Shadowsphere is a band from Seixal, Portugal with a sound mainly influenced by Swedish Melodic Death Metal.
Luís Goulão (ex-Rebellion) and Hugo Fernandes (ex-Raw and ex-DarkSaga) formed the band in October 2000. Nuno on the drums and Fernando (Gondolin) on the bass joined the original elements. André Silva replaced Nuno in the end of 2000. This was the lineup that recorded the track “Lusitania” included in the tribute to Tarantula’s 20 years’ career released in 2001 by Recital.
During the year of 2001, the band performs some concerts and prepares the edition of a promo-CD to be released by the end of that year. In the meantime, in September, Fernando is replaced by Pedro Vieira, who immediately helps the band record a set of 4 tracks to be released under the name of “Death and Dreaming”, in October. These tracks are recorded in the Floyd Studios under the guidance and production of Nuno Loureiro (Painstruck), who had already produced the Tarantula track in the same studio. In spite of the very positive reviews, the band decides to delay the edition of “Death and Dreaming”.
By June 2002, Paulo Gonçalves replaces Luís only in the lead vocals. Although this was regarded as a breath of fresh air to the sound of the band, Paulo’s entry did not set aside the stigma of change and Pedro is replaced in September by Rui Neves (ex-Necris Dome and ex-Bloodshed).
With the formation properly reviewed, the band then decides to record another song and edit the opening EP “Death and Dreaming”. Once again they record in the Floyd Studios with Nuno Loureiro and the release takes place on October 26th in FNAC – Chiado, Lisbon, in front of over 100 people (an almost unheard-of feat in Fórum Chiado...).
Once again, one year later, the band suffers another line-up change and the band had to quickly recruit another guitarist, Filipe Sousa, to replace Hugo Fernandes. Still the band decides to enter the Floyd Estudios as a quartet, in September, in order to record their first album, entitled “DarkLands”. The production was once again in charge of Nuno Loureiro and the release is scheduled to January 2004.