Shadowmass – Wastelands
Release Date: 19th January 2025
Label: Floga Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Death Metal, Thrash.
FFO: Slayer, Megadeth, Bathory, Mercyful Fate.
Review By: Andy Spoon
Old school vibe with modern panache – That’s the way that I would immediately describe the most recent offering from Death Metal outfit Shadowmass. Set to release their forthcoming album on January 19th on Floga Records, Shadowmass’ newest offering does not disappoint, bringing a serious depth of death metal influences from early-genre acts, citing Mercyful Fate, Bathory, and Slayer. It’s clear that the blend of old-school death metal and thrash was at the forefront of the list when putting Wastelands together, and it really shows. The influences and “Feel” of the bygone era doesn’t feel so bygone anymore. I think that Wastelands is an album that probably ought to be on your OSDM/Thrash listening list for early 2026.
First, the overall feel of the album is really fast and violent, leaning into the faster side of the thrash and death metal influences. I was curious as to why the band had listed Mercyful Fate and Candlemass as some of their influences. The whole album really digs into the faster, more thrashy side, which does not disappoint. I was really impressed at the lyrical content, on top of the pacing and overall tone. The general vibe is bleak and somewhat prone to violence, which adds to the controlled chaos of that old school feel. I really enjoyed the overall presence of the lyrics, which the bands’ press release claims as homage to chaos, disintegration, and entropy. I found that was fairly accurate, and would encourage several listens to appreciate the overall message.
I like the tone of the vocal section, as it gives a unique addition to the album. If I were to try and put it into some type of category, it would be “Dave-Mustaine-esque”, but in a way that isn’t as harsh or nasal. There’s an effect with unique vocal sounds that can add to the presentation of the album, and this is one of those instances. I think that being able to quickly identify an artist just by their sound is a major plus for any band. There’s a strong chance that with the old school death vibe and the melodic timbre of the vocals that Shadowmass offers, you’d have a hard time missing out guessing who you’re listening to. In my humble opinion, I think that you’d be hard-pressed to have a better situation as a band in any genre, let alone one which has a lot of acts that tend to run together. That’s one of the reasons that I think people ought to give Shadowmass a spin, as there’s a lot to offer fans of older school DM and thrash.
The album spans 9 tracks with a couple of interlude or intro tracks. I think that it comes in at just the right length to hold my attention and keep me wanting to move along from track to track. Amazingly, I didn’t notice any notable low spots or bad tracks, leading me to honestly say that I think that Wastelands ought to honestly be in the rotation for anyone who likes old school or thrash this season. I can’t say that there was anything that profoundly changed my life, so-to-speak, but the overall experience was enjoyment and revelry in the modernized product. While the band’s own noted influences don’t seem as fitting in my own personal experience of the album, I was fascinated to hear that the total package spanned quite a bit more than I would have guessed by only reading the press materials.
If you like older school death metal with a few modern twists, an excellent lyric book, and an unmistakable vocal section, you are really not going to want to miss Wastelands this January.
(4 / 5)
