Shadows Past - melodic 'shotgun' metal from Stockholm, Sweden

Cronopio

Cronopio

Glorious Imperator
Oct 16, 2003
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Stockholm, Sweden
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Shamelessly quoting myself from another thread in another part of UM:

Time to promote some guys I know, namely SHADOWS PAST. This band was originally a one-man-project founded by Ola Halén (ex-INSANIA STOCKHOLM) back somewhere around 2000. He recorded a couple of full-length albums in his home studio before he got in touch with guitarist Jonatan Berg (ex-HEAVE), and a proper band started to form. After some line-up changes, the band has now stabilized and consists of

Ola Halén - vocals
Jonatan Berg - guitars
Patrik Berg - bass
Staffan Lindroth - keyboards
Olle Lindroth - drums

And yeah, before you ask: The Bergs are brothers, as are the Lindroths. They have recorded two more demos as a full band, namely Blown Away (2006) and Perfect Chapter (2009). These two demos mix new songs with reworkings of older material.

While it may be hard to say this with any kind of credibility, seeing as I know these guys rather well (was even the webmaster for INSANIA back in the day), I'd still urge you to check them out. Sure, the audio quality may not be the best (remember, these are demos), but what I think is so cool about these guys is still there: The melody and catchiness of straight up power metal (courtesy of Ola) mixed with some seriously progressive riffage courtesy of Jonatan.

The guys were in the studio recently to record a full-length together, but something happened, and due to time constraints the whole affair had to be scrapped for the time being. Sad, as I know the other guys have serious chops as well, having seen them live on more than a couple of occasions. I hope they'll get their stuff together soon and record that damn CD, though. In the meantime, check 'em out!

http://www.shadowspast.com
http://www.myspace.com/shadowspastofficial
http://www.youtube.com/user/shadowspastband (offical YouTube channel)
http://www.youtube.com/user/svartablixten (more live videos here)
Click to expand...
They've also finished recording their debut, Perfect Chapter, since I wrote the above. A video for the song "Wherever I Go" can be viewed below.

Hopefully you won't view this as shameless promo for some guys I happen to know who also happen to be awesome musicians. Let the music speak for itself!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Was he the singer of Insania? If so, he sounds nothing like he did in Insania which is a band that I absolutely love. This is very good, but when I heard the Insania reference, I automatically compared it to them which I shouldn't have done as it creates an automatic let down.
 
Yeah, that is Ola Halén. I guess his voice has developed with age. The last Insania album he sang on was Agony - Gift of Life, which was recorded in 2005, and the songs with Shadows Past are more recent. Not to mention that they're far from as straight up power metal as Insania.
 
Mardoch said:
What is...shotgun metal?
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+1

Regardless of what it's called - I thought it was very good. Thanks for sharing! Sorry to hear about them having to scrap their CD, any word on when they may be recording again? I checked out their website and there was no mention of the disc being scrapped.
 
Music is awesome, the vocals don;t fit it. This type of music doesn;t fit the high pitched vocals....would be so much better with some Tom Englund type vocals, (some grit)
 
Mardoch said:
What is...shotgun metal?
Click to expand...

eppst1 said:
+1

Regardless of what it's called - I thought it was very good. Thanks for sharing! Sorry to hear about them having to scrap their CD, any word on when they may be recording again? I checked out their website and there was no mention of the disc being scrapped.
Click to expand...

It doesn't mean anything more than a tongue-in-cheek jab at all the subgenres of metal, maybe. But as they're neither straight up power metal nor progressive I guess they sort of could be defined as heavy metal with power choruses.

Regarding the CD, they did it all over again, and now that it's been recorded, mixed and mastered they are currently looking for a label.

VenomGA said:
Music is awesome, the vocals don;t fit it. This type of music doesn;t fit the high pitched vocals....would be so much better with some Tom Englund type vocals, (some grit)
Click to expand...

Fair enough. Although I don't think he would do it on a full-time basis, Ola (the vocalist) is not at all averse to the occasional grunt. His main style is cleans, though.
 
Debut album PERFECT CHAPTER out on March 29th, 2013 through Doolittle Group.

906ck1.jpg


01. Wherever I Go – 4:21
02. Perfect Chapter – 4:20
03. Cry No More – 5:26
04. An Old Enemy – 4:43
05. Ladder Of Life – 4:36
06. The Scars Run Deep – 4:11
07. Impressed – 4:09
08. Who Am I – 5:14
09. The One – 5:52
10. Believe – 5:13
 
Wow great stuff! Awesome vocals and the video was really cool too. The camera effects and 3D was unexpected, surprising, creative and interesting. Congrats on signing on with Doolittle too! Christian seems like a good guy to work with. Very much looking forward to checking the CD out.

VenomGA said:
Music is awesome, the vocals don;t fit it. This type of music doesn;t fit the high pitched vocals....would be so much better with some Tom Englund type vocals, (some grit)
Click to expand...

While I get the intro makes one think it will go full on death vocals maybe like Fleshgod Apocalypse through the whole song, I think it fits really well, where it just gives melodic/power metal a nice bit of aggressive variety and edge.. works the same as with the visual effects. Keeps things interesting. Very much like minimal but tasteful use of death vocals like he uses here. Think the aggressive aspect of fits with the higher clean vocals because of the classical element in the aggression. Don't think I'd like it much at all with Englund type of vocals. Think it comes together very well.
 
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