There’s nothing quite like an outdoor metal show at Stage AE. Pittsburgh is the Steel City after all, so why wouldn’t you start one of the biggest deathcore tours of 2025 here? The riverside venue always seems to take on a different energy when the sun starts to set and the pit opens up. PeelingFlesh, Shadow of Intent, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Lorna Shore brought absolute mayhem to the North Shore, and Pittsburgh gave it right back to them.
PeelingFlesh opened the night and wasted no time throwing down their unique mix of slam deathcore with a light sprinkling of hip-hop. The sun still hadn’t set and it was an abnormally hot evening. The sticky, uncomfortable heat oddly added another layer of intensity to the set. Maybe this crew from Oklahoma is used to baking in direct sunlight and use it as energy. I don’t know, but I do know they managed to get thousands of people dressed in all black to start their night of swinging and bouncing along to their slamming guttural jams. The snare tone is *chef kiss*.
Shadow of Intent followed, pulling us deep into their mix of symphonic deathcore and pure heaviness. One second you’re caught up in this huge, cinematic sound, and the next you’re getting flattened by breakdowns. Ben Duerr’s vocals shook the shoreline, Chris Wiseman’s riffs were tight and technical, and Andrew Monias’ basslines perfectly synchronized both harmonically and rhythmically with drummer Bryce Butler’s blast beats. It was a glorious display of how deathcore/death metal/whatever ultra-specific genre we have to put bands into now can be true to its original sound, but still be accessible to the casual listeners of heavy music.
Next up, The Black Dahlia Murder brought their trademark fury and showed Pittsburgh why they are a staple act in deathcore. Riffs cut sharp, the drums were relentless, and the crowd responded with nonstop energy. The crowd surfing really amped up during their set. Security earned their money and then some. Hearing the audience scream along during “Statutory Ape” was one of those moments that sticks with you. Or maybe it was the actual ape that made that moment more memorable? Probably. That ape was wild. Sorry, I didn’t get a photo, so you’ll have to take my word for it. The Black Dahlia Murder was one of the first bands that started me down my heavy music journey, and it’s awesome to see them still going strong.
And then Lorna Shore. There’s no easy way to describe the kind of destruction and showmanship they bring. Will Ramos’ vocals sound otherworldly live, and paired with those massive symphonic layers, it felt like we were in another world. Honestly, that sounds like some ChatGPT garbage, but this time I actually mean it (and I actually wrote it). The non-stop assault of heavy, technical guitar riffs are mesmerizing to watch. The kick drum is so fast it’s almost robotic and sends shockwaves through you that you feel deep in your soul. This is deathcore on steroids and, yet again, somehow accessible to the casual listener.
Here’s something you won’t see at every tour stop – local deathcore legend David Simonich from Signs of the Swarm joined Ramos during “Oblivion” and the North Shore lost its mind. Ramos gets most of the street cred when it comes to being a god-tier deathcore vocalist, but in my opinion, Simonich can hang right at the top with him. These two have album-quality live vocals, which is insane when you hear some of the sounds that come out of them. There are little demons in their throats.
We were gifted with three live debuts off Lorna Shore’s new album: “Unbreakable,” “Glenwood,” and “Prison of Flesh.” These songs are incredible live, and the massive video displays really put you into that other world I was talking about earlier. It’s not just a brutal, non-stop assault sonically, it’s an experience. Oh, there’s also a pretty lengthy encore, so don’t be fooled (we’re never fooled). “To the Hellfire” isn’t the last song, so don’t leave.
It’s always a toss up when you’re seeing the first stop of a tour. Will the bugs be worked out? Will everyone be playing their best? I can honestly say that, aside from the curtain drop getting stuck, this whole set was flawlessly executed. I was a bit concerned about seeing four bands and getting home late. I’m old and I’m tired, Boss, but the changeovers happened so quickly that the show actually ended at a decent time. The supporting acts are a perfect mix of deathcore flavors to build up to the iconic Lorna Shore making this a tour that should not be missed.