Sleeping Romance - We All Are Shadows

3.4

Rating

3.4/5

Flyctory.com Pros

Nice range of songs
Good presentation by the lead singer

Flyctory.com Cons

Some tracks are just average
Very strong focus on the vocals

Five years after their last album, the Italian band Sleeping Romance are back with their third album We All Are Shadows. I received their songs on a promotion platform and felt they are a good share. Release date of the album is 7th October 2022.

Sleeping Romance – About The Artists

Sleeping Romance are a five member metal band from Carpi in the Emilia-Romagna. The vocals are performed by Lina Victoria, while the instrumental part is shared between Federico Truzzi , Mattia Todescato (both guitar), Marco Cilloni (bass) and Francesco Zanarelli (drums). They started working as a band in 2009 and released their first album Enlighten in 2013. In 2017, they had their sophomore album Alba. Both releases had pretty solid reviews.

Sleeping Romance – We All Are Shadows – Track by Track

The ten song album lasts 41 minutes.

1. Of Shadows and Men

The 90 second intro almost feels like a dark prayer. To several situation given by the narrator in here, the backing folks reply We all are shadows. At least, a quite haunting way to introduce the title of the album.

2. Smoke and Mirrors

After this atmospheric elements, the Italians do what they do best: they rock. The guitars give Lina Victoria sufficient space to develop the lyrics on a rocking bed of guitar riffs. Unfortunately, the song creates one feeling that I had in several songs of the album: if Sleeping Romance would push a bit harder, the song might be even stronger. Nonetheless, a nice symphonic metal listen.

3. Call My Name

After the intro, the album starts with three single releases. Obviously, Call My Name is the second of them. The song works better to me. The instruments feel more forceful, which also leads to a push on the vocal side. The second half features a rather melodic part as well. One of my favorites of this album.

4. Ghost Shadows

The fourth track Ghost Shadows feels a bit more mystical. The chorus of Ghost Shadows in fact works very well, the guitars create a nice backing sound.

5. Stuck in Your Head

After the three single releases, Stuck in Your Head is the first full song which has not been released yet. On the one hand, the fifth track of We All Are Shadows has a nice melody line and good work on the guitar – on the other hand, it just just does not touch me too much. Sorry…

6. My Own Foe

After the slightly disappointing listen, My Own Foe is one of the best “new” songs. The melody is clear and catching – and deviating a bit towards the grunting side here and there during the song adds a nice touch on the vocal side. In some parts, I feel that the mastering is focusing too much on the band’s lead vocalist, though.

7. Resemblance of Light

There is not two-and-a-half-minute mainstream radio song on this album – but the Italians also don’t have too many epic compositions in their 2022 compilations. The 5:28 minute track Resemblance of Light is the longest listen of the album. The song is nicely presenting very different styles with multiple breaks – I would have loved to have more showcases for the instrumentalists as well, though.

8. Haven

From the very first moment, Havenfeels like it grabbing your arm and sucking you into its story. Nice, powerful song with good work on the instruments. A great metal-way slap in the face.

9. We All Are Shadows

The two last songs of the album are also the shortest ones (apart from the opener). The title track is the second last song. Some parts of We All Are Shadows feel a bit too hectic to me. Nonetheless, it is a nice listen.

10. Bridge of Minds

Bridge of Minds is the farewell song of the album. Very gentle and melodic, almost ballad-alike. A nice contrast to some of the songs before, even though I feel that Sleeping Romance is best in the harder tracks.

Sleeping Romance – We All Are Shadows – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

Sleeping Romance – We All Are Shadows – My View

I read a few reviews about the first two albums of Sleeping Romance. My thoughts are somehow in line with some historic critics. The band does quite a bunch of things right. However, they might focus a bit too much on their vocalist. Their harder tracks are really good listens, though. Not a must-listen, but a solid one, for sure.