Shadowdances - Biography
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2007-
Biography
The band SHADOWDANCES is one of the veterans of Lithuanian underground metal scene. Their roots reach the year of 1991. Previously known as CONSCIOUS ROT, the band was quite known in the world's underground streams, mostly for their cassette album "The Soil", which featured extreme, technical, yet melodic and original death metal, released through Spanish FIGHT ZONE PROD. in 1994.
In autumn of 1995 a huge change took place and turned it all into a whole new dimension. The music has gotten darker and more emotional and became as personal as never before. And that's when SHADOWDANCES was actually born. Juodas, the drumming vocalist, actually the only one member left from the original line up, was desperate to find a new name, and this one seemed to stick best to the new musical and lyrical content of the band, which featured not only growling, but also singing vocals, a slower, more mid tempo music (but still with a death metal influence) and personal dark lyrics. A Mini CD "Burning Swodahs" was released in '96 through Spanish ABSTRACT EMOTIONS REC. (recorded in autumn of '95). The new band started showing up in different corners of Lithuania with their unique sound and performance. And each time it took a massive attention of crowd, magazine-editors, promoters etc., growing as an artist and getting the best live reviews in local 'zines, though no one could hardly call their music any certain cliché name, leaving it as "dark and emotional".
The presentation of the Mini CD was made. The band also headlined "Death comes-5", a memorable show in front of more than 700 inhuman beings. Also a few other shows followed as a good resonance.
Then an almost two year break had to take place because of some of the members' personal reasons and desperate try to work their way into some more meaningful existence. Juodas spent those two years in United States, working hard and trying to save some money to finally buy some decent equipment. He met Laima there, - another Lithuanian musician desperate to earn some more money and finally buy herself a decent keyboard. She was from another town, the band called PROSECUTOR (r.i.p.).
SHADOWDANCES was never forgotten. Everyone subconsciously knew that it will rise again one day. And there it was. On August 18th 1998 the two returned home and, as incredible as it may sound, on November 14th the 8th "Death Comes-" thundered with SHADOWDANCES already announcing of their return. Laima had joined on keyboard and took over the emotional, beautiful and atmospheric part of the band's music. They played all the old material and the band knew that it's time for some new, more fresh ideas.
It took a year to create new stuff and to rehearse it. And finally, it was time to test it live. SHADOWDANCES played two shows in 1999 (autumn and winter). It was feared that the original content of the all new material may scare some of the diehard maniacs (this time the growling vocals almost disappeared from the band's music), but, to everyone's surprise, all of the new stuff was appreciated, nevertheless, on the first show, which the band headlined, they were asked to stay longer on stage and play some more tunes. It was obvious, that the band is way ahead of others with their unique and fresh ideas. They are trying to get away from typical genres and all the nowadays' so called trends and are saluting their own personal idols: from DEAD CAN DANCE, VAST and THE TEA PARTY to ANATHEMA, THE MISSION UK. and even DREAM THEATER. The more heavy outcomes are not forgotten either, like MACHINEHEAD, DEFTONES, - all the music, which is by all means innovative and, what's most important - creative. Some of these influences are rather personal and not so much on the surface, while the others are well heard and mixed into one fluent sound of doom, atmospheric, gothic and probably some elements of progressive metal and even rock. Interestingly, none of the genres dominate above the others, it's all one massive wall of sounds. Speaking about the musical purpose, the main it's goal is to be as sensual as possible and true to the real felt emotions. The same goes for the lyrical content of the music. It's the feelings, love, searching for truth, escapes from reality and it's frustrations, trying to understand personal fears and depressions.
In January 2001 SHADOWDANCES finally entered the studio to record all this. It took a hell lot of time in the studio, comparing to what's been done in Lithuanian underground before, to record this material. After a first, a rather soft and blurry mix, the band decided to re-enter the studio and to try to make the sound based more on the guitars. After four long months of waiting and re-entering the studio once or twice a week, in may the record was finally mixed and mastered. The new CD is to be called "The River of Lost". It contains 13 songs and it's length is more than 71 minutes. Currently the band is promoting this recording to some labels, hoping to get their attention and to release it as soon as possible.
