Review Summary: A very enjoyable fourth album from My Epic, but not as forward-thinking as it could have been.
For the last couple of weeks now I’ve been listening to My Epic’s 2019 EP,
Violence, reflecting on the band’s bizarre decision to scrap that record’s foreboding post-punk toolset for
Loriella – the long-awaited follow-up to
Behold – in favour of well-trodden sounds from their past. Since inception their style has been rooted in a post-rock/post-hardcore domain, languishing in lush, ethereal vistas with large amounts of melancholy and big guitars to round it all off. The sound of 2010’s
Yet is excellent and feels like a notable step up from
I Am Undone, but
Behold genuinely refines
Yet’s post-rock formula and captures a spiritual essence perfectly fitting for the band’s Christian faith.
Viscera is a nice extension on from
Behold’s achievements, but 2018’s
Ultraviolet and 2019’s
Violence explore pop, post-punk, and alt-rock in a way that matures My Epic artistically and stylistically.
Violence in particular encapsulates their signature otherworldly sound with a sharp-nosed, ploughing punk immediacy previously unseen in their songwriting, sacrificing none of the heaviness or atmosphere in the process, but introducing a new kind of energy into the mix. However,
Loriella only provides glimmers of these elements to allow older influences to take the spotlight.
As you can imagine,
Loriella feels like a somewhat missed opportunity that, while great, could have been even better had it fully explored
Violence’s temperament in an LP setting. Instead,
Loriella feels more focused on past achievements and as a result, dilutes a lot of the impact and efficacy the band is so well-known for. That’s not to say the album is a dud, that couldn’t be further from the truth, but
Loriella does feel safe in execution at times and lacking in the lateral thinking needed to elevate it to the standard of
Behold. It also doesn’t help new listeners when the opening track is possibly the worst song of their career. “Late Bloomer” is wrought with ennui, an absolute snoozefest that’s inconsequential instrumentally because its gambit is to allow Aaron’s vocals to take centre stage. The problem is that the melodies don’t land in the slightest and the overall performance comes off a little annoying. It’s a real shame because once
Loriella climbs over this blundersome introduction, from “Wildflowers” right through to “Red Hands”, the record rides with its head held high. Bursting at the seams with great hooks, effective crescendos and a hearty slice of their renowned atmosphere, My Epic prove they still have a tank full of gas. “High Color”’s shimmering post-punk passages under Aaron’s elongated earworm ‘Loriella’, the elasticated, body-moving groove on “In the Air”, and the scintillating explosion at the apex of “Northstar” are just a few of the excellent moments
Loriella has to offer you. “Old Magic”’s clanking guitar tone and sashaying groove is met with a swell of foreboding electronics that build the song up to its logically epic conclusion, while the grandiose peregrination “Red Hands”’ menacing ambience and girthy riffs showcase My Epic’s strongest qualities.
The only real blunders here are the aforementioned “Late Bloomer” and “Make Believe”, because they fail at keeping you engaged and have a few irksome traits centred at the core of their songwriting. Outside of those two tracks however,
Loriella presents a very enjoyable record that is sure to please long-time fans of the band, which is evidently the approach taken for its songwriting. While it’s a shame
Loriella doesn’t expand on the band’s arsenal in the same way their recent EPs do, this is still a great record and one worth checking out if you’re a fan of post-rock. Though I will concede – if you’re a first-time listener, I’d suggest going back and listening to
Yet and
Behold to experience this sound consummately executed.
