“Northstar, Sacred Heart, know me by my scars.”
With nearly two decades of experience under their belts, Charlotte band My Epic are undoubtedly cherished and well-respected veterans in the rock scene. Combining elements of indie rock, post-hardcore, shoegaze, and much more, their sound is one that flows between many dimensions and doesn’t confine itself. Making their debut with Tooth & Nail Records, the group present Loriella, their fourth full-length.
In the words of frontman and guitarist Aaron Stone, the record’s themes include “discovery and re-engaging life with purpose on new terms of your own.”, reflecting the different phases of life the band has found themselves over the years. Stone, accompanied by guitarist Tanner Morita and guitarist/bassist Nate Washburn seek to create to craft something personal and heartfelt.
Opening number “Late Bloomer” begins in familiar My Epic territory, with folky acoustic guitars leading the start of the track on a mellow note. The track’s gentle beginnings gradually build upon itself with layers of atmosphere, constructing a soundscape that gets more detailed with each minute. Giving into a controlled fuzz, the opener gives us a good idea of what’s to come.
“Wildflowers” sees the band hit its signature alt rock strides, with a captivating chorus hook holding the track in place. The detailed layers of sound, from its reverb-laced guitars to the intricacies of its lead lines, tied together with a strong performance from Stone, there’s just something alluring about its deceptively straightforward presentation.
The album’s definitively post rock leanings find a crescendo with “Northstar”, with the track’s piano intro leading into a wall of sound. Its airy and anthemic chorus evokes a sense of euphoria, and its hard to not be captivated by its presence. Stripping back the atmosphere towards the end, the song takes a pause before launching into a gorgeous section of extended ambience, one that is irresistibly floaty. Following this, “In The Air” follows in the shoegaze influenced footsteps, taking a slower approach but retaining the effect-heavy soundscapes. The track’s ending layers on the distortion, crafting a sonic monolith that directly contrasts the track’s otherwise calm disposition.
Late album cut “Red Hands” is the longest track on the album, with a progressive rock-inspired rhythm leading the opening verse creating a sense of intrigue. Much like tracks prior, it builds in atmosphere incrementally, however in a much more cinematic fashion than before. As feedback noises ring out and the track gets lost in a hypnotic trance, it builds back into an array of distorted bends and an abrasive atmosphere on which it ends the track.
The ending run of the album consists of “Make Believe” and “Heavy Heart”. The former opens on a intentionally distorted synths backing vocoder-laced vocals. There’s an intriguing experimental nature to this track as it reflects on finding meaning in existence again. Building on atmosphere but purely utilizing electronics, it’s a definite standout to the tracklist.
Album closer “Heavy Heart” brings the post-rock guitars back, contrasting the album’s mostly melancholic feel with a more upbeat direction. Amidst the increasingly rife cynicism of daily life, there’s something rather refreshing about the track’s outlook, acknowledging the nuances and idiosyncrasies that make a person. As quoted by Stone earlier, the feeling of finding new purpose in life is definitely felt in this track, closing the album on a poetic note.
The best word I can use to describe Loriella is comforting. There’s a certain purity to it that follows its composition, flowing between the many aspects of life while trying its best to cling onto hope. It goes without saying that it strikes multiple chords personally, be it lyrically or sonically. The soundscapes on this album are well crafted and serve to create a unified atmosphere that gives the album character. My Epic remain impressively consistent after all these years, keeping true to themselves while searching for new ways to express themselves in their most genuine of manners.
8.5/10
Loriella releases on the 28th of June via Tooth & Nail Records. Pre-order and merch links for the album can be found here.