The Halo Effect returns with a special EP.
Following two successful studio albums, Mikael Stanne (vocals, Dark Tranquillity, Grand Cadaver, ex-Hammerfall), Jesper Strömblad (guitar, Ceremonial Oath, Cyhra, ex-Hammerfall, ex-The Resistance…), Peter Iwers (bass, Fleetburner, ex-Cyhra), Niclas Engelin (guitar, Engel, We Sell the Dead, ex-Passenger) and Daniel Svensson (drums, ex-Sacrilege) – all ex-In Flames – each chose a song to cover, thus forming We Are Shadows.
Jesper Strömblad was the first to choose, and it was with W.A.S.P.‘s I Wanna Be Somebody that the band let loose, expressing their most virulent roots and perfectly adapting the melodies to an aggressive base, just like on the original track. The guitarist made an excellent choice, adopting an infectious energy for this track, then it was Niclas Engelin‘s turn with a rather joyful cover of Dance With The Devil, a song by the band Phenomena. I wasn’t familiar with the English band’s version, but its festive touches won me over, as did the soaring keyboard passages, which are somewhat reminiscent of Peter Iwers‘ choice, Kent’s If You Were Here, another English band, prompting the vocalist to stick to clean vocals accompanied by a few backing vocals. The ethereal Post-Rock influences are perfectly mastered, and the band easily hypnotizes us with this improvised ballad, followed by a new musical shift with Shoreline by Broder Daniel, chosen by Daniel Svensson. We go from almost total tranquility to a veritable explosion of vitality and back again, but also from the roars of Melodic Death Metal to moments of clean vocals, especially on choruses. but the alternation is rather well managed by the band, who end up following up with How The Gods Kill, a Danzig cover selected by Mikael Stanne with its almost solemn Doom touches in the first half of the track, which then ignite to return to their sharper heavy roots, energizing the composition before a very gentle finale that closes the EP.
While I wasn’t expecting a release so soon after the last album, The Halo Effect gives us a little end-of-year gift with this surprising EP. We Are Shadows really demonstrates the band’s consistent versatility and keeps us waiting for more!
95/100