Metalcatto
I might’ve said it before, but this year seems to be a big one for Blackened Death Metal, and Shadows wants in on the trend with Miseria. At first glance, the album gives the impression that it’s more than ready to do the job—punching a hole through your emotions and unleashing the evil beast that lurks inside your heart. Does that make any sense? No clue. But what I do know is what this album offers, and I’m about to tell you.
Miseria is a rather competent release. I know that sounds colder than the rejection email from your last job application, but honestly, everything is in the right place. Clean production, solid guitar work, consistent blasting, and vocals that don’t make you cringe. It’s evil enough to get your blood pumping, but it never gets cheesy. It borrows familiar ideas, sure—but it keeps them engaging. So, from the basics alone, Shadows didn’t mess things up.
The tracks are mostly mid-length and go through various sections (very on-brand for Blackened Death), but the urgency in the riffing never drops. At times, Miseria feels a bit safe—but that’s mostly because there aren’t any obvious flaws to latch onto. It’s one of those albums where consistency is king. If you like your Metal grounded and focused, then you’ll be more than satisfied with what Shadows delivers. That said, I can’t just sit back and not mention the areas where there’s room to grow.
You see, when everything is done well—but not terribly or exceptionally—it can leave a weaker impression than expected. Miseria is fun, no doubt, but ask me to point out a specific moment that truly stood out, and I’ll struggle. The tracks share a lot of structural and stylistic DNA, so they tend to blur together in my head like memes on an endless scroll. There’s definitely space for Shadows to push its sound into new directions, because the execution skills are clearly there—it just needs to go further with them.
Still, if you’ve ever wondered what Dissection might have sounded like if the members were less dramatic on the melodic (and personal) end, Miseria is a solid approximation. It’s also a fitting listen for those who want their Black/Death Metal wrapped in modern production values (yes, you—you hide, but like political extremists, you’re everywhere!). Just don’t expect anything too adventurous or unhinged. This album sticks to the fundamentals—and it does them well.
Label: Independent
Release date: 29 August, 2025
Website: https://shadows-official-cult.bandcamp.com/
Country: Germany/Sweden
Score: 3.3/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 