Fallout from the War

Background

Fallout from the War is meant to be a companion piece to the band's previous release, The War Within. It contains six original songs that were written during the sessions for The War Within. It also contains two re-recorded tracks that had previously only been available as bonus tracks in Japan and Europe.

The album contains three covers from bands that were large influences to Shadows Fall. In reference to the Only Living Witness cover, Fair says the band "was an amazing and highly underrated rock band from the Boston area." The Boston Phoenix adds that Shadows Fall, and Killswitch Engage, credit the band with "having sparked Massachusetts' now-burgeoning metalcore economy." In reference to the Leeway cover, Fair states, "Leeway was the ultimate metal/hardcore crossover band with sick thrash riffs and hard-as-nails lyrics." The last cover track, "Teasn', Pleasn'" by Dangerous Toys, originally appeared as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of The War Within, and was also re-recorded for this release.

Reception

Fallout from the War received mixed to positive reviews. According to Alternative Press, "Fair's vocals are as melodic as the lashing post-thrash-metal riffs that back him." On a more general note, David Jeffries of Allmusic calls the album an "exciting and pleasingly loose collection of leftovers from the last album." However, he also notes the causal flow of the album, stating that it seems like an odds-and-ends release. Keith Bergman of Blabbermouth compliments the band stating, "Shadows Fall are getting more melodic and accessible, yes, but that they're doing it in an organic fashion — there's still a lot of thrash oozing out of the pores of these metalheads, and their organic, old-school-informed take on metalcore has so far managed to avoid most of that cloying buzzword's limitations."

Track listing

All lyrics written by Brian Fair, except where noted; all music composed by Shadows Fall, except where noted.