Florida’s underground stirs again as SINISTER SHADOWS prepares to unveil his self-titled debut album on March 26 via The Doorway To Label. Rooted in the shadows of classic death rock and goth, this Tampa-based project channels the brooding elegance and romantic darkness that defined an era—and dares to resurrect it for a new generation.
Born from a deep reverence for the sonic architects of the ’80s and ’90s—Bauhaus, The Cure, The Sisters of Mercy, The Mission, and Nick Cave—Sinister Shadows is more than homage. It’s a reclamation of atmosphere: the smoke-drenched clubs, the poetic despair, the velvet-draped melancholy.
At the center of it all stands Ryan Michalski, the creative force behind SINISTER SHADOWS. Known for his previous work with Idiot Robot and Ryan Cosmonaught, Michalski is no stranger to Tampa’s dark music undercurrent. Years ago, he helmed the video magazine The Gothic Box, documenting the scene and frequenting iconic local venues like The Orpheum and The Castle. That lived-in history bleeds into every track of this debut.
Recorded throughout 2025 at RPM Studios in Tampa, the album is a personal statement—written, performed, and produced primarily by Michalski himself. Longtime collaborator Clint Listing of The Slumbering contributes the album’s haunting intro and outro, framing the record like opening and closing curtains on a gothic stage.
The first glimpse into this world arrives with the single “No One Home But Me,” now streaming as a lyric video. The track captures the isolation and longing that define the album’s emotional core—moody guitars, spectral synths, and a vocal delivery that feels both intimate and distant.
Tracklist
- Intro (by The Slumbering)
- Kiss The Dead Goth Girl
- Day Go By
- Here For You
- Just Begun
- Lost My Mind
- No One Home But Me
- Waiting Here Alone
- Your Breath
- Outro (by The Slumbering)
Artwork and photography were crafted by Ryan Michalski, further reinforcing the album’s singular vision. Tracks 1 and 10 were recorded, mixed, and mastered by Clint Listing, while the remaining compositions were handled entirely by Michalski.
With Sinister Shadows, Michalski doesn’t simply revisit the past—he reanimates it. For listeners craving the darkness, romance, and theatrical flair that once defined the goth underground, March 26 marks a return to familiar shadows.
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