The Shadow Masters Album Review

8 Foot Sativa came onto the NZ metal scene just over 10 years ago and gave it an injection which spread like wildfire and inspired thousands of young metal heads to pick up instruments and bang their heads. Kiwi metal heads had their Kings and knew that 8 Foot were the ones to make Kiwi metal an international brand. But after four albums all went quite and they appeared to have left us.

Several years passed, then from out of nowhere there appeared to be stirrings within the camp and rumour became fact as their return was announced. I’m a huge 8 Foot fan so this review will be extremely biased but I can’t help that because to me 8 Foot Sativa will always be one of the best Kiwi metal bands this country has ever produced and provided the benchmark for many to follow.

The comeback of 8 Foot was first off with a support set with Fear Factory which in a lot of peoples mind saw 8 Foot as the true headliners and then 2 tours to follow. I attended quite a few of these shows and saw for myself how once again the masses were all heeding the call to step up once again for 8 Foot Sativa. My expectations were huge for this album and I think this was a feeling among a lot of metal heads in New Zealand. Hate Made Me and Season For Assault were breakthrough albums and any new material would have to be on par with that.

So with The Shadow Masters in my hot little hands I was extremely excited to see what they had come up with to inspire the next generation.

From the opening roar you know 8 Foot are back with a vengeance. As It Burns, the first track up throws you at a frenetic pace at brick wall and scraps you off. My first reaction was Wow. Second song in Shadow Masters is my favourite track. They had released this track pre album release so I had a small inkling into what to expect and I’m left reeling so far with this album as it’s brutal as. 8 Foot are definitely back in form and tearing you a new one. I love that chorus as Jack hammers it into you.

Summoned the rise brings you the first taste of Jack finally showing us his hidden talent of singing. For years he has barked, screamed and roared at us and we loved it and now he shows us the full array. It’s only a glimpse mind you as he shows it in all its glory in the next track, Feeding The Weak.

Feeding The Weak showcases the new energised 8 Foot with Jack singing the whole chorus. It also shows some of the new style brought to the party with Perditionist guitarist Nik Davies joining the fray. There’s a wicked exit to the song with cool vocal overdubs.

The first two albums 8 Foot released were all guitars by Gary so other than over dubbing there wasn’t a lot of room for solos and no twin guitar attack. Now with the addition of Nik Davies they can now show off some of those other tricks in his bag of magic. Gary and Nik’s guitar work, especially the leads on this album, are inspiring, trading off in a frenzy of attack that leaves you fully amped and ready to bounce off the walls.

It’s everything we were all hoping for and more. This is 8 Foot with all the pieces of the puzzle finally coming together. The whole album has a new sound with better production and the bells and whistles that should have been there in the past now there. I think fans will see this album as a natural progression and be excited about this bands future. The album certainly grows on you and eats its way into your brain each day a different song different phrase. I have got Back To Bare Bone stuck in my head at the moment. His singing on this track is once again another highlight. Jack’s vocals are awesome reminding me of Mark Hunter from Chimera at points but still have Jack’s unique sound and I really like the fact that he sings unlike previous albums. I’m very torn on where I put this album because for me Hate Made Me and Season For Assault were hugely influential albums, but in a lot of ways this album is superior to both of them.

If there’s one metal album you need to buy this year this is it. 8 Foot have returned as the Kings of New Zealand metal and are most definitely ready take on the international stage.