23. Lorna Shore - "Pain Remains"

Metal has always had a symbiotic relationship with classical music. You can go right back to its beginnings and Deep Purple’s dabbling with “Concerto for Group and Orchestra” and the vibrant use of strings by Led Zeppelin on ‘Kashmir’. 

All through metal’s history, when a band wants to show that they are mature and sensitive they don’t think twice about bringing in an orchestra (yes Metallica I’m looking at you). We even have a whole genre based on the use of symphonic elements. However, all of that history and portent doesn’t stop what Lorna shore are doing from being simply and utterly incredible. 

“Pain Remains” sees deathcore and classical music welded together in an incendiary union. Metal usually uses symphonic elements to soften its tone. Here its addition does the complete opposite. Deathcore is already a riotous and corrosive genre, but the orchestral amendments take everything to another level. It becomes a hurtling juggernaut of bad intent. Heavy and barbaric but also epic and anthemic. Extreme metal has never sounded so widescreen and expansive.