Musically speaking, “Shadowreaper” is the next logical step after “The Black Stream” and kicks right in with ‘Into The Evergrey’ which opens with tasteful acoustic guitars that lead into a driving monster of a song. The following ‘The Horrors Of Endlessness’ feels like a relentless warning against the idea of eternity. While NIGHT IN GALES keep the overall speed quite high, they are also able to take the foot off the gas pedal to allow mellow moments e.g. in ‘The Nihilist Delta’ to shine through all ongoing darkness. While ‘Spirals’ creates an irresistible groove, it’s ‘Sculptures And Defleshed’ that bundles all the band’s strengths in perfect manner. The closing ‘Walk Of Infinity’ leaves the listener behind in complete darkness, with no light in sight. And yet a few things are different with “Shadowreaper”. After they did four albums in a row with Dan Swanö, this time the production has been entrusted to Fredrik Nordström, the man who created the great formative classics of the genre in his infamous Studio Fredman in the Nineties: “Slaughter Of The Soul” (AT THE GATES), “The Jester Race”, “Whoracle” (IN FLAMES) and of course “The Gallery” (DARK TRANQUILLITY). The end result sounds extremely brute and unpolished by NIGHT IN GALES standards and delivers the much-coveted 'live feeling'. It's almost as if you open the door to the rehearsal room or concert hall and expose yourself directly to the action and the huge wall of sound.
Side A:
1. Into The Evergrey / 2. The Horrors Of Endlessness / 3. Open The Sun / 4. The Nihilist Delta / 5. Spirals
Side B:
1. Dead Inside / 2. Window To The End / 3. Sculpured And Defleshed / 4. Walk Of Infinity
