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I cannot tell you what demonic ritual summoned Will Ramos into this world, but Lorna Shore scored big time boasting its ranks with his abyssal majesty. The guys have been an active band for quite some time but suddenly, one turmoil leading to another, refreshing their lineup, and determined to get back in the game, the guys returned stronger than ever and ready to assault the scene with their blistering 3-track EP ...And I Return To Notingness.
Honestly, I have never been a fan of deathcore, and met the inevitable demise of its glorious MySpace days with unparalleled indifference. I always found the genre's obsession with the chaotic extreme, ridiculous animal noises, spaghetti logos and forced edginess a little over the top and quite frankly, borderline psychotic. However, even I cannot deny the fact that there have been some pure gems and bands that went on to evolve magificiently, and ...And I Return To Notingness is one of those cases of infernal glory.
Prior to 2021 Lorna Shore have released 3 albums and 3 EPs which earned them some well deserved respect across the scene, and yet noone was prepared for what was about to unfold this year. Finally dusting off troubles with previous singers, Lorna Shore bounced back with Will Ramos at the front and the monumental 'To The Hellfire', its insane breakdown sending ripples across fans, media and reaction channels. Two months later, a well timed premiere on Friday 13th under the scorching August sun, and the rest is history...
To prepare for this 3-track attack on the senses, check the band's updated bio for Century Media, and you will find out how "the triumvirate of songs [...] are nothing short of an exorcism - and a plunge into something darker", as well as a "round of pitch black soul-coughing" and a "bombast of blackened intensities and rampaging grandeur". The label's marketing team truly deserve a Pulitzer for this but if there was ever a band to personify all these absurd cliches, it really is Lorna Shore.
And while I'm fully aware they are the living embodiment of all these over-exaggerated deathcore tropes, there is just something that makes them stand above the noisy crowd. You can argue it is simply perfect timing, the post-pandemic boredom, lockdown-induced madness, the reaction channel snowball, Ramos' ridiculously infectious swagger, or the musicians' undeniable mastery, something or all of it aligned, and just like that history is made and we are seeing a deathcore band breaking into charts and streaming records.
Pointless rambling and my obvious lack of experience with the genre aside, these three tracks are just insanely good. From the gentle yet bone-chilling opening of 'To The Hellfire', through the apocalyptic choral background in 'Of the Abyss' all the way to the epic symphonic climax that is the final title track, the EP mows you over with unapologetic and brutal splendour. The relentless drumming, blackened screams, melodeath riffs, pristine production, all make for a modern extreme metal masterpiece that should not be missed.
Having been repeatedly violated by ...And I Return To Notingness over the last few months, I don't see how anyone would top this in 2021, and am curious where this takes the band next. Whether the EP leads to an ever grander album next year that catapults them to the very top, or it turns out to be a short-lived and lucky coincidence remains to be seen. Either way, like it or not, this Lorna Shora with the beast that is Will Ramos have already changed the game and things are about to get very interesting.
Lorna Shore - ...And I Return To Notingness
Country: United States
Released: 13 August 2021
Label: Century Media
Tracklisting:
1. 'To The Hellfire'
2. 'Of the Abyss
3. '...And I Return To Notingness'
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