Lorna Shore - ...And I Return To Nothingness - review

Lorna Shore - ...And I Return To Nothingness - review

Cover image of the reviewed item
Release date
August 13, 2021
Reviewer
N/A
8.4
Tracklist
01. To The Hellfire
02. Of The Abyss
03. ...And I Return To Nothingness
A review by
RaduP
August 21, 2021
Deathcore and a Lewandowski cover. Where have I seen that before?

It should be pretty telling that currently the only comments on the album's page are about the cover art. Particularly about how people are tired of seeing Lewandowski's cover arts everywhere and how they're starting to look all the same. Isn't that pretty much what happens to all genres and artists? Stuff gets saturated after a while. If this was the first Lewandowski cover art I'd see I'd love it. If ...And I Return To Nothingness was the first deathcore release I listened to I'd love it. Alas, after thousands of black metal, dream pop, post-rock, IDM or hip-hop album you listen to, it's hard for a newer one to have the same kind of impact, unless you're specifically looking for the exact same thing. Could you imagine what would happen if Lewandowski just completely branched off?

Enough talk about Lewandowski and the over saturation of art. The cover art is good, and so is the album, regardless of how much similar stuff already is out there. The journey to this point was pretty mangled for Lorna Shore. There's been numerous line-up changes and varying decrees of success for the releases up to 2020's Immortal. But that one suffered the most, from members being outed as shitty people and booted, to numerous delays and a pandemic ravaging any further touring. 2021 now sees Lorna Shore replacing its booted members, and returning to nothingness with some of the heaviest deathcore out there. Now I know that this is just a 3 song EP and that a whole bunch of bands like to have their fancies tickled about being the heaviest out there. But I think it works to this EPs advantage.

First, the new vocalist, Will Ramos, fits like a glove and is instrumental to just how bludgeoning this sounds. He's obviously not the only one who seems to help revive the band, new guitarist Andrew O'Connor also deserves a shout-out, but the vocals are the most obvious revitalization tool in the box, and their impact is immediate and eviscerating. That aside, ...And I Return To Nothingness has Lorna Shore distilling what has worked for the genre as a whole and for the band in particular, namely deathcore with some blackened and symphonic undertones, some more overt than others. So taking everything from deathcore's appeal, from the heaviest of breakdowns, the gnarliest of squeals, the most oppressive of atmospheres, it's all distilled into a small 18 minute package, where there is no chance of overextension or listener fatigue.

I can't say I have much doubts that if Lorna Shore keeps this current formula they'll be able to top Immortal. What else is left to do in deathcore? Hooded figures and nasty breakdowns.
Written on 21.08.2021 by
Written on 21.08.2021 by
Doesn't matter that much to me if you agree with me, as long as you checked the album out.

Comments

Comments: 6 Visited by 235 users
musclassia
Staff

Posts: 8673


Permalink
+2
22.08.2021 - 13:33
Rating: 8
musclassia
Staff

Posts: 8673


Love these guys' sound, there's not quite another "Immortal" on this one but them and Shadow Of Intent are the ones doing this symphonic deathcore sound that I click the strongest with
Loading...

Posts: 1524


Permalink
22.08.2021 - 13:57
Rating: 9

Posts: 1524


Well written Radu !
Loading...

Posts: 108


Permalink
23.08.2021 - 00:57

Posts: 108


I didn't even know humans were able to make sounds like these, until I heard Will Ramos sing.
----
----------------------------------------------------------
Cthulhu for President! Why settle for the lesser evil?
Loading...
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog

Posts: 4326


Permalink
24.08.2021 - 09:08
Rating: 8
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog

Posts: 4326


"Hooded figures..."

Nice review. Really enjoyed this EP even if the final track carried it a little.
Loading...
nikarg
Staff

Posts: 8256


Permalink
24.08.2021 - 09:52
nikarg
Staff

Posts: 8256


You are right, the vocalist does make this stand out. He is really brutal.
I find the triggered drums annoying though. In general, not just here.
Loading...

Posts: 287


Permalink
01.09.2021 - 14:32
Rating: 9

Posts: 287


Will Ramos is a beast remind me a lot of Travis Ryan in Cattle Decapitation I love versatile singer. the bad part of this ep is its length really want to hear more 9.5/10 for me.
Loading...

Hits total: 3926 | This month: 9