Spiral Shadow

Last updated
Spiral Shadow
Spiral Shadow Album Artwork.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 25, 2010 (2010-10-25)
RecordedJuly 2010
StudioThe Jam Room
Columbia, South Carolina
Genre Sludge metal
Length40:02
Label Season of Mist
Producer Phillip Cope
Kylesa chronology
Static Tensions
(2009)
Spiral Shadow
(2010)
From the Vaults, Vol. 1
(2010)

Spiral Shadow is the fifth full-length album by American sludge metal band Kylesa, released by Season of Mist on October 25, 2010 in Europe and October 26, 2010 in the United States. [1]

Contents

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 85/100 [2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [3]
The Austin Chronicle Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Kerrang! Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Metal Injection 8.5/10 [6]
MetalSucks Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
PopMatters 8/10 [8]
Pitchfork 8.4/10 [9]
Rock Sound 9/10 [10]
Spin 7/10 [11]
Sputnikmusic 4/5 [12]

The album received positive reviews upon its release, and currently holds a metascore of 85 on Metacritic based on nine reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [2] It is also the highest rated metal album of the year according to the same site. [13] Many critics praised the band's fusion of different genres, including sludge metal and psychedelic rock.

Accolades

PublicationCountryAccoladeYearRank
Exclaim! [14] CanadaTop 10 Metal Albums of the Year20104
Metacritic [13] InternationalThe 40 Best-Reviewed Albums of 2010201014
Pitchfork Media [15] USTop 50 Albums of 2010201044
Stereogum [16] USTop 50 Albums of 201020107

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Tired Climb"3:20
2."Cheating Synergy"2:51
3."Drop Out"4:29
4."Crowded Road"3:29
5."Don't Look Back"3:20
6."Distance Closing In"3:51
7."To Forget"3:32
8."Forsaken"3:41
9."Spiral Shadow"5:12
10."Back and Forth"2:33
11."Dust"3:44

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2010)Peak
position
German Newcomer Chart [17] 14
Billboard Heatseekers Albums 11

References

  1. http://metalbuzz.net/main/2010/08/24/kylesa-unveil-cover-art-and-tracklisting-for-spiral-shadow/%5B%5D
  2. 1 2 "Spiral Shadow Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  3. Freeman, Phil (August 20, 2010). "Spiral Shadow - Kylesa". AllMusic . Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  4. Hernandez, Raoul (November 5, 2010). "Kylesa". The Austin Chronicle . Retrieved May 12, 2025.
  5. This is still towering, hazy, stoner metal--it's just shaped with more craft than once before and is therefore far more interesting. [16 Oct 2010, p.50]
  6. Brown, Kit (November 4, 2010). "CD Review: KYLESA- Spiral Shadow". Metal Injection . Retrieved May 12, 2025.
  7. O'Hagar, Sammy (October 26, 2010). "KYLESA'S FORESEEABLY EXCELLENT SPIRAL SHADOW". MetalSucks . Retrieved May 12, 2025.
  8. Begrand, Adrien (3 November 2010). "Kylesa: Spiral Shadow". PopMatters . Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  9. Harvell, Jess (November 2, 2010). "Kylesa: Spiral Shadow | Album Reviews". Pitchfork Media . Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  10. Kerswell, Ronnie (October 21, 2010). "Kylesa - Spiral Shadow | Reviews | Rock Sound". Rock Sound . Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  11. "Kylesa, 'Spiral Shadow' (Season of Mist) | SPIN.com". Archived from the original on 2010-10-23. Retrieved 2010-11-01.
  12. "Kylesa - Spiral Shadow (album review)". Sputnikmusic. October 24, 2010. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  13. 1 2 Dietz, Jason (January 11, 2011). "The Best Albums of 2010". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  14. "Year in Review: Metal". Exclaim! .
  15. "Staff Lists: The Top 50 Albums of 2010 | Features". Pitchfork Media. December 16, 2010. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  16. "Haunting The Chapel's Top 50 Albums Of 2010". Stereogum . December 21, 2010. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  17. "Mit Haftbefehl in die Newcomer-Charts". Media Control Charts . Retrieved October 27, 2011.