I am a fan of extreme metal music, and have noticed over the years a funny kind of quirk. It’s fairly rare when a single line in a song has an echo on it (either via an actual delay effect, or by manually recording a second version of the line). But, when a line is echo’ed, it often has to do with “shadows.” I think it’s kinda like, not an inside joke, but like an insider’s nod… to what, though? I wonder who kicked the whole thing off?
The three examples on my mind right now are:
- Obituary: Circle of the Tyrants from Cause of Death. “And hunts and wars are like everlasting shadows.” the last line in the song, only the word ‘shadows’ gets the echo treatment by the main voice. To be fair, several other lines in this song are doubled by a deep voice in the background. Nothing as emphatic as the ‘shadows’ word, though.
- Morbid Angel: Blessed Are the Sick from Blessed are the Sick. “No intent could shadow my disease”… “shadow” is the only word in any of the verses that is echo’ed, though the choruses use the effect a lot.
- Nasum: Breach of Integrity from Helvete. “I’d rather watch from the shadows, and be my own.” It’s the last line in the song, and the only doubled line.
I’m sure I’ve noticed more, but can’t think of any others at the moment. I don’t have the Celtic Frost version of Circle of the Tyrants… maybe that would be the originator? I don’t know.
All three songs, albums, and bands are fantastic… you should definitely own them. On the off chance anyone reads this and knows of more examlpes, feel free to comment.
Update: I’ve never heard the song, but I see via internet search that Children of Bodom have a song called “Deadnight Warrior” containing the line: “Always in the moonlight shadow [echo: shadow]“…