Shadow Work (Trapt album)

Shadow Work is the eighth studio album by American rock band Trapt, released on July 3, 2020. The album was a commercial and critical failure at release.[2]

Shadow Work
A computer graphic of a yin yang
Standard edition; the deluxe edition includes "DELUXE EDITION" written at the top
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 3, 2020 (2020-07-03)
Studio
Length44:41
Label
  • Crash Collide
  • New Legacy Recordings
ProducerTrapt
Trapt chronology
DNA
(2016)
Shadow Work
(2020)
The Fall
(2024)
Singles from Shadow Work
  1. "Tell Me How You Really Feel"
    Released: May 15, 2020
  2. "Make It Out Alive"
    Released: May 15, 2020
  3. "Far Enough Away"
    Released: May 22, 2020

"The new TRAPT album "Shadow Work" is the best piece of music Trapt has put out and probably one of the top 5 albums that will ever exist for all of time."

—Trapt's Twitter account in May, several weeks before the release of Shadow Work[1]

Critical and commercial reception

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Editors at AllMusic rated this album 2.5 out of 5 stars, with critic Neil Z. Yeung writing that the album offers "some polished anthems to balance with their typical crunchy assault" and particularly praises the band's cover of "Who Will Save Your Soul".[3]

Shadow Work sold 600 copies in its first week,[4] an 87% decrease from 2016's DNA[5] and below the 5,400 anticipated sales.[6] Vocalist Chris Taylor Brown disputed these figures, claiming sales among the several thousand.[7] Brown's subsequent social media use got the band's accounts suspended[8] and led to drummer Michael Smith leaving Trapt.[9] The band's subsequent tours have been poorly attended.[10]

Track listing

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  1. "Make It Out Alive" – 3:31
  2. "I Want to Want What I Want" – 3:53
  3. "Tell Me How You Really Feel" – 4:10
  4. "Too Little Too Late" – 4:04
  5. "Far Enough Away" – 4:15
  6. "Turn Me Around Again" – 3:13
  7. "Trying Too Hard" – 3:27
  8. "Let Me Down Slowly" – 3:11
  9. "Too Far Away" – 3:58
  10. "Get You Back" – 3:32
  11. "Hold and Be Held" – 3:27
  12. "Save Your Soul" (Jewel Kilcher) – 3:59

Deluxe edition bonus tracks

  1. "Fire" – 4:03
  2. "Make It Out Alive" (Acoustic) – 3:26
  3. "Tell Me How You Really Feel" (Acoustic) – 4:08
  4. "Far Enough Away" (Acoustic) – 4:15
  5. "Turn Me Around Again" (Acoustic) – 3:05
  6. "Let Me Down Slowly" (Acoustic) – 3:15

The digital deluxe edition bonus tracks includes "Fire" as the opening track and an acoustic recording (length 4:15) of the song as the 13th.

Personnel

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Trapt

  • Chris Taylor Brown – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, production
  • Pete Charell – bass guitar, backing vocals, engineering at Fat Tracks Studio, production
  • Brendan Hengle – lead guitar
  • Mike Smith – drums

Additional personnel

  • Jack Daniels – engineering, mixing at Dexter Doc Studio
  • Mike Kalajiah – mastering at Rogue Planet Mastering
  • Travis Livingstone – cover art[11]
  • Rob Nadler – engineering at Fat Tracks Studio

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Kaufman, Spencer (May 12, 2020). "Trapt to Release "Probably One of the Top 5 Albums That Will Ever Exist for All of Time," Says Trapt". News. Consequence of Sound. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  2. ^ "TRAPT To Release 'Shadow Work' Album In June". Blabbermouth.net. May 11, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  3. ^ Yeung, Neil Z. (n.d.). "Trapt – Shadow Work". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  4. ^ Blanchet, Brenton (July 15, 2020). "Trapt's New Album Sells 600 Copies First Week, Band Says Not So Fast". News. Spin. ISSN 0886-3032. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  5. ^ Dowd, Rachael (July 15, 2020). "Apparently Trapt's new album only sold 600 copies but they say it's wrong". Music. Alternative Press. ISSN 1065-1667. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  6. ^ Rosenberg, Axl (July 15, 2020). "Trapt's New Album Shatters Sales Records, Makes America Great Again". MetalSucks. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  7. ^ "TRAPT Deny They Only Sold 600 Copies of New Album, Claim 4K In Sales, Offer No Proof". Metal Injection. July 16, 2020.
  8. ^ Harrington, Jim (November 20, 2020). "Los Gatos rock act reportedly kicked off Facebook for Proud Boys post". Things to Do > Music. The Mercury News. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  9. ^ "Trapt Drummer Quits Band Over Singer's MAGA Rants". Heavy Consequence > Heavy Music News. Consequence of Sound. January 24, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  10. ^ Kennelty, Greg (August 18, 2023). "TRAPT Is Still Out There, Playing To Basically Nobody". Metal Injection. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  11. ^ Dowd, Rachael (September 18, 2020). "Trapt say they won't be disputing their lawsuit on a 'Judge Judy' episode". Music. Alternative Press. ISSN 1065-1667. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
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