ALL MY SHADOWS – Eerie Monsters

All My Shadows was formed by Vanden Plas members guitarist Stephan Lill and vocalist Andy Kuntz. Through Frontiers Music Srl, the band released their debut studio album, Eerie Monsters, on February 17, 2023. Unlike Vanden Plas’ Progressive Metal sound, All My Shadows have a more Melodic Hard Rock sound instead. The band’s current lineup consists of Lill on guitars, Kuntz on lead vocals, Markus Teske on keyboards, Franky R. on bass guitar, and Andreas Lill on drums.

“While composing, I kept coming up with songs that have the spirit of the ‘80s. As a big fan of bands from that era, like Whitesnake, Ozzy Osbourne, Dokken, and the like, I still have a huge love for music from that time. The goal was to transport that classic music into the here and now,” said Stephan Lill.

Back To The ’80s

Lill and Kuntz wanted to take listeners back in time to when Classic ‘80s Rock ruled the world. Combined with modern production and retro elements, the album features nine tracks with a runtime of 49 minutes. “Silent Waters,” starts off with an eerie keyboard instrumental before kicking into high gear with pounding drums and a piercing guitar riff. “Syrens” starts off with an atmospheric keyboard melody and blends in nicely with a groovy bass line. “Wolverinized” gives off Def Leppard and Journey vibes with big backing vocals, a catchy chorus, pounding drums, and a ferocious guitar riff.

“The Phantoms of the Dawn,” the album’s second single, is filled with melodic hooks and big backing vocals. “Farewell” is the album’s commercial ballad with a somber keyboard melody, a bluesy guitar solo, choir-like backing vocals, and a dramatic fade out at the end. The album closes with “All My Eerie Monsters,” which is very fitting for today’s society as everyone has their own demons to battle constantly. It’s very empowering with the lyrics, pounding drums, and anthemic chorus.

While the musicianship on Eerie Monsters is great, some of the songs miss the mark of being killer tracks. “A Boy Without a Name” lacks a memorable chorus to make it stand out from the crowd. “Lifeforms” slows the pace of the album and is a filler track, despite the emotive guitar solo. “Devil’s Ride” goes on the verge of Metal with a chugging guitar riff and pulsing drum work, but it lacks melodic hooks for listeners to grab onto.

Final Assessment

Eerie Monsters is still an enjoyable listen, partially due to Kuntz’s clean and powerful vocals. Fans of ‘80s Melodic Hard Rock will definitely find album tracks that resonate with them. With all that said, Eerie Monsters is above mediocre, but it’s not quite perfect.

Album Tracklist

1. Silent Waters
2. A Boy Without a Name
3. Syrens
4. Lifeforms
5. Wolverinized
6. The Phantoms of the Dawn
7. Farewell
8. Devil’s Ride
9. All My Eerie Monsters

Band Lineup

Stephan Lill – guitars
Andy Kuntz – lead vocals
Markus Teske – keyboards
Franky R. – bass guitar
Andreas Lill – drums