/review/v...e of Ruin&post_by=&rating=&month=&year=&pos=0

Shadow Demon are one of the more exciting new REAL metal bands to emerge from the US in a long time. The blend of thrash, melody, and power metal is presented seamlessly and will please fans of such bands as Persuader, Iced Earth and Testament. GRIMOIRE OF RUIN is Shadow Demon’s first full length following their EP from 2003. Since then, the band has had some line up changes and have emerged a much stronger unit.



No pointless intro opens the album, as the band gets down to business right away with the killer track “A Dream of Dreams”. Despite being fairly long for an opener, this is a great and catchy. The vocals are most noticeably layered during the chorus where there are clear Blind Guardian influences. “Drums of War” appropriately starts out with a neat drum pattern over a thrashy riff. Again, when the chorus comes in the full strength of the song is evidenced. This is one of the main things that sets this band above so many others - having strong and memorable melodic vocals executed this well is a prerequisite for this style of metal. Some of the riffing near the beginning of “The Dark Citadel….” reminds me of old Death Angel in both guitar sound and with the pinch harmonics. After that the song picks up in intensity sounding like old-school thrash with the vocals sounding a bit like a young James Hetfield. “…And The Meek” has more fast thrashy Iced Earth style riffing with a Persuader feel. “Brave Murder Day” starts out oddly and off-sounding before things turn around. This one also features a nice melodic solo over some clean guitars making for the only real mellow moment on the album. It’s not a ballad though, so don’t worry. “Walking Among the Dead” has some quite busy riffing for the vocal parts, busier than what we hear on other songs. It sounds like they are having a bit of a hard time finding the vocal melody line to fit over this madness, but it works. The relentless pounding of the drums drives this one along. The riffing section around 2:30 is fucking brutal, the best section of the song!



For criticisms, there are not many. “Sea of Oblivion” is the only track on the album that I didn’t like. It starts out like half-baked black metal before slowing down. Singer, Blain Hammond, isn’t always aware of his range limitations in a couple of places but he’s a great singer that will only improve with more recordings under his belt. The only other thing that could use improving is the album’s sound. It’s good, but a bit unclear and doesn’t have the awesome sound of many newer albums.



If you’re looking for a much less over-produced Blind Guardian with older thrash metal influences and melody, Shadow Demon is the band to follow. If this were the late 80’s, many might call this power metal, but today that term often refers to something else. Shadow Demon are more of an old school thrash band with vocals that are gruff yet melodic. There is no trendy core or other such bullshit to be found. When you dig beneath the surface of their brand of thrash, there is aggressive power metal and traditional metal to be found. These guys definitely are onto the exact style of metal that I love. With more experience and with a larger recording budget for one of the A-list studios they will be right up there in the upper echelons of this style….now if only they are given the chance to prove just that!
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http://www.metalreviews.com/reviews/detail.php3?id=3731

"surprise of the month"

Shadow Demon hails from the Seattle U.S.A. area and after releasing a 3 song self-titled demo in 2003, Grimoire Of Ruin has arrived as their first full length album. The cover art and booklet graphics fit the ominous metal style of the band perfectly and were designed and illustrated by renowned artist Mattias Noren of ProgArt Media. The band consists of Jay Davidson (drums), Ryan Gallagher (lead guitars), Blaine Hammond (vocals), Jeff Helm (rhythm guitars) and James Rinker (bass). Recording and producing it themselves using bassist James Rinker's home studio, this CD has that raw demo-like quality to it but still was a pleasant surprise to listen to.

Having absolutely nothing to do with any past or current Seattle music trends (aside from a little influence of early Queensryche material), Shadow Demon embraces the very essence of pure heavy metal by drawing from influences like older Iced Earth, Testament, Metal Church, Mercyful Fate, early Metallica as well as classic power metal in the vein of Blind Guardian. Rather than following current trends of using harsh or death metal vocal styles, vocalist Blaine Hammond prefers to keep it clean with a voice that has the range and style of Zak Stevens (ex-Savatage, Circle II Circle) and even doubles up his vocal tracks much in the same way. For a few tracks, the more menacing style of King Diamond makes appearances and when he pushes his voice to get more of the classic "voice of despair", he slides more into Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian) territory. Right up front, the one major issue with this album is the production quality. I was reading several interviews with some of the band members and they are not trying to hide behind any of this and are upfront about the production limitations, probably due to the fact that they likely financed everything themselves. The whole album has a raw metal sound with guitars that sound like a cross between Judas Priest on the Stained Class album and Mercyful Fate on their Melissa and Don't Break The Oath albums. On the down side, there is very little bottom end to the sound and the drums sound very flat with very little definition. Production limitations aside, this is one of the more unique and classic sounding new heavy metal acts that I've heard in quite a while.

Mixing classic thrash metal and power metal, Shadow Demon's music takes the listener back to a time when heavy metal music was meant to immerse you in it's dark and brooding despair with a bleak and apocalyptic view of the world and everything around it. Lots of sudden tempo changes, riff breaks and instrumental breaks fly out left right and center during the course of this album and aside from primarily repetitive and hypnotic riffing styles, sudden bursts of reckless and aggressive thrash metal leap out at you at a moment's notice. The first two tracks, the 8 minute opening track A Dream Of Dreams and Drums Of War are prime examples of this and are a great introduction to the band. The Dark Citadel Part 1 (The Shifter) uses an ominous tone, thundering drums and some cool open string chords as well as classic thrash metal and old school power metal with Blaine Hammond even sounding like a younger James Hetfield on this one. And The Meek really shows the Blind Guardian influence with speedy double bass and a more melodic sense especially for the chorus section. A couple of tracks namely Sea Of Oblivion and Red introduce more atmospheric elements with the use of clean guitar passages, creating a more dissonant tone. Both of these tracks also feature lots of tempo changes, pummelling riff breaks and vocals that range from a screaming Hansi Kursch style to more ominous Warrel Dane (Nevermore) qualities. The lyrics which are largely written by bassist James Rinker are dark, foreboding and very clever for a relatively new band.

To really get the full enjoyment from this album, one must really look past the production quality and listen to the style of metal that these guys have created by drawing from their influences as well as putting their own unique stamp on it. There aren't many newer bands out there now that sound like this. The words reckless, raw and unrefined are words that very accurately describe this album and even though the guitar tone sounds old and lacks the muscle of many current bands, I really like the atmosphere that it brings to their music. The lead guitar work is decent but nothing outstanding and it could benefit from a little more effect as it comes across as being very "dry" and sterile. Grimoire Of Ruin needs the touch of an outside producer or engineer. All of the elements are there for this to be an outstanding album and quite possibly even a classic in the genre if only it was brought to it's full potential. More dynamics with the arrangements and beefing up the drums, lead guitar and the bass would send this thing through the roof. Something's really happening here and I hope that this band gets the full studio treatment for their next album. I'd also love to see this album get either remixed or completely re-done someday. Other bands have done so in the past and it all comes down to the degree of success that happens to come their way. I've not read anything negative about this band anywhere on the net and most have been able to look past the production limitations to realize what a real gem this thing really is.
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