Members of Shadows Fall still humble
Published May 4, 2007
Naked women are throwing themselves at your feet, lines of cocaine are on the table and someone is passing you a rolled up dollar bill. Alcohol is flowing like Niagra Falls, and it has nowhere to land but in your mouth. This is how you imagine your daily life would be if you could only transition your Guitar Hero skills into a useful talent.
Paul Romanko, bassist for the metalcore band Shadows Fall, said that exciting image just isn't a reality.
"MTV has lied to you all," Romanko said. "It's about boredom and being stuck with a bunch of dudes for a long time. Well, the last half of that deal probably wouldn't be so bad for the ladies."
Shadows Fall is a hardcore metal band that formed in 1997 and features Brian Fair on vocals, Matt Bachand on guitar/vocals, Paul Romanko on bass, Jason Bittner on drums and Jon Donais on lead guitar/vocals.
The name Shadows Fall doesn't really allude to what kind of music the listener will hear when he or she pops in the band's CD.
Romanko said the band got this name years ago from a short-lived comic book series.
"It's dark, mysterious and doesn't give a connotation to what the music will be like," Romanko said.
Shadows Fall didn't get its big break until it was asked to play Ozzfest in 2003. The band played the second stage slot, but in 2005, it was invited to take the main stage.
"Playing with Iron Maiden was amazing," Romanko said. "Iron Maiden actually hung out in the back of the stage and watched us. Watching them watch us was incredible."
It could be nerve-racking being onstage in front of thousands of people, especially when you've got Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Rob Zombie to compete with like Shadows Fall did at the 2005 Ozzfest. But Romanko said he has been playing for so long that it just feels natural to him now, and he doesn't really think about it anymore.
"It's cool, comfortable and exciting," Romanko said. "You just go out and do your thing."
Shadows Fall received recognition from the critics when it was nominated for a Grammy in 2006. The nod was for the song "What Drives The Weak," from their album The War Within. They were nominated alongside Slipknot and Rammstein, among others, for that shiny statue of a little man. Although the song didn't win, it was still a huge moment for a band on an indie label.
"It was surreal," Romanko said. "I thought that someone was playing a joke on us. I was excited, happy and proud."
Although the band has had some success, its members manage to stay humble. On the bus, they like to watch the first season of "The Muppet Show," play pranks on each other and pull over and go shopping when they get too bored.
The guys might look scary, with long dreads and tattoos, but they really are just like the next guy.
