Shores - Life/Lost

Shores - Life/Lost

Life/Lost is the second EP from hard working band Shores. It's a lot heavier than their first release and a lot more polished up. I've been a fan of Shores ever since I first heard them. They were recommended to me by a good friend and I haven't found a reason to stop listening. Their second EP certainly doesn't do anything to change that.  Everything is taken up to 11 on this album although it does give in a bit more to some of the pitfalls of the metalcore genre.

First let's get what I didn't like about this album out of the way. A lot of the songs give into the stale tropes of the metalcore genre and border on what I like to call breakdowncore. It makes a lot of the songs blend into one. It also has the adverse effect of making the EP seem shorter than it is at times. While this album features much better mixing and production than the first EP some of the cuts and transitions are still a little jarring and rough. That's it, that's all I have to say about this album that's of a negative nature.

While some of the songs do trend into that pitfall of being too overzealous with the use of breakdowns, most of the songs skip past it. The clean vocals and clean guitars are not as prominent as they were before but they stand out even more.  The guitar riffs go from groovy to face-meltingly intense in a heartbeat. Even when the songs hit parts that may sound a bit generic they still will be stuck in your head. This is most apparent on my favorite song Shapeshifter. I had the pleasure of hearing a rough demo a few months ago and I didn't think it could be improved but somehow they managed it. The clean vocals on this track stand out amongst how simply brutal and assaulting it is. It also features some of the best lyrics on the EP. Speaking lyrically there's nothing here that could be called poetic but the lyrics and themes are certainly deep enough to satisfy. I definitely have some favorite lines from some of the tracks already.

Since I started listening to them about a year ago, I've held Shores in high regards. This EP did not let me down. It only ups the intensity of the first EP and improves on solid ground. It would still be nice to see them incorporate a bit more clean guitar and vocals and to explore more styles to be a bit more progressive. As they stand though they really do rise above with enough heavy for the metal fans, enough grooves and chants for the hardcore fans, and enough style for everyone else. It won't win over anyone not already interested in the genre but to anyone who is, this is some of the best new music out there.

New Song From Shores

New Song From Shores

Hardcore/Metalcore act Shores have just released a new song off their upcoming EP LIFE/LOST titled Devoured ( I Am Consumed). This is the third track I've heard from this EP (unless Repetitions is going to be on it) and they just keep staying amazing. Coming from their last EP this song is especially heavier. It's also polished a lot better and sounds smoother. While the beginning comes off a bit rough and sounds a bit generic the song opens up into something more progressive and smoother. The guitar work on this especially stands out switching from heavy chords to a smooth almost classical style. Vocally this songs lacks any kind of soft mellow vocals we've seen in other songs from them but it's not a bad thing. The song just keeps on going like a Juggernaut. I've literally had this on repeat all day.

I know I talk a lot about this band but it's for a good reason. I really think they are talented and managed to set themselves apart from the over saturated metalcore genre with a more progressive and interesting sound. From what I've heard from this EP it's poised to leave a mark on the scene as a whole. I'm really hoping to see them gain more popularity in the states because they really deserve it over these bands that all seem like they're actually trying to sound the same as each other. So give them a listen and tell me what you think.

Interview with Shores

I recently had an opportunity to speak with Shores, a hardcore band out of Okinawa, Japan. If you don't know who they are you should really take a look. Amazing work that will never bore you. Read the review for their EP Beginning/End here and check out their new song Repitions here. Support them and bring them to the US!

1. Introduce yourselves, who are you what do you play?
 Thomas Helvenstine, Vocalist Earl Standerford, Drums Andrew Hafemeister, Clean vocals/guitar Shogo Tabata, Guitar Sean Kelly, Bass
 
2. How did you start out? Who's idea was the band?
 
The band started out as an idea between me (andrew) earl and our first guitarist Eddie Allshouse. Earl, eddie and sean were about to disband their old band and I was looking for one to join to do vocals.
 
3. Who would you list as your biggest influence musically?

Between the 5 of us our music tastes and influence varies. Earls drumming is influenced by thrice,counterparts,misery signals. Thomas is influenced by a lot of Austrailian bands. I'm influenced from circa survive, a lot of progressive metal/djent bands. Shogo's backround is mostly metalcore and so is Sean's.
 
4. if you could play your dream tour who would it include?
  
the bands we would want to play with is actually a really hard question haha. the amount of bands we want to play with would probably make like a 5 day festival .
 
5. What's your guys favorite food.
 
We all love curry, and ramen. And since we have american blood in us, we love burgers
 
6. What's your writing process like?
The beginning end album was all written by Eddie. He would write the "blueprint" of a song at home and we all jammed out to it and through in all our ideas to make the song transition and sound fuller (leads, ect.) For the new album, I mostly write all of the guitar parts. Do riffs first and record a rough demo of it and sit with Earl and Thomas to see what parts need to be harmonized and what parts need leads. Then when thats all recorded Earl studies it to make drums and I teach sean and Shogo.

