Shadows is a German/Swedish blackened death metal band
formed in 2021 by vocalist/guitarist Dejan
Milenkovits. Originally started as a solo project during the pandemic,
it quickly expanded after the release of early material in 2022. With help from
Finnish session drummer Filip Gäddnäs and
producer Mathias Lodmalm, the band recorded
its first full-length during 2024. By early 2025, Shadows
solidified its permanent lineup with Milenkovits
joined by guitarist Martin Bermheden,
bassist Andreas Holm, and drummer Joél Cirera. The band’s members bring with them
experience from notable acts such as Visceral
Bleeding, The Berzerker, Enshrined, and Ominous,
giving Shadows a pedigree deeply rooted in
extreme metal.
“Miseria”
is a dark and relentless debut that wastes no time in making its presence felt.
From the opening surge of “As Above So Below” to the ending burden of “Unnamed
Sorrow,” the album delivers an unforgiving storm of blackened death metal that
balances aggression with atmosphere. The guitar work is compact and piercing,
weaving tremolo-picked melodies with crushing riffs, while the rhythm section
drives everything forward with precision and ferocity.
Vocally, Dejan Milenkovits provides a feral performance that sits perfectly between cavernous growls and scathing shrieks, reinforcing the grim vision the band set out to explore. The production is raw yet powerful, maintaining crushing force while ensuring clarity between instruments. Tracks like “Lamia” and “Delivered From Sin” benefit from searing guest solos that inject a venomous flair, while tracks such as “Mässa XCIV” and “Cycles” lean heavily into the suffocating blackened side of the band’s sound.
Lyrically
and conceptually, “Miseria” is steeped in existential dread, exploring futility
and decay with no promise of redemption. The grim artwork by Fernando Rojas B. further cements this atmosphere,
presenting the album as a complete vision of despair and inevitability.
For a
debut, Shadows has crafted an uncompromising
and fully realized slab of blackened death metal. “Miseria” is oppressive,
intense, and unrelenting, yet infused with enough solemn melody to keep the
listener engaged throughout its nine tracks.
Score: 8.5
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