INTERVIEW: Shadows Of A Silhouette discuss origins and influences alongside new album ‘For Those That Know’

After years of underground buzz, DIY grit, and thunderous live shows, Derbyshire’s Shadows of a Silhouette have finally dropped their long-anticipated debut album ‘For Those That Know’. It’s a record that bleeds raw emotion and rock ‘n’ roll urgency: equal parts chaos and catharsis, and one that charts the band’s growth from teenage hopefuls rehearsing in a garage to one of the UK’s most compelling alt-rock voices.

Produced by Al Groves (Bring Me The Horizon, Cast) at Liverpool’s legendary Motor Museum, the album is thirteen tracks deep and unapologetically honest; touching on love, loss, addiction, fatherhood, and survival, all wrapped in a storm of alt-rock, grunge, and acoustic vulnerability.

Having sold out venues across Derby, Nottingham, and London, and graced the main stage at Y Not Festival, Shadows of a Silhouette are now ready to step into the national spotlight. So we caught up with them to discuss their origins and influences over the years.

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What was the first rock song or artist that made an impact on you?

Reece: AC/DC- Riff Raff

Nathan: David Bowie- Space Oddity

Will: Smash Mouth- Allstar

Tyler: AC/DC-Touch to much 

Who are some of your biggest musical influences within the rock genre?

Sabbath, Queens of the Stone Age, White Stripes, Nirvana, Oasis, Beatles, Led Zep, Bowie, Arctic Monkeys, The Doors, The Smiths, Alice in Chains.

Are there any non-rock musicians or genres that have also influenced your music?

Hip Hop has definitely had an impact on us and how we write our drums and the flow of our lyrics. Artists such as Naz, Mob Deep, Wu-Tang, Biggie, A Tribe Called Quest, 

What is your main inspiration when looking to write new music?

It completely depends on what’s going on in our lives at the time and where we’re at mentally. One thing I think that always inspires us is to create something different and better than the last. 

What do you enjoy most about performing live and do you have any memorable live performance experiences you’d like to share?

The best thing about performing is bringing our recorded tracks to the stage and seeing the energy taken up a notch. Our most memorable live performance was at YNOT Festival Mainstage 2023 and also playing at a sold out Leadmill in Sheffield.

What has been a particularly rewarding moment in your musical journey so far?

Recording our debut album up in Liverpool with Al Groves and holding the test presses of our first LP on Vinyl.

How would you define success as a musician?

When music is how you make the entirety of our living. 

What advice would you give to aspiring artists who are just starting out?

Chill hard, work hard, play hard, play hard, play hard. And don’t give up, you’ve already done the hard part by making a start. Keep practicing, keep innovating and don’t imitate anyone if it’s not you. Be the master of your own destiny. Walk your own path. Make music for yourself and if people dig it, that’s a bonus.

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Listen to Shadows Of A Silhouette’s new album ‘For Those That Know’ below.