The German/Swedish blackened death metal group Shadows are this week’s featured Meet The Band artist. Their debut album is Miseria. Vocalist/guitarist Dejan Milenkovits introduces us to his band.
Chad Bowar: Give us a brief history of Shadows.
Dejan Milenkovits: Shadows started as a solo project during the 2021 COVID lockdown in Berlin. I felt the need to write to keep me sane through the endless boredom. I ended up with an album worth of music and I was convinced by my good friend Mathias Lodmalm from Cemetary that it made sense to actually record an album. In 2024 I brought in Finnish session drummer Filip Gäddnäs to record drums and Mathias to co-produce what would become Miseria. Earlier this year the other band members joined in and here we are.
Describe the songwriting process for Miseria.
I had a clear idea from the beginning about what the album should be about, so it was a straightforward process in that regard. What was unusual for me was that I had most lyrics written before starting with the music, so it became an interesting challenge to write music that would fit the mood of the lyrics.
What will be your strongest memory of the recording of the album?
Finally having everything tracked and ready for mixing. It’s a great feeling when you know what the album is really going to sound like clearly for the first time. The funniest memory would be when me and Mathias went to the studio where we were tracking vocals. Imagine us in a cold, dark, gray and rainy Berlin, fighting of a horde of junkies while trying to get to the basement where the studio was located. It was truly some crackhead-zombie, Lord Of The Rings type of shit and certainly brought out the aggression in the vocals.
What was the biggest challenge in its creation?
Managing all the different aspects of creating an album with all that it entails. It took some serious time management to get everything together. Creatively, the biggest challenge was finally letting go and accepting that you are done.
How would you characterize its style/sound?
I started playing in 1994 in a black metal band. Since then, I have played black, death, technical death and everything in between. Shadows is simply the amalgamation of all those experiences and influences to varying degrees. I would consider Shadows to be blackened death metal with unmistakenly Scandinavian roots. Hopefully we have succeeded in finding our own sound within that space.
What inspired the album title?
The songs on the album were the inspiration for the title. It just seemed to sum up what the topics on the album explore.
What lyrical topics do you cover?
I like to explore the bleak, unresolved and comfortless parts of existence. Sometimes I come across something that sparks my interest and then I usually squeeze until all the ugly things come out. Many of the lyrics take inspiration from the nihilistic perspectives of writers like Cioran, Zapffe and Ligotti.
How was the video shoot for “Delivered From Sin”?
It was a quite interesting experience. There wasn’t a video planned for the song from the beginning but two weeks before the song was released, we changed our minds. Getting it all together was a hectic experience to say the least. I am living in Berlin and the rest of the band are still living in Sweden. That was a bit of an obstacle to overcome in such a short time.
It ended up with them shooting their takes in Sweden while I did mine here by myself. Once all the shots were done, I just got cracking. I did the last edits on the evening before the song was released. I think it turned out quite ok for the short time frame.
What led you to go the independent route for the album release?
It kind of just happened that way. Since I had recorded and mixed myself, created the videos, commissioned the artwork and created layouts for the physical releases it just felt right to continue that path with this album. I’m not saying that there aren’t any benefits to being on the right label but it’s a matter of what both parties can bring to the table.
What are your goals and expectations for the album?
The goals and expectations are that this album will increase our visibility and grow our audience. Hopefully we can get more shows booked as we are really itching to get the band on the road.
Do you have plans to play live shows?
Yes, we firmly believe that playing live is the best way for us to let you experience and connect with our music. So, if you, the reader, wants to see us perform, please let us know and we will do our utmost to make it happen.
What are some of your non-musical interests and hobbies?
There is little time left for other endeavors outside of music for me. When I am not busy with Shadows, I am doing production and mixing work for other bands. My musical interests tend to take up most of my time. If there is some time available, I like to read and occasionally have a couple of beers with friends. The other guys in the band have similar situations, Joél (drums) is doing session work. Martin (guitar) has his own project and Andy (bass) divides his time between Shadows and another band.
What’s currently in your musical heavy rotation?
I’ve lately listened to Bloodbath, Dismember, Toxic Holocaust, Watain and Der Weg Einer Freiheit to name a few.
Anything else you’d like to mention or promote?
Thank you for the interview, it was a pleasure! Consider listening to our album and buying it if you like it. We would appreciate it if you followed us online, it means a lot to us knowing that we are not just screaming into the void.
(interview published August 30, 2025)
Watch Shadows – “Delivered From Sin” Video
