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Cinemetal

SHADOWS FALL BARK AT THE SHRINE OF JAKE E. LEE

 Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 10:00am by

No riff is as tasty as an ’80s metal riff (pick one) and the Shadows Fall tandem of Matt Bachand and Jon Donais are two of the tastiest classic-style riffers in metal today. Put the two together and you’ve got Kobra Kai, an ’80s cover supergroup that also features current and ex-members of Fates Warning, All That Remains and Dark Day Sunday. So it couldn’t've been much of a stretch for Bachand and Donais to take their passion for ’80s metal to the big leagues by covering a song with one of the tastiest riffs ever, “Bark at the Moon;” shit, they probably already knew it.

Apparently the Shads’ cover of the Ozzy classic has been burning up the radio charts of late, but I hadn’t heard it until this live video landed in my inbox. I like how for the most part it’s a straight cover but Bachand and Donais still infuse hints of their distinct Shadows Fallian guitar style into Jake E. Lee’s masterful riffage. And while Brian Fair ain’t the best singer on the block, he sure sounds better than Ozzy “teleprompter” Osbourne these days… and he remembers the lyrics, too. Yes, folks, this is how it’s done. Yes yes, ya’ll.

-VN

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  • http://vague-news.blogspot.com Clarky Cat

    Holy shit, there used to be a English nu-metal band called Cobra Kai.

  • Facebook User

    the musicianship in shadows fall is just so fucking tight.

  • brian roach

    Awesome, reverent, fun version, Shads guitar guys just slay. Brian Fair isn’t meant to sing this kind of stuff, but he does a decent job of pulling it off, it’s a great tribute…

  • Facebook User

    Kobra Kai is fucking awesome. Saw them open for Shadows Fall last April, best part was they closed with Creeping Death and Brian Fair joined them on vocals.

  • http://fantasyh.wordpress.com fantasyh

    Wow, I didn’t realize that Brian Fair’s dreads were THAT long.

    • SonOF

      hah, this was actually what I was going to comment about. Fair talked about how his dreads were so long that they were annoying, that laying down on that hair is like sleeping with another person, and that was from an interview I read like TWO YEARS AGO. Now they are just RIDICULOUS. Must be a huge hassle to keep that gimmick.

    • SonOF

      past his knees, christ.

  • Timbodini

    What is it with bands getting recognition for covers songs? KSW just did it with “Holy Diver”. Next they will introduce the “Best Cover” award at the Grammy’s… wtf? ( I know the Grammy’s are fucked anyway)

    I don’t care if bands do covers and/or put them on albums, but don’t release them as singles.

    • Hammer_Smashed_Hurtt

      I can only speak for myself but i think they’re cover was pretty bad. The guitars, vocals were spot on but the goddamn drum time kills me every time i listen to it.

    • stu1

      It’s been that way since the very beginning of rock music.

  • Kuranes

    The only thing better than the riff for “Bark at the Moon” is the solo for “Bark at the Moon.”

    • Hammer_Smashed_Hurtt

      A+ for you good sir. Well said.

  • Discipleofthewatch

    I love Shadows Fall. Saw a fellow metalhead this morning in the grocery store parking lot with a Shads shirt on, he saw me sporting my MetalSucks unreadable band logo hoodie, and I threw him the horns. Right on, Shadows Fall.

  • Andy Synn

    Odd choice for a single… I mean, it’s hardly representative of their sound and is only available on the special edition, as well as the album itself being very strong without gimmicks.

    Oh, and it isn’t that good either.

    On the plus side I saw them on tour last year and, amusingly, they said that they had had a request to play this song, but wouldn’t do so until one of their guitarists had gotten to the bar and been bought a beer (they played it with one guitar player after all). Said beer was bought and the song played. Bit meh, but amusing at the time.

    On the plus side, their cover of “December” exposed me to Only Living Witness, so I have to thank them for that.

    • Facebook User

      don’t blame shadows fall, blame radio. blame the out of touch corporate suits that run the music industry. Shadows fall have plenty of other songs that could have been on the radio. but the programmers are too fucking afraid to play anything new or different.

      • stu1

        I agree, to some extent. However, they’re really not putting out radio songs at this point.

  • Sammy

    I love the new album, but the studio version of this song falls flat for me. Kinda has a mailed-it-in feeling to it.

  • I

    Goog band, good album. They had a return to form on their latest. And the covers on the special edition were very good. Especially the Nuclear Assult cover.

  • DustintheWind

    Everyone should check out Strung Out’s cover of Bark at the Moon… fuckin awesome… BTW, any Strung Out fans out there? Their early stuff is kinda skate-punkish, but they got much more tech metal over the years. American Paradox and Exile in Oblivion are both fantastic records

    • http://www.last.fm/user/markandrew78 materialist

      strung out’s version is WAY better than this. this is so slow that i find it boring in comparision.

  • Kapper

    Jon Donais has such a Zakk Wlyde style of playing, the vibrato is so simular and such. And why the fuck did the guy filming focus on the crowd during the massive run at the end of the solo?!?!