7. What's the best part of being in Japan?
The best part of japan would probably have to be the people. The people of japan are just so kind and humble, just nice people to be around. Oh dont forget the sites of Japan, wont see anything like it anywhere else. 
 
8. Any plans for a US tour?
Still in the works about a U.S tour. Gotta see what happens with the next album and what kind of response it gets.
 
9. Repetitions was amazing, loved the clean vocals a lot reminded me of Saosin. When can we expect some new music?
Thanks man! Yeah grew up listening to Saosin and Circa, they'll always have a influence on me. New album in still being written. Gotta write a few more songs and we'll start recording. We want as much time as we can get just to get this album perfect and sound different from what you hear from other hardcore bands.

10. Anything else you all want to say?
We love and appreciate the support of all of our friends, family and fans that we have scattered across the globe. Without their support we probably would have thrown in the towel a long time ago. Hope everyone keeps giving their support so we can bless their ears with some good music!

Basically these guys are fantastic, great music, awesome guys. Follow them twitter, like them on Facebook, and download Repetitions!
http://shoresofficial.bandcamp.com/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/repetitions/id670615003?i=670615006&uo=4

http://amzn.com/B00DXMLJPW

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Shores Releases A New Song Repetitions

Shores - Repetitions 

Some bands just refuse to be boring, no matter what. Shores is one of those bands. Hot of the tails of their latest EP Beginning/End Shores has put out a new song. I suggest you check it out even if you didn't initially take interest in them. First off this song is heavy, like melt your face, hide the children, heavy. Second it's an improvement over the EP (The EP was amazing btw, this song is just better) which shows the band is growing and not staying stagnant. I'm looking forward to hearing more from this young band, what do you guys think??

Take a listen, and buy!

Shores - Repetitions

Shores - Beginning/End

Shores - Beginning/End

 

The so called 'Hardcore' genre has been so over saturated over the years with so many bands simply trying to make the hardest breakdown, or the lowest growls. There's so many bands at this point that they generally all meld into one, even on an individual bands own album many songs sound exactly the same. You come to expect the same screaming, the same clean vocals, the same chugga-chugga riffs, the same song structure. The whole genre has generally become boring and stale. Shores is a different breed. A fresh young band out of Okinawa Japan they're here to show what the genre can be. While they do fall victim to some of the stale staples of the genre, overall they offer a fresher approach to the hardcore music scene.

The first song you hear is Of Alaska. Right away you'll know what to expect. This is going to be heavy and loud. The opening guitar riff is more reminiscent of Underoath or Norma Jean than what you would expect in this genre, say something like Memphis May Fire. It then breaks down into the clean vocals, yet the guitarist refuses at this point to become boring. The song does go to the boring chugga-chugga riff towards the end, but at this point the song is stuck in your head.

The Last Sound shows off the layering of the clean vocals and the screaming. It highlights the differences between the two, and you'll realize they have pretty unique voices for the crowded genre. Also just try and get certain parts of this song out of your head, I dare you.

Westward March is one of the singles off the album and while it does showcase a lot of what the band has to offer, I kind of wish they had gone with another song, it's a great song and catchy as hell but I feel like it plays it too safe genre wise. Although I suppose that will be good to get the hardcore kids listening to it. Basically it's a traditional hardcore song you know what to expect, but it's well done.

Their next single off this album fares a bit better. Beacons is more something you'd expect out of a more progressive hardcore band like Underoath. It's a great showcase of the clean vocalists range. It's also a good single, it's decently catchy, and still plays it safe enough.

If I had to pick a favorite song off of this it would have to be The Great Neck. Probably because it's the most progressive song on the album. It's the best way to show off the combined skills of the band, the guitar, the bass, the drumming, and the vocals. The stand outs on this song in particular are the guitarist with the more mellow side of things transitioning into an awesome metal riff, and the two vocalists. The layering again on this song is just amazing. Also The Great Neck strays from the path with the song structure. It's very anti-traditional and it makes it just that much better.

The album is filled out with 3 other songs, Ashes and Embers, Polaris, and Beginning End. Of the 3 the closing song, Beginning End, is the stand out. It's a good way to close and will leave you wanting to hear more. In total the album contains 8 songs, it's a bit short but it's packed with talent.

Shores hasn't really made a big name yet in the US. Hopefully that will change soon, because these guys deserve it. They possess an amazing amount of talent, and bring a fresh taste to a stale genre. This is hopefully just the beginning for them and not the end (See what I did there?), though I would like them to use a more progressive song structure and try to steer away from the over played parts of the genre. Overall this is a great hardcore album and I hope to hear more from Shores.

Pick up the album today