Strap in for a dose of relatable rock from Fiona Amaka, who has just dropped her second release of 2025, “Cowards and Shadows,” a searing commentary wrapped in guitar-driven fire, here to call out the ghosts in our machines.
Recorded in London with producer and guitarist Andy Zanini, the track immediately benefits from that gritty, hands-on studio energy. Zanini’s role as both producer and six-string slinger undoubtedly helps shape the song’s potent sound, giving it a sharp, defined edge that cuts right through the noise. But the real heart of this track is its subject matter. “Cowards and Shadows” takes aim at the pervasive culture of ghosting, a modern-day plague that has slithered out of personal relationships and into every corner of life, from job-hunting to friendships. Fiona Amaka has her finger firmly on the pulse of a generational frustration, and she’s not just whispering about it—she’s screaming it over a banger riff.
The song’s genesis is as organic as rock and roll gets. It was forged in the honest, exposed crucible of acoustic open mics. Testing the incomplete song in front of live audiences, Amaka was blown away by how instantly people connected with the theme, echoing its message before it was even fully realised. That immediate, deep-as-hell connection with the crowd is the fuel that powers this engine.
This is a track born from the stage, refined by the people, and now ready to be unleashed on a wider scale. And you can bet your boots The Fiona Amaka Band tore through this song live at the Camden Weekender Festival back in August, capping off a busy half-year of gigging around London that clearly sharpened their live attack into a tough force.
“Cowards and Shadows” is a bold, confrontational, and utterly necessary rock track. It’s the sound of Fiona Amaka and her band grabbing a shared frustration by the throat and giving it a voice.