Just last year, Lorna Shore was headlining at the House of Blues, which is not a small venue, but that wasn't quite enough for them. In 2024, The Fillmore was barely able to contain fans of Lorna Shore plus White Chapel, Kublai Kahn, and Sanguisugabogg.
It's clear that these bands draw adoration from all walks of life as a new generation of metalheads lives beyond the boundaries of black shirts and long hair. The line to get in starting at 5:30 p.m. was wrapped around Caesars Casino, so no one wanted to miss a second of this show of force.
Starting off early at 6:30 p.m., Sanguisugabogg ripped into deathcore breakdowns and build ups that are as complicated as the band's name (which I cannot pronounce). As Devin Swank belted out the words for "Dragged By a Truck" and "Dead as S**t," the boys on the guitar and bass Cedrik Davis and Drew Arnold demanded more audience participation. "Where's my f**king moshers?!" was yelled before Devin splooged those in the front with what I hope was just water. The band's notorious humor was sprinkled in the between song banter. "Take out your dictionary, look up a picture of death metal, and you'll see my [body part usually sat upon]." The crowd was instructed to perform a mighty Wall of Death for the last song, a maniacal countdown before the crush. I didn't hear the crack of bodies, but that doesn't mean they escaped unharmed.
Striking red neon targets pierced the darkness of the huge room. These were the only source of lights until vocalist Matt Honeycutt growled the stage lights on. Starting off strong with "Supreme Ruler," Kublai Khan brought a totally different energy than the opening band.
Their mostly white clothing looked reminiscent of early hardcore and, indeed, this sound had a heavy hardcore influence. "No siesta, wake up!" Matt commanded as Isaac Lamb on the drums played most of the notes. The guitar and bass by Nolan Ashley and Eric English merely accentuated the even-tempered drums for some beats. Dare I say, you could get a little groove on to "Swan Song" and "Darwinism." One thing special about this set is that the ladies went a little wild when Matt would bark like a dog, and he did it just enough to elicit their screams but not enough to wear it out. Gents, take note!
Kublai Kahn's set was officially ended as Seal's magnum opus "Kiss From a Rose" wafted from the speakers. Riding high on the drama of this piece, all of the lights in the venue dimmed to black. There was total darkness, and the crowd silenced.
A droning tone slowly emerged, vibrating the floor, walls, and chandeliers. An eruption of eerie green light shook us out of that dark cave, and vocalist Phil Bozeman roared. A light show ensued that could rival any concert or firework display that I've ever witnessed. It was hypnotic: disconcerting, and dizzying. White Chapel ran through songs like "A Bloodsoaked Symphony" and "Kin" at a breakneck pace. This set was loud, fast, changing, and violent. Paired with the strobing effects of the lights, White Chapel made me feel like I was riding an indoor roller coaster, not knowing which way I was about to be turned. You really couldn't get your bearings or catch your breath, though the band did allow a few strange breaks of total darkness and no sound, which made the voracious crowd chant their name until they began anew. I so enjoyed that White Chapel barely broke the fourth wall unlike all three other bands. Phil only spoke to the crowd a little bit near the end of the set when he said, "You guys want to hear a new song?" This was not so much a concert set as it was a piece of art.
Another dramatic piece of music played just before Lorna Shore took the stage. This time, it was "Total Eclipse of the Heart," which so many people sang along to with all of their gusto, the final notes faded so perfectly into the opening melodic notes of "Welcome Back, O' Sleeping Dreamer." "You guys ready to have some f**king fun?," questioned vocalist Will Ramos. "Let's do it, then." More hypnotic lights blurred the scene onstage, but the beautifully-scaling, then churning guitar-work of Adam De Micco (a masterful soloist) and Andrew O'Conner cut through the chaos like they were preparing you for a battle.
Will definitely enjoyed speaking to the audience and, honestly, he's got a voice like that of a game show host—clear and jovial. It was such a stark contrast from his otherworldly moans, groans, and shrieks on "Sun//Eater" and "Cursed to Die." At one point, he thanked the security for the hard work they were about to do, because he invited all crowd surfers to surf up to the front. Bodies emerged from every corner like zombies crawling out of the graves for "Soulless Existence."
That's what I like about Lorna Shore—the spooky aura the band creates with samples, keyboards, and melodic bits, not to mention the old school intricate guitar solos by Adam and the crazy growls. "Pain Remains," the first, second, and third editions, were lovingly dedicated to Corey Taylor with the note that you should tell people you love them "because you never know what's going to happen."
I wonder what venue Lorna Shore and White Chapel will pack when they return. Considering the immense love for them here, I feel like the sky is the limit.