When FACT ended, three of its members did not take a break. On 21 January 2016 they announced a new band, and its name was SHADOWS.
The Three
The founders were FACT’s singer and two of its guitarists: Hiro on vocals, and Takahiro and Kazuki on guitar and vocals. Hiro and Takahiro are brothers. Kazuki handles most of the screaming.
For a listener who followed FACT, that is a familiar front line in a new setting. The band did not trade on the old name, though. It started again with EPs, the way a new band would.
The Records
The first EP, Extrance, came out on 30 March 2016, barely two months after the announcement. Progress followed that August and Chain Reaction in March 2017. The first album, illuminate, was released on 26 April 2017.
The second album, torches, had an unusual release. It was first sold only at shows on a 2018 tour, and reached shops on 12 June 2019.
The early records came out on the label maximum10. A national tour in 2016 took out guests including waterweed, a labelmate, and Her Name In Blood.
The Five
For its first eight years SHADOWS was officially three people, with a rhythm section of support players. That changed on 4 January 2024. Bassist Hayato and drummer Ryo, who also plays in GARLICBOYS, became full members, and the band announced a move to the label CAFFEINE BOMB ORGANICS.
The third album, DIG, was released on 20 September 2024. It was the first in five years. The tour for it ran to 26 shows, from September 2024 to February 2025.
Why It Matters
Bands formed out of a famous band usually go one of two ways. They repeat the old formula, or they run from it. SHADOWS did neither in a hurry. It kept the voices people knew, and only became a fixed five-piece when it was ready to.
Start with illuminate, then DIG.