In autumn of 1995 a huge change took place and turned it all into a whole new dimension. The music has gotten darker and more emotional and became as personal as never before. And that's when SHADOWDANCES was actually born. Juodas, the drumming vocalist, actually the only one member left from the original line up, was desperate to find a new name, and this one seemed to stick best to the new musical and lyrical content of the band, which featured not only growling, but also singing vocals, a slower, more mid tempo music (but still with a death metal influence) and personal dark lyrics. A Mini CD "Burning Swodahs" was released in '96 through Spanish ABSTRACT EMOTIONS REC. (recorded in autumn of '95). The new band started showing up in different corners of Lithuania with their unique sound and performance. And each time it took a massive attention of crowd, magazine-editors, promoters etc., growing as an artist and getting the best live reviews in local 'zines, though no one could hardly call their music any certain cliché name, leaving it as "dark and emotional".
The presentation of the Mini CD was made. The band also headlined "Death comes-5", a memorable show in front of more than 700 inhuman beings. Also a few other shows followed as a good resonance.
Then an almost two year break had to take place because of some of the members' personal reasons and desperate try to work their way into some more meaningful existence. Juodas spent those two years in United States, working hard and trying to save some money to finally buy some decent equipment. He met Laima there, - another Lithuanian musician desperate to earn some more money and finally buy herself a decent keyboard. She was from another town, the band called PROSECUTOR (r.i.p.).
SHADOWDANCES was never forgotten. Everyone subconsciously knew that it will rise again one day. And there it was. On August 18th 1998 the two returned home and, as incredible as it may sound, on November 14th the 8th "Death Comes-" thundered with SHADOWDANCES already announcing of their return. Laima had joined on keyboard and took over the emotional, beautiful and atmospheric part of the band's music. They played all the old material and the band knew that it's time for some new, more fresh ideas.
It took a year to create new stuff and to rehearse it. And finally, it was time to test it live. SHADOWDANCES played two shows in 1999 (autumn and winter). It was feared that the original content of the all new material may scare some of the diehard maniacs (this time the growling vocals almost disappeared from the band's music), but, to everyone's surprise, all of the new stuff was appreciated, nevertheless, on the first show, which the band headlined, they were asked to stay longer on stage and play some more tunes. It was obvious, that the band is way ahead of others with their unique and fresh ideas. They are trying to get away from typical genres and all the nowadays' so called trends and are saluting their own personal idols: from DEAD CAN DANCE, VAST and THE TEA PARTY to ANATHEMA, THE MISSION UK. and even DREAM THEATER. The more heavy outcomes are not forgotten either, like MACHINEHEAD, DEFTONES, - all the music, which is by all means innovative and, what's most important - creative. Some of these influences are rather personal and not so much on the surface, while the others are well heard and mixed into one fluent sound of doom, atmospheric, gothic and probably some elements of progressive metal and even rock. Interestingly, none of the genres dominate above the others, it's all one massive wall of sounds. Speaking about the musical purpose, the main it's goal is to be as sensual as possible and true to the real felt emotions. The same goes for the lyrical content of the music. It's the feelings, love, searching for truth, escapes from reality and it's frustrations, trying to understand personal fears and depressions.
In January 2001 SHADOWDANCES finally entered the studio to record all this. It took a hell lot of time in the studio, comparing to what's been done in Lithuanian underground before, to record this material. After a first, a rather soft and blurry mix, the band decided to re-enter the studio and to try to make the sound based more on the guitars. After four long months of waiting and re-entering the studio once or twice a week, in may the record was finally mixed and mastered. The new CD is to be called "The River of Lost". It contains 13 songs and it's length is more than 71 minutes. Currently the band is promoting this recording to some labels, hoping to get their attention and to release it as soon as possible.