After years of anticipation and underground buzz, Derbyshire alt-rock powerhouse Shadows of a Silhouette have finally arrived at their defining moment. Their debut album ‘For Those That Know’ is a raw, relentless testament to the band’s evolution from scrappy garage days to commanding festival stages and sold-out hometown shows.
Crafted at Liverpool’s iconic Motor Museum with producer Al Groves (Bring Me the Horizon, Cast), ‘For Those That Know’ channels the spirit of grunge and the conviction of working-class resolve. The result? Thirteen unfiltered tracks that lurch between chaos and calm, riotous distortion and stripped-back vulnerability, a record forged in lived experience, love, loss, and late nights chasing something real.
We caught up with Shadows of a Silhouette as they unleash their most ambitious project yet. From garage rehearsals to festival main stages, this is the sound of a band that’s lived every line and earned every note.
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Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in music?
Reece began playing guitar when he was around 10, Nathan got into music following the death of David Bowie, Will got into music relatively young during a tough part of his life and I think Tyler came out of the womb holding a pair of drumsticks with an AC/DC shirt on.
Who are your biggest musical influences and how have they shaped your sound?
As a band we all individually have different musical influences that also have a common ground between us that have shaped our sound over the years.
Nathan’s biggest musical influences are artist such as David bowie white strips and the kings of Leon
Tyler has a heavier background with influences such as AC/DC Iron Maiden Black Sabbath.
Will Scott has always had a big influence from artist such as The Smiths but has recently become unhealthily obsessed with Alice in Chains
Reece Carter’s influences are riff driven bands such as black sabbath arctic monkeys.
Was there a specific moment or experience that made you decide to pursue music seriously?
For Nathan it was finding Reece and actually putting our musical similarities to practice together and letting the magic happen.
For Tyler, I remember watching Iron Maiden in something like 2004/2005 and the stage presence sound and how they could command a crowd throughout a 2 hour show blew my mind.
Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process?
Most of our songs are originally forged with Nathan and Reece bouncing a melody as an idea and then it grows from there. As a band we then add our own input to the foundations and see where we can take it.
How do you find inspiration for your music and lyrics?
It completely depends on what’s going on in our personal lives and the world at the time. Also, constantly listening to different music give us different ideas and directions to pursue.
What themes or messages do you hope listeners take away from your music?
Songs can mean totally different things for different people for different reasons. To be engrossed in any of our songs is the only message they’ll need.
What challenges have you faced as an emerging artist in the music industry?
The death of underground music venues. The fierce competition on social media and need to film content or follow “trends” just so people will check out our tunes. Working full time to fund our projects because streaming services pay so badly. Being from a rural ex mining community and not having the same accessibility as other bands from cities to decent venues. A lot of the big promoters are clicky and have their own little group of bands that they seem to always give slots to at their festival stages each year, making it extremely difficult to get your foot in the door. You send off loads of emails but never hear anything back from them. They’re not actually bothered if your tunes are any good, just how much money you can make them by selling tickets. Nepo artists as well instantly being featured in the top magazines and high up festival line ups without even playing their local pub also does our heads in.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your musical journey so far?
Playing the main stage at the ynot festival back in 2023 was a highlight for us all. Also playing the legendary leadmill to a sold-out crowd was an unforgettable experience. Writing and recording the album at the legendary motor museum studios in Liverpool with the wizard Al Groves. Releasing our debut album on vinyl to the world. Regular plays on the BBC introducing. Making lots of friends with other local musicians and creating a bit of a scene.
How do you stay true to yourself and your artistry in a constantly evolving industry?
We think a lot of the rawness and working-class roots of the music industry has been lost in the last decades. We are proud to keep it that way. We just do it and don’t give any excuses to change.
What can fans expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or tours?
A follow up EP to our album in early 2026. Plenty more gigs up and down the country and hopefully lots of festivals in the summertime.
Where do you see yourself and your music career in the next five years?
To make a comfortable living out of our music by releasing more tunes and playing live is the ultimate goal. As long as we keep making ourselves happy and entertaining others you can’t complain.
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Listen to Shadows of a Silhouette’s new album ‘For Those That Know’ below.
