Shout-out to Jesus F*ckin’ Christ Over There! – A Lorna Shore Christmas – 12.22.2023 @ Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ

For the second year in a row, the wholesome boys in Lorna Shore hosted a very special Christmas set, closing out this three-show run at home in New Jersey. Absolutely nothing about Lorna Shore, Currents, Rivers of Nihil, Varials, or Entheos screams “Christmas,” but it’s all part of the charm. Complete with fully decorated trees, snow machines, and enough lighting to make Times Square look dim, Lorna Shore made 100% sure to get the crowd into the Christmas spirit and remind everyone the true meaning of the holidays: to open up that pit. This was a sold-out show – the room felt packed the moment doors opened, and the air was immediately thick despite temperatures outside not cracking 40° Fahrenheit. There was no room to breathe even before the first band went on, as fans tried to claim their spots against the railing with no intentions of moving, and those behind them hoping they didn’t get swept away in the pit. 

Death metal duo Entheos recruited some extra muscle for their live lineup for a crushingly heavy opening set. You might have caught Chaney Crabb’s viral videos online, but nothing compares to watching this powerhouse vocalist deliver live. All of the weight, however, comes from Navene Koperweis behind the kit, cranking through the songs effortlessly with unparalleled groove. With several cuts from their 2023 release Time Will Take Us All appearing prominently in the set (most notably “I Am the Void”), Entheos almost feels like they’ve outgrown the opening slot on this tour. They played two unreleased cuts, both distinctly Entheos without being a simple rehash of their earlier work. 

Entheos

Photo Credit: Tom Mis

The venue exclusively played Christmas music between sets, much to the delight of the hometown fans, who screamed along to every word. Sure, this was the last place I expected to find a little holiday cheer, but I was pleasantly surprised. Less surprising was how quickly the crowd could turn. As the curtain went up for Varials to begin their set, the visibly frustrated band couldn’t actually start their set due to a bad mic cable, and the goodwill stopped – the audience briefly turned on the soundcrew until they were able to fix it!

Thankfully, the technical hiccups were resolved quickly, and Philly mainstays Varials were ready to properly light up the stage. Though the band heavily incorporates elements of the trendy early 2000’s metalcore scene, their approach also incorporates more modern hardcore leanings, keeping the sound fresh, and perhaps more importantly, keeping the room alive and moving. Never a dull moment on the floor, as vocalist Mitchell Rogers kept the crowd on their feet and dominated the stage with his presence. Throw in a guest vocal spot from Lorna Shore vocalist Will Ramos in a Santa hat, and you’ve got your own deathcore style-Charlie Brown Christmas Miracle. Setlist highlights span multiple eras of the band, peaking at “Romance” and “The Cycle of Violence: Chapter 1.”

Varials

Photo Credit: Tom Mis

Shifting gears midway through the night with Rivers of Nihil, there was an immediate change in energy in the room. Though they can absolutely keep up with the other bands on this bill in terms of the heavy, it’s truly a different kind of heavy. The pit hadn’t cooled off despite the radical shift in sound, but those not trying to risk bodily harm were able to appreciate the progressive tendencies of Rivers of Nihil, who were by far the odd band out on this bill. Sonically, they would’ve been more at home supporting Opeth or a tech-death band. The way a song like “The Sub-Orbital Blues” moves between chunky heavy riffs, clean vocals, extended death passages, and short ambient interludes took the audience on a ride that perhaps they weren’t expecting. While there was a lot to love during this set, the real highlight was watching the band members contribute to their distinctive vocal harmonies, a staple of their sound. This was one of the strongest sets of the night – but just as important, it also marked the first appearance of Jesus Christ, Crowdsurfer, who died for your sins and rose again to surf upon the heads of those who doubted him.

Rivers of Nihil

Photo Credit: Tom Mis

 Currents took the stage with their unique brand of metalcore with progressive and post-hardcore elements. Sure, the breakdowns hit like a hammer and absolutely pleased the crowd, but everything in between was infinitely more interesting. Songs like “Remember Me” and “Better Days” were among the most emotive tracks of the night, on par with what Lorna Shore would soon deliver. Currents deserves credits for both being ahead of their time, yet simultaneously preserving the best parts of MySpace-era metalcore, wrapping it in modern and accessible sounds – delivering it to a whole new audience who (hopefully) never went through a cringy blogging phase on LiveJournal. They absolutely felt the most at home as far as supporting a band like Lorna Shore – the audience overlap was pretty obvious, and at this point, security had to call in backup at the barrier to catch the growing number of crowd surfers.

Currents

Photo Credit: Tom Mis

Cue the snow machine, and Lorna Shore finally took the stage. Watching this band live during this era is truly a moment – you know you’re seeing the boys at the top of their game. Drummer Austin Archey is an absolute monster behind the kit, and shows like this prove that he’s one of the most important drummers in metal in 2023. In a way, Lorna Shore already feels like a supergroup, with Adam De Micco and Andrew O’Connor splitting ripping guitar duties, vocalist Will Ramos, and prodigy bassist Michael “Moke” Yager. I’m watching kids get absolutely crushed against the barrier as the weight of the audience lunges forward for a chance to get closer to their idols. Say what you will about the cheeky theme, but they really leaned into the Christmas spirit here – at one point, Ramos ran on stage with a full Santa beard, tossing out merch as if Deathcore Santa was a totally normal thing, going as far as to give props to Jesus Christ, Crowdsurfer. Like Beatlemania for the Hot Topic-era, the audience could not get enough of Lorna Shore. In one of the classiest moves of the night, the band invited all of their techs on stage to finish out a breakdown, a truly heartwarming moment given the pressure this crew must be under night after night to keep the Lorna-machine running at 100%. Their setlist demanded precision- from “…And I Return to Nothingness” to the fan favorite “To the Hellfire” – but closing the set with the entire Pain Remains trilogy of songs was an emotional journey and technically impressive feat. The songs are physically demanding across all instruments – and though it must weigh on the band to throw their bodies into their art night after night, they play every show like it’s their last.

Like Will said on stage, “there’s no place like fuckin’ home” – and whether Christmas is your kind of holiday or not, it was hard not to get into the spirit. This was Lorna Shore’s last show for a few months, while they regroup behind the scenes and prepare for whatever chapter comes next. Hail Santa.

Lorna Shore

Photo Credit: Tom Mis