Shadowdance - Ageless [CD]

Hailing from Philadelphia, PA, Shadowdance was formed in the late-'90s by guitarist/songwriter Carlos Alvarez with Jason Fraticelli (drums), Brad Pondish (bass), and George Eliassen (vocals) to craft a timeless brand of powerful metal infused with progressive and atmospheric elements. Crushing riffs, blinding speeds, exotic textures, and classical melodies are only a few of the tools utilized. Always pushing boundaries, Shadowdance deftly takes this core and twists in subtle hints of everything from black metal and old school thrash to '70s-styled hard rock. A truly seamless blend of heaviness and aggression, speed and epic bombast-and nowhere is this more evident than on their multifaceted debut recording, Ageless, which was originally released in 2000 to international critical acclaim.Featuring 11 songs in just under an hour, Ageless is a musical journey exploring the light and dark in us all, effortlessly shifting gears from the catchy mid-tempo groove and commercial appeal of "Gilded Cage," the gargantuan-riffed but grandiose and uplifting title track, to the furious-but-focused power thrash of "Hollow," and finally the epic nine-minute closer "Forever"-the ending of which propels the listener through eternity at breakneck speeds. Showcasing Shadowdance at their best, expressing powerful songs with incredibly memorable melodies, every composition is masterfully imbued with it's own personality and flair. No two songs sound alike, yet there is a common stylistic edge that links them. Lyrically, they weave intricate stories based on the duality of life-stories that anyone can relate to.Ageless is a re-envisioned presentation of the original self-released edition from 2000. Re-recorded almost entirely from the ground up (only the original drum tracks and some keyboards were retained), guitars, bass, and most importantly lead vocals-the 2000 recordings had to make use of a last-minute session vocalist-have been completely redone. At last featuring the originally intended singer, George Eliassen, whose undeniable talents expertly project the wide range of emotions that Shadowdance's music represents. The album also features a number of notable guest performers, including John Yelland (JUDICATOR, DIRE PERIL), Jon Phipps (Moonspell, Angra, Amorphis), Tony Sannicandro (Job for a Cowboy), and Matt Hodsdon (Chaos Frame, Noble Beast), amongst others. With a brand new mix by Alvarez, stunning mastering by Brett Caldas-Lima (AYREON, DEVIN TOWNSEND, CYNIC, etc.) at Tower Studio, and even all-new artwork, Ageless has finally achieved it's true form-how it was meant to be experienced all those years ago