genres: blackened deathcore
I typically don’t “get” deathcore. I understand the appeal of maxed out heaviness in theory, but the lack of subtlety (even among some of the more artistic and experimental recent releases by Whitechapel and The Acacia Strain) makes it tough for me to sit through more than a song or two at a time. Until it came out, I barely had this EP on my radar to even skim. But after hearing nothing but positive things about it, I figured it was worth a listen. And then another. And another. For the first time, I find myself actually wishing a release in this genre was longer.
Lorna Shore have long played around with incorporating textures from other heavy genres, chiefly black metal, and that remains the innovative driver here. Strings, organs, and choirs provide the album with a consistently dark orchestral background that never overpowers everything else, but makes the 4-piece group sound so much bigger. Two major changes have been made from past releases however, that serve to elevate the group above their peers. First, the last remnants of metalcore influence in songwriting and production have been ditched in favor more traditional death metal approaches. Both areas benefit and sound more organic as a result. Second, Will Ramos absolutely shines as the new vocalist and lyricist for the group. While the change was necessary after it emerged the former vocalist was an awful person (which the rest of the band dealt with as swiftly and appropriately as possible), the sonic payoff is tremendous. Gone are the stereotypical ‘edgy and dark’ lyrics, replaced with a much more philosophical and introspective approach.
I mentioned subtlety in the intro, and while Lorna Shore (and the production team) show incredible attention to detail here, that shouldn’t be mistaken as saying there’s anything restrained about this album. It’s still over the top deathcore with some of the heaviest musical moments in recent history (someone described the vocals concluding “To The Hellfire” as ‘a pig on a malfunctioning CPAP machine’ as a compliment), but it’s now enjoyable even for fans who aren’t looking for those moments alone. The vocals are surprisingly understandable much of the time, even as they shift from growls to shrieks, and the fact that nearly every tone Will attempts is better than many vocalists in the genre who specialize in a single range is a testament to his versatility. There’s cool instrumental tricks as well, whether the subtle (“To The Hellfire” paring 200 BPM blast beats with a mournfully slow barely distorted guitar riff early in the verses) or the direct (the amazing solos on “…And I Return to Nothingness”, which also features the first two key changes I’ve ever heard in a deathcore song). For either existing fans of the genre or those just looking to get into deathcore, …And I Return to Nothingness is easily among the most exciting releases of the year.
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