SHADOWHOUSE: Forsaken forgotten

di Gianni Vittorio ed Alessandro Vittorio

Quietly come out in October, Shadowhouse’s new album proved to be one of the most interesting events of 2021. The second release after the already promising debut Hand in hand, Forsaken forgotten has its roots in the post-punk movement but boasts a more varied range of melodies, as a result of the album’s variegated musical influences.

Amongst these influences are some elements from the 1980s dark wave’s mainstream groups such as the Chameleons when it comes to the recreated atmosphere, and in part the Lowlife, too, as far as the guitar textures are concerned.
A feature that makes this record compact is the great baritone’s sound voice, perfectly able to juggle somewhat harder tracks and more melodic and soothing ones.

The first song, Already know, begins with a guitar arpeggio that creates a psych/folk ambience, despite definitely remaining within a dark wave environment. The rhythm builds up with Bleed and its fast-paced drumming. Synths are more present in Black and white, with a deeper focus on electronic music melodies than previous tracks; the most direct and aggressive post-punk feeling comes with Tonight.

Among the most interesting songs is the ballad The wait, intense and melancholic, as well as the fascinating A year today, whose melody is distended and decadent.

There is no absolute best song, all tracks are arranged quite well, and despite being different from each other, the distinctive style remains well identifiable, demonstrating the Portland’s band’s personality.
To the physical album lovers’ disappointment, the record is currently only available on streaming platforms and we will have to wait for the new year to be able to order a vinyl or CD copy.

Trak list:

1. Already Know
2. Bleed
3. Black & White
4. Tonight
5. Childhood
6. The Wait
7. Peace
8. Nowhere To Run
9. A Year Today
10. The Wind

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