| Formshifter | |
| Type: | Studio |
| Artist: | Allegaeon |
| Cover: | Formshifter.jpg |
| Released: | May 8, 2012[1] |
| Recorded: | December 2011 – January 2012 |
| Studio: | Lambesis Studios, San Diego, California |
| Genre: | Melodic death metal, technical death metal |
| Length: | 52:51 |
| Label: | Metal Blade |
| Producer: | Daniel Castleman |
| Prev Title: | Fragments of Form and Function |
| Prev Year: | 2010 |
| Next Title: | Elements of the Infinite |
| Next Year: | 2014 |
Formshifter is the second studio album by American death metal band Allegaeon. The album was released on May 8, 2012 through Metal Blade Records. As the band did not employ a drummer during the album's production, all drum parts were handled by session musician J. P. Andrande.[2] The album charted at no. 29 on the Top Heatseekers chart.[3]
The first song to be released from the album was "Tartessos: The Hidden Xenocryst". The song's official video was uploaded to Metal Blade's YouTube channel on February 21, 2012.[4] "Behold (God I Am)" was the second song to be released, with its lyric video premiering on May 7.[5] The album was released the next day, on May 8. A music video was released on August 31 for the song "A Path Disclosed".[6]
Upon its release, Formshifter has received generally positive reviews.
About.com reviewer Andrew Kapper gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, saying "there is never a flat moment on the LP" and commending Ezra Haynes's vocals along with the guitar work. AllMusic reviewer Gregory Heaney gave the album 3.5 out of 5 stars, comparing the album to At the Gates and Arch Enemy and calling the album a "nonstop riff-fest". Chronicles of Chaos gave the album a 7 out of 10 and said the album's tracks increase in terms of quality, making the first three tracks "seem like a year old inconvenience".