As the packed crowd waited to enter The Roxian Theater in McKees Rocks on the last US date of The Pain Remains tour you could feel an energy in the air. People were lined up and down the block eagerly awaiting a chance to see their favorite bands perform tonight. What a show they will see, a list of all killers for the night with headliners Lorna Shore, and guests Aborted, Ingested, Angelmaker, and Ov Sulfur; it would be a headbangers and moshers paradise for the night. Each band has their own distinctive take on death metal and deathcore; from heavy slams to intricate melodies, and even blistering solos, all ends of the spectrum would be covered tonight. 

​Ov Sulfur took the stage first. Lead by Vocalist Ricky Hoover, formally of the band Suffokate brought their style of blacken deathcore to the Pittsburgh crowd. A few technical issues cut into the first songs of their set but that didn’t stop the crowd from throwing down during the set. Heavy lows and screaming highs set the background as the band’s music had a relentless grind throughout the set. A standout during the set was the performance of their newest single “Stained in Rot”, released in late October; the song is a barn-burner churning away as moshers were starting to get their bearings for the night. 

​Angelmaker took the stage and demanded the crowd’s attention from the first minute. This Canadian outfit has a duo vocalist assault with Mike Greenwood, and Casey Tyson- Pearce belting out everything from gutturals to high pitched screams. Paired with three guitarists in veterans Matt Perrin and Colton Bennett and newest addition Johnny Ciardullo of Carcosa, who joined the band in early 2020. Angelmaker throws everything at you from heavy breakdowns, the fast grinds, to soaring melodies, and even the kitchen sink. Live the band dominates the stage, putting on one of the best performances of the night. Vocalist Casey Tyson- Pearce even spanned the photo pit to get in with the crowd standing on top of the barricade during the set. This band continues to raise expectations every time I see them live and delivers tenfold with their performances.

​Ingested took the stage next, their sigil was marked across the stage and backdrop as the Slam King from Slamchester held court this night. Vocalist Jason Evans was ever the presence this night, pacing the stage utilizing every inch to engage with the crowd. Even demanding a “Wall of Death” during the set which saw the crowd part and slam back together as the band kicked in. Notably on this tour the band was joined by Miles Dimitri Baker of Voidbringer/Interloper on guitar. He is one of the best in the business and was a well-deserved addition to their live set. The band set was scattered with songs from their newest album Ashes Lie Still which was released earlier this November. 

​Aborted was up next, following all these heavy hitters these seasoned veterans brought their own blend of cosmic gore and horror to the masses. Their set showcased the best of their previous releases from Retrogore through ManiaCult. Their stage dressing had two cabinets of curiosities, which held what I could only describe as David Cronenberg inspired monstrosities. The music is blazing fast and very technical, guitar solos and grinds in abundance. The band not to be outdone by Ingested, asked for their own wall of death which saw the venue collide amongst itself before the band kicked into ManiaCult. Vocalist Sven de Caluwe got into the action ramping up the crowd as he paced the stage and even at points mimicked a machine gunner chopping down the crowd as a cascade of crowd surfers were coming over the barricade. 

​Headliners Lorna Shore closed out the night, the success of this tour is coming off the back of their latest and highly celebrated release Pain Remains that has been charting since its release on October 14^th, having seen every show sold out. This is a pivotal success not only for deathcore but metal in general as it shows the genre still has a huge listening pool and continues to push against the grain of what is popular music today. Many in the crowd careened to get closer to see vocalist Will Ramos belt out his distinct style of gutturals. Paired with the intricate guitar styling of Adam De Micco and Andrew O’Connor and the blistering drumming of Austin Archey, the band was a force to be reckoned with onstage. The music paired with fog and quick light changes were a over stimulation of the senses as the audio assault played on. The band played through several notable singles, including “Sun//Eater” and “To the Hellfire” before an encore of “Pain Remains” parts 1 through 3 to close out their set. 

This being the last night of the US tour, the bands will continue into Canada to finish out. If you were able to attend this tour, you were in for some very special moments. Each band on the bill is unique on their own but this collaboration was one of the best tours I have witnessed. If you are a fan of  heavy music I high suggest you check out all of these bands for you are sure to find something new and fantastic to spark your ears. 

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George Archibald

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