From the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival 2025: Headliner Lorna Shore is a Sonic Firework in the Evening Darkness

Under a temperate darkness — perfect conditions for a mosh-pit — New England Metal and Hardcore Festival headliner Lorna Shore took to the Nuclear Blast Records stage in what was an equally brutal and emotionally wrecking finale to an epic day.

Climactic music and a dazzling light show lit up the empty stage before giving way to darkness, as the fade-in introduction to “Oblivion,” one of the singles from the band’s newly released album “I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me,” began to play. The chilling symphony enveloped the venue in a blanket of dark sound, as lead guitarist Adam de Micco was followed out onto the stage by vocalist Will Ramos, bassist Michael Yager, rhythm guitarist Andrew O’Connor, and drummer Austin Archey, to a chorus of applause.

In an instant, sound erupted from the concurrent blasting of all five instruments into the main body of the song, a rivetingly intense and equally deep track that sparked chaos in the pit. As the opening track of the set reached its first breakdown — a heavier, slowed section designed to contrast the rhythmicity of the wider song — a collective feeling of mania descended, as the Lorna Shore fans in the crowd ultimately realized that their time to release all of their pent up emotions had come, headbanging and flying through space like there was no tomorrow.

Up next was “Unbreakable,” an uplifting song from the new album, which built on the intensity of its predecessor with its incredibly powerful symphonic control of atmosphere. By Courtesy of Rowan A. G. Whitworth

Up next was “Unbreakable,” an uplifting song from the new album, which built on the intensity of its predecessor with its incredibly powerful symphonic control of atmosphere. The New Jersey natives played songs new and old, catering to all tastes in the audience, but the symphonic and orchestral aspects of their compositions — engineered by rhythm guitarist O’Connor — shone through especially, giving a larger-than-life feel to already monumental songwriting. It really did feel out-of-this-world.

One of the most memorable moments of the set came from hit “Sun//Eater,” as the crowd split into a wall of death that devoured the darkness left in the empty space, like some sort of beastial organism set on chaos. Alongside the merciless blast beats, awe-inspiring guitar solos, and crushing vocals, it was like watching art in motion, reminiscent of how a dissatisfied and rebellious painter might hurl paint at a blank canvas to the backdrop of every feeling that has ever been felt.

Arguably Lorna Shore’s biggest song, “To The Hellfire,” signaled a shift in the performance, as if amplifying the emotional buzz that had been built up and promptly obliterated by new songs “Glenwood” and “Prison of Flesh.” By Courtesy of Rowan A. G. Whitworth

Arguably Lorna Shore’s biggest song, “To The Hellfire,” signaled a shift in the performance, as if amplifying the emotional buzz that had been built up and promptly obliterated by new songs “Glenwood” and “Prison of Flesh.” This is not because “To The Hellfire” is a particularly poignant song — in fact, it is possibly their most brutal song — but because anyone who had been paying attention, and had happened to look at the time at that point, knew exactly what was coming next.

The mega-breakdown at the end of “To The Hellfire” gave way to a prolonged darkness and silence both on the stage and in the crowd that could have been broken by a pin drop. Then, through what seemed like a perpetual abyss, a soft, somber graphic lit up the stage’s screens, and floating through the wind came part one of the “Pain Remains” trilogy, a heart-wrenching epic-ballad of sorts. As the symphonic introduction to the song built, there wasn’t a dry eye to be seen, and as soon as Ramos bellowed out the opening line, “Captivate me,” a spiritual energy enveloped the stage and carried the impassioned five through the 20-minute rollercoaster of parts I, II, and III.

By the end of the performance, the die-hard fans in the crowd couldn’t help but chant “one more song.” The final sight of the evening was of de Micco standing tall on the platform at the front of the stage, with his hands held above his head in the shape of a heart. Little more needs to be said, given that this gesture encapsulates the true essence of Lorna Shore, the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, and most importantly, what it means to be a metalhead — love for one and all who don the horns.

—Staff writer Rowan A.G. Whitworth can be reached at rowan.whitworth@thecrimson.com.