Shadows Miseria Review
Shadows
Miseria
Self-Released
2025
A new force rises from the frostbitten borders of Germany and Sweden, Shadows, a Blackened Death Metal outfit forged from the smoldering remains of Visceral Bleeding, Enshrined, Berserker, and Ominous. With lineage like that, you’d expect fury, and you’d be right. Later this month, Shadows will release their debut full-length, “Miseria”, a name that already hints at the unrelenting weight within.
I’ll be honest, this one didn’t win me over on first contact. Not because it’s lacking, but because it’s abrasive to the point of brutality, and I’m still a few weeks removed from ear surgery. So yeah, this literally made my ears bleed even more. But sometimes the best albums aren’t love at first listen; they’re slow burns that claw their way under your skin and refuse to leave.
What pulled me in, what kept me, was the sheer directness of the music. The first half of “Miseria” doesn’t waste conjuring smoke and shadows like so many Blackened bands tend to do. Instead, it kicks in the door with riff-heavy fury and relentless firepower. It almost leans more Blackened Thrash than pure Death Metal, but these are blurred lines by design. You’ll hear the unmistakable echo of Scandinavian Metal throughout, moments that flirt with the Gothenburg sound, whether intentionally or not. Either way, it works.
The riffs soar, rip, stomp and twist your head to the point of explosion. There’s an electric charge to the lead breaks, a kind of controlled chaos that speaks to seasoned hands on the fretboard. And the tone is both melodic and menacing. There’s harmony laced in rage here, and it gives this record surprising depth and staying power.
Now, the vocals… that’s where my ears had to adjust. They’re delivered with undeniable grit and authority, but at times, it felt like they were crowding the space, stepping on the toes of the riffs rather than dancing with them. Initially, it felt disjointed. But with repeated listens, it clicked. I started tracing the melody beneath the growl, following the emotional thread through the distortion. And when it lands, it really lands.
This isn’t music for casual listeners. It’s desolate, aggressive, and at times, suffocating. But if you’re a fan of Melodic Blackened Metal that nods to the gods of old without devolving into cliché, Miseria is a must-hear.
Standout tracks: “Delivered from Sin”, “As Above So Below”, “Spring Sleepwalker”, and “Unnamed Sorrow”.