Album Reviews : The Red Shore – Lost Verses

Rising from the underground, the tragic loss of a band member and close friend of the band as well as just continuing to write the most brutally technical music they can, The Red Shore’s latest release, Lost Verses, clearly shows just how far the band has come. The sheer production, by The Red Shore’s very own Rowan Koester, re-recording old favourite tracks of The Red Shore and re-mastering them making for a tighter sound than ever. With some sped up tempos and altered riffs it shows The Red Shore are going for a more Technical Death Metal sound rather than their old Deathcore style. But this is nothing for old fans to feel threatened by; Lost Verses only shows another side to the same band. It unfortunately shows no new material but an interesting outlook on where the band is headed.

With a compilation of their entire Savaging What’s Left EP re-recorded as well as three of their most crowd pleasing songs re-recorded, The Red Shore only show us that they are destined for bigger things outside of the underground. Vocalist, Jamie Hope, screams out a performance that can only be admired whilst guitarist Jason and Rowan give the listener migraines to the technicality of their finger work. But what truly made me appreciate this album was the fact that I was listening to what I believe is one of the greatest drummers in modern music with Jake Green pounding a performance that will make any fan of extreme music drop their jaw in amazement.

It will be interesting to see as to whether The Red Shore will incorporate the use of their older material in their live shows or continue to play songs form their highly commended debut album, Unconsecrated. All to know is that The Red Shore is here to stay and can only get bigger. For an album by a band of this genre to debut in the Aria chart is an achievement. Damo & Andy would be very proud indeed. 8/10

Band: The Red Shore
Album: Lost Verses
Year: 2009
Genre: Death Metal/Metalcore
Label: STOMP
Origin:  Geelong, Australia
www.myspace.com/theredshore

Track Listing:
1. The Valentines Day Massacre
2. Sink or Swim
3. Flesh Couture
4. Knives and Wolves
5. Pulling Teeth
6. Effigy of Death
7. I Only Smile When You’re Bleeding
8. Thy Devourer
9. What Doesn’t Kill You

Reviewed by Thomas Szulik