Interviews About Albums: SHAN - SHAN (2025)

In this new interview, we sat down with the Polish Progressive Metal project SHAN to ask questions about their album, "SHAN".

1. What can you say about this new EP/CD?

SHAN's debut album is a collection of songs characterized by aggressive-sounding melodic riffs, mostly in odd time signatures, and occasional polyrhythms. When it comes to drum beats, there are typical metal beats here—skank beat, bomb blast, and some variations on d-beat. However, there's also some more prog-rock style playing here and there to spice things up. In addition to typical Western musical scales such as the natural minor or harmonic minor scale, some pieces were composed in scales typical of other regions of the world, such as the double harmonic minor and major scale, blues scale, and major pentatonic scales from Asia. SHAN's music is intended to be experimental and go beyond what is standard in metal. If you are a fan of extreme music and at the same time you like it when music surprises you, you should find what you need on SHAN's debut album.

2. What is the meaning of the EP/CD name?

When I was planning a trip to Taiwan, I saw the same recurring Chinese character on the map—山 (SHAN)—meaning 'mountain.' Since hiking is my second passion in life after music and all the lyrics are about mountains, I decided to name the band and the first album SHAN, which, as mentioned above, in Mandarin Chinese, means 'Mountain'.

3. Which one is the composer of the CD/EP?

The vast majority of the riffs were composed by me, Łukasz Wachowiak, drummer for SHAN. Three riffs and one guitar solo were contributed by Mateusz Robak, the guitarist.

4. If you had to pick one song, which one would you pick?

Right now I'd choose 'San', but in a moment it might be one of the other songs, haha.

5. Is there a special message in this EP/CD? If there is what it is?

While the lyrics speak of specific places and their beauty, for me, mountains also symbolize facing and overcoming one's weaknesses, rising above the ordinary, setting ambitious goals, and reaching the top—literally and figuratively. In this sense, the mountain, as the band's name or the name of the first album, also represents a kind of journey.

6. Are there some lyrics that you'd love to share?

The third verse of 'Diablak'. With these words, I invite you on the musical journey that is SHAN's first album.

'Come, follow my lead

Come, let's climb to the top

Come, on a starry night

Come, dawn will greet us

The summit - the reward of the bold

The summit, a breath of fresh air

Come, for such moments are worth living for'

7. Which inspirations have been important for this album? Like musically or friends, family, someone you'd love to thank especially?

When I create music, I don't try to imitate anyone's style. Music is meant to be self-expression, and for that, I don't need ready-made solutions. Nevertheless, nothing comes from a vacuum, and SHAN's final sound was certainly influenced by metal subgenres and bands like Illdisposed—a melodic death metal band from Denmark, groove metal bands like Devidriver, fast-paced bands like Hatesphere or Children of Bodom and last but not least a progressive rock band Tool, whose music inspired me to create riffs in a time signature other than 4/4. Special thanks go to the musicians without whom this album would not have been created: Mateusz Robak (guitar), Jakub Olszewski (bass), and Bartosz Palka (vocals).

8. Something to add?

Fasten your seat belts and let yourself be carried away by the chaotic music of SHAN. Thanks a lot for the first-ever interview!