By Andrew Gutierrez, Photos by Paul Salzman
San Francisco, CA
Wednesday, October 15th marked Lorna Shore’s San Francisco stop on their headlining tour celebrating the release of their fifth album, I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me, out via Century Media Records. The show took place at the fabled Masonic Auditorium, perched atop the steep hills of Nob Hill on a clear and chilly night. Direct support came from Detroit death metal legends The Black Dahlia Murder, Connecticut deathcore heavyweights Shadow of Intent, and one of the fastest-rising names in extreme metal, PeelingFlesh, who bring their distinct brand of “slamming gangster groove.” With such a stacked lineup, it was clear the Bay Area was in for a night to remember.
As a self-proclaimed late-thirties metalhead still hitting weeknight shows to prove “I still got it, I’m still hip,” my experience began with the steep trek up San Francisco’s hills while asking myself, “Do I still got it?” It didn’t take much convincing—this bill was simply too good to pass up. I’ve attended several shows at the Masonic Auditorium, and each time I’ve been impressed by the friendly staff, clean facilities, and efficient security and bar service. The venue itself is spacious, featuring a large pit, raised tiers, and a second-floor balcony for those who want a killer view without diving into the crowd.
PeelingFlesh
By 6:30 p.m., PeelingFlesh kicked things off. Hailing from Oklahoma City, this relatively new band has exploded in popularity thanks to their viral mix of deathcore, death metal, and sample-heavy humor—borrowing from memes, movies, and rap tracks. They’ve been hard at work on a new album and have toured relentlessly across both hardcore and death metal bills. Their unique sound had the crowd hyped from the jump.
Shadow of Intent
Shadow of Intent followed at 7:20 p.m. Formed in 2013, the band has remained completely independent across all five of their releases. Fresh off a European tour with Cattle Decapitation, Revocation, and Vulvodynia, they showed no signs of burnout. Their energy was electric as they delivered their signature symphonic deathcore to an eager Masonic crowd. Stepping in on vocals was Adam Mercer of DeathStroke, who did not miss a beat while mainstay Ben Duerr recently paused touring to welcome a new child. The audience fed off every blistering moment of their set.
The Black Dahlia Murder
Next up were Detroit metal juggernauts The Black Dahlia Murder. Since 2001, they’ve built a discography that cemented them as one of the premier legacy death metal acts still active today. With the recent addition of Wes Hauch on guitar, one thing hasn’t wavered: they know how to throw down. The crowd erupted into massive pits as the band opened with “Everything Went Black.” Their set pulled from across their 20-year catalog and delivered one classic after another. As my personal favorite metal band, I’ll always love seeing them in any incarnation.
By the time Dahlia wrapped up and anticipation for Lorna Shore set in, you could see the venue was filled to the brim. Massive curtains dropped to reveal one of the most impressive stage productions I’ve seen from a metal band. Lorna Shore came ready to prove why they’ve earned their headlining slot, and they wasted no time.
Lorna Shore
From the first moments of “Oblivion” ringing out, the towering screens illuminated with high-fidelity visuals and perfectly synced lyrics, paired with an equally impressive lighting production. I snagged a spot behind the sound booth, which turned out to be ideal—best view of the production and pristine sound. The audio mix was exceptionally balanced; credit to the engineers working behind the scenes.
The crowd responded in kind, launching massive pits in the center of the floor that matched the brutality of the next run of songs: “Unbreakable,” “Of the Abyss,” and “Sun//Eater.” As expected in San Francisco, pit and crowd-surf etiquette was on point—anyone who fell was helped up instantly, and security expertly caught crowd surfers at the barricade.
Will Ramos delivered a deathcore vocal masterclass. Since joining Lorna Shore in late 2021, he’s become a viral figurehead whose talent helped propel the band to their current heights. The power of his voice is growing legend.
Lead guitarist Adam De Micco was outstanding, with Andrew O’Connor keeping pace on rhythm guitar and Michael Yager holding down bass and backing vocals. The trio maintained a blistering pace that showcased exactly why Lorna Shore sits atop the genre. Their tones were beautifully blended, and De Micco’s solos were highlighted with intentional lighting cues that drew all eyes where they belonged—a detail I always appreciate.
And then there was Austin Archey on drums—simply unreal. Elevated on his riser above the band and crowd, he delivered a performance that was brutally precise and stamina-driven. He sounded album-perfect in both execution and endurance.
When the band finally left the stage, the crowd was far from done. Chants of “One more song!” echoed through the dark auditorium until Will Ramos returned—not only to confirm an encore but to reveal they had three songs left. What followed was the Pain Remains trilogy: a narrative-driven set exploring love, grief, denial, anger, and acceptance. It tells the story of a man who falls in love with someone from his dreams, loses them, and ultimately chooses to “disappear” in a sea of fire—a metaphor for self-destruction or rebirth.
By the end of “In a Sea of Fire,” the trilogy’s finale, the band rang out their last notes to a thunderous, well-earned ovation. With the release of the new album, it’s clear Lorna Shore’s momentum is only growing. This tour is a testament to that.
As I left the venue merch in hand and a downhill walk ahead, I caught myself smiling—not just from the being able to now walk downhill, but because I genuinely enjoyed every band on the bill and the experience the venue provided. Shows like this remind metalheads why we’re part of this community. Whether it’s reconnecting with old friends, meeting someone new, or just headbanging in the back, we’re all in it together—and that’s a beautiful thing.
I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me is available now in multiple formats including digital, CD, and limited-edition vinyl. Fans can stream the album and find info and tickets for upcoming dates at www.lornashoreband.com.
Written by Andrew Gutierrez
Photos by Paul Salzman @ https://paulsalzmanphotography.com/
Metal Forged 