Brazil is really releasing excellent bands, but due to the economic hardships we have to deal every single day of our lives, it makes things extremely difficult for Metal bands to release their albums in other countries. I can tell you a thing: you could expect a Brazilian Metal invasion if things were different, because there are extremely talented bands here. One of them is SHADOWSIDE, from Santos (SP), and after a long time after "Inner Monster Out" (that was released on 2011), the quartet is back with their new album, called "Shades of Humanity".

We can describe the band's musical genre as a modern and vigorous form of traditional Heavy Metal, with abrasive tunes on guitars, an elegant technique on the rhythmic session, and excellent vocals, and the result of the fusion of these elements with their personality is a powerful and modern form of music, with excellent melodies, charming choruses, but as aggressive as Hell. But one of their strongest points: the quartet musical work is truly particular, because SHADOWSIDE's work bears a strong and bold personality. Maybe "Shades of Humanity" is the heaviest, but yet the most refined album.

As it was done on "Inner Monster Out", "Shades of Humanity" was recorded in Fredman Studio, in Sweden, under the guidance of Fredrik Nordström (who worked previously with DIMMU BORGIR, ARCH ENEMY, IN FLAMES and others) and Henrik Udd, and both worked on the mixing and mastering. Of course, you can hear the heavy and modern tunes of the musical instruments, but all in a clear way. The balance between aggressiveness, melodies and clarity of the sound is really amazing. The artwork for the cover, created by Douglas Jen of Furia Music, is really excellent, showing the dense and heavy atmosphere of the lyrics. The unfinished drawings that you can see are symbols of the imperfection of all humanity.

On "Shades of Humanity", the lyrical themes explore actual subjects as depression, abortion, the Mariana dam disaster in Brazil and mankind's moral values, all with a tasteful, melodic and modern musical format. And the best songs of the album are the charming aggressive modernity of "The Fall" (what a great work from vocals and fine chorus), the hypnotic tempos and great work from bass guitar and drums shown on "What If", the hooking and dynamical guitars that we can heard on the catchy "Make My Fate", the contrast between aggressive parts with melodic and catchy chorus of "The Crossing", the excellent and accessible melodic lines of "Drifter" (that can be seen as a successor of "Angel with Horns" from their previous album, and it's a song that will reach a broader public, with an easy chorus and hypnotic melodies), and the ethereal feeling that fills the excellent "Alive" (a great song, indeed, with very good guitars once more, and good keyboards parts). But have in mind that the album is excellent from the beginning to its end.

Once more, SHADOWSIDE made a great album, and "Shades of Humanity" can be a step of the band in the direction of success.