In their home country, the USA, Shinedown have become megastars over the years since their debut album "Leave a Whisper" in 2003. In this country, however, it took quite a while before a larger number of rock fans took notice of them. But at the latest since the 2012 work "Amaryllis", the band name also stands in Germany for catchy rock music characterized by sing-along choruses and power ballads.
Founded in Jacksonville, Florida in 2001, Shinedown released their debut album "Leave a Whisper" immediately on the major label Atlantic Records. Rather unusual is the fact that the musicians have not yet completed a single live show together at this time. But it wasn't long before the Americans were playing big venues - first as support for established colleagues, then a few years later as headliners. In 2005, the band followed up with "Us and Them" before climbing the ladder of success with "The Sound of Madness". With songs like "Second Chance", "Call Me", "Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)" and the title track "Sound of Madness", the album is a treasured classic in the band's history. A few years later, Shinedown succeeds in the charts for the first time with "Amaryllis" in Germany and the UK, among other countries, where they are also represented with the follow-ups "Threat to Survival" (2015) and "Attention Attention" (2018). July 2022 will see the release of their sixth studio album "Planet Zero", featuring the single "The Saints of Violence and Innuendo" and the title track, among others.
Shinedown: "Sound of Madness" from "Planet Zero"
While Shinedown have existed without interruption for over 20 years, there have been a few lineup changes in the first decade: bassist Brad Stewart throws in the towel in 2007 and is replaced soon after by Eric Bass (yes, that's his real name!). Guitarist Jasin Todd follows him a year later and Nick Perri, who replaces Todd, eventually gives only a very brief guest appearance. Zach Myers remains as the sole guitarist and so Shinedown consists since 2008 of Brent Smith on microphone, Zach Myers on guitar, Eric Bass on four-string and Barry Kerch behind the drums. That it works in this formation quite excellent, the band proves again and again - both on record and on tour.
Shinedown succeeds in the feat to remain fundamentally true to their roots and yet to dare the one or other sound experiment. So happened on the fifth long player "Threat to Survival", on which dominate in many places synth sounds. In general, the guys also like to sail into pop realms in between. "GET UP" is only one example for it. The fans love such excursions as well as rocky bangers like "Cut the Cord", "DEVIL", "Sound of Madness" or "Planet Zero". And then there are such powerful, emotionally charged pieces like "45" or "Second Chance". One can vividly imagine what a brilliant fireworks of hits the multi-platinum rockers fire off live. But it's best not just to imagine it, but to seize the opportunity when Shinedown come on tour.
