If you thought that deathcore can’t make you cry, think again; Lorna Shore “Pain Remains” album review

Having not the best luck in the previous years, with vocalist Will Ramos becoming a permanent member of Lorna Shore, the US based deathcore band has shaken the metal scene. The release of “Pain Remains” album has gained phenomenal worldwide attention, approval and respect not only in the metal community, but also between music enthusiasts in general.

Like most albums, the opening track, “Welcome Back, O’ Sleeping Dreamer”, starts with an instrumental introduction. Will Ramos has said that the band wanted the first song to punch everybody in the face, and that’s exactly what they did. The first track prepares the listener for the beautiful madness that they are going to hear in the album – a lot of breakdowns (3 breakdowns in the first song already!), Will changing and jumping between lows and highs and different techniques, and the instrumental parts being heavy, energetic and wild. The second track, “Into the Earth, reveals the melodic (yes, melodic) side of the album, while “Sun//Eater” keeps it brutal. An interesting part that might not be noticeable at the first listen, but is worth mentioning is the sound of a sword being pulled out of a scabbard – a very cool approach to separate the breakdowns of the song.

The album continues with high-pace brutal songs “Cursed to Die”, “Soulless Existence” and “Apotheosis”, but when we get to the track “Wrath”, it gently slaps us in the face again, giving a hint that the following trilogy is going to destroy us in the best and most pleasant way.

As soon as the “Pain Remains I: Dancing in Flames” intro starts, we can feel a certain vibe that is almost unexplainable. Noone knows how exactly that’s possible, but Lorna Shore has composed a modern melodic deathcore ballad. Will’s enunciation, emotion in his voice and the song actually having a chorus the listener can sing along to (probably not recommended though) might be the main reason the song touches so many people. A “regular listener” can enjoy and “understand” this music as well as a metal expert. The song has brilliant sections and parts, lyrically and musically, and this review would not be complete without pointing at least two of them out: 1) The pre-guitar solo vocal part, and the perfectly fitting pause in the line “Where do you *pause* go?” and 2) The lyrics that we all are going to scream out at live shows:

” Will: A wrinkle in time
Take what is left of my life
Before you go
Show me what it’s like to finally know
The face behind the silhouette
In this world I made to be infinite
But within the expanse, I finally see

Us (with tears in our eyes): A WORLD WITHOUT YOU ISN’T MEANT FOR ME “

The bittersweet trilogy continues with a different, but equally amazing second part, “Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear”, which, yet again, shocks us with a vocal masterclass, catchy (yes, catchy) chorus and skillful instrumental sections. Also in this song I have to point out a specific, crispy vocal part: Will’s vocals in the chorus, first time he sings the word “disap-pear”, ohh! Isn’t that a joy for our ears. The modulation, though, might be unnecessary, as the track is already powerful enough, but that might be just a personal preference.

The third part of the trilogy and the last track of the album, most certainly, is a climatic, musically cinematic, emotional rollercoaster. Brutal, mental, majestic, heavy, with juicy breakdowns and magnificent composition. It would be an undervaluation to say that Will’s vocals are impressive, but I guess there really aren’t words strong enough to describe these vocals. Another brilliant part that has to be pointed out: basically, every single part from the 6th minute, starting with the pleasing distortion on Will’s vocals, continuing with the instrumental parts that almost hurt, a perfect job in production, including the inhale of Will’s breath before the scream, and the song ending with the same instrumental pattern that we can hear in the beginning, and the song ending with the sound of flames, the sound of burning. The trilogy leaves you speechless, actually, and it’s a beautiful journey I encourage everyone to go through.

Lorna Shore has made a deathcore album that makes people cry, be sad, angry, shout out loud and yet, somehow, laugh and feel happy. That’s exactly what any form of art should do – to make you feel something. The whole band and Will Ramos is taking metal to the next level, uniting people from different backgrounds and showing that deathcore and brutal metal music can be just as beautiful as any other genre. Seems like this is THE beginning of Lorna Shore, and the musicians and the album absolutely deserves the attention it’s getting.