REVIEW: Shadowvale - Shadowvale
- Jynx Cosgrove
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Forged in Nottingham, SHADOWVALE are releasing their debut self-titled album, following their EP Austere that was released in 2024. After two years in the making, all of their hard work has definitely paid off as this album creates a desolate atmosphere; telling the story of a nameless protagonist’s journey through an arcane portal with grimy vocals, harmonically harsh guitar tones, nauseating bass and drums that carry intention with every hit. The band’s genre has been described as everything from sludge-core, alt metal, doom metal, hardcore and death metal but this album blends every one of these into a brilliantly composed album; a defining statement of their identity.
Creating an impactful first impression, coming in at just over 5 minutes is The Eastern Gate. At first, your ears are filled with fast, gnarly guitar tones, accompanying the vocals with the perfect balance of grit, slowing down near the end. The drums on the other hand, start off slow and lethargic before you hear continuous hits to the kick drum over an aggressive fry scream. Next up, Bloodbound comes in with a guitar riff that sets the tone perfectly; almost sluggish and nerve-wracking as you hear small stutters now and again. The vocals in this track are way more brutal than the last, welcoming the deep raspy screams by Lara Kelly.
Endless Chain is the track that really shows the band’s true potential; between the soul-stirring vocals and the ground-shaking bass lies deep-rooted themes of faith and death lyrically: “they promise any faith they find/to trust in where it leads.” - “underneath their slippered feet/the bones of soldiers lie.” Up next, there is an interlude track called Zopiclone Black, giving the listener more insight into what this album is truly about. You hear multiple people talking about dreams, medication and side effects over the echoing bass by Lee Chrimes, creating an unsettling environment before a high-frequency guitar tone, almost drowning them out.
The fifth track, Barghest brings in hefty guitar riffs, every note carrying filth and grime through the distortion. This is definitely one of those tracks to get your blood pumping and head banging, with a brief moment of silence in the middle of the song before your ears are filled with a thick wall of sound. In The Heather provides a more bass and drum heavy intro as Ryan Slater puts intention behind every hit, making it stand out with force. The vocals for most of this track are eerie, almost like a ghost but near the end, they become more sinister. In one section, there is a brilliantly written solo performed by Richard Eadie Jr and there is no doubt that it was executed with skill and precision.
Orbital Collapse comes in with high-pitched guitar tones and drums before the bass enters, bringing resonance into the mix. Lara Kelly does something astounding in this track that isolates her voice from the instruments, giving her all as it goes quiet and you can just hear the vocal fry. The last track of this album, The Spectre brings it to a close quite nicely as you hear melodic piano notes until the harsh guitars enter alongside ethereal vocals. This track is very different from the others, due to the soft approach at the start but it eventually picks up the tempo and introduces grit to the track.
This album is a mind-blowing debut for SHADOWVALE because, amidst all the chaos of the instruments; they have created something that is unique to them. It explores many themes like death, religion and insomnia; showcasing them in a way that tells a story through the lyrics.
Score: 9/10 Shadowvale will be released on 13th March 2026. Words: Jynx Cosgrove Photos: Shadowvale
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