Lorna Shore guitarist Adam De Micco recently expressed his frustration with the current direction of metal music. He shared his thoughts in an interview with Belgian Jasper.
De Micco explained how his band’s song “Prison of Flesh” serves as a direct response to what he perceives as the overly commercialized state of modern metal.
“A song like ‘Prison of Flesh’ to kind of a direct response to the current state of metal. I think about this moment and we were having a writing session with our producer just to kind of start the process and I remember we had to drop off a rental car,” De Micco said. “We had like an hour drive and I was like, let’s just listen to what Spotify feels is like kick-ass metal. And I’m like, let me see how kick-ass this metal genre is. And I listened to it and I’m like, nothing excites me.”
The guitarist described his disappointment with the homogenized sound he encountered on streaming platforms.
“It all felt very the same. It didn’t feel extreme. And when I think of a metal band, I think of like over-the-top extreme, like almost like hard to hear and like almost scary in a sense,” he continued. “And I’m like I’m listening to everything and I’m like everything is like pop within this context of metal.”
De Micco clarified that while he doesn’t condemn the pop-influenced approach, he believes there’s a lack of balance in the genre.
“I’m not saying anything’s wrong with it, but I was like there’s nothing that’s balancing this like extreme side. And every band was doing a very similar thing and I was like, ‘Man, like where is the like extreme metal band?’ And it was I was like this is kind of crazy that like there’s no metal bands on this metal playlist,” he said.
The musician explained how this experience influenced Lorna Shore’s creative direction for “Prison of Flesh.”
“A song like ‘Prison of Flesh’ to me was like I just want to write something that’s over the top, that’s aggressive, that’s in your face, that’s relentless, that almost like scares you in a way. Which is why like we did a song like that and we did a video like that,” De Micco concluded. “It was just meant to be here’s an extreme answer to like kind of how I felt the metal state was in.”
De Micco’s critique comes at a time when the band is preparing to release new material that reflects their commitment to extreme metal’s roots.
“Prison of Flesh” carries deeper personal significance beyond its musical statement. Revolver Magazine reported that the track lyrically explores De Micco’s personal struggle with inner demons. It specifically reflects his family history of dementia and the fear that “the world is falling apart.”
The song represents more than just a musical direction for the band. VPlayK noted that “Prison of Flesh” serves as both a personal and emotional struggle with inner demons. It simultaneously addresses the broader state of modern metal music.
This track is part of Lorna Shore’s broader artistic vision for their upcoming release. YouTube sources revealed that “Prison of Flesh” will be featured on their upcoming album “I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me.” The album is set for release on September 12, 2025.
The band’s approach to creating extreme metal content extends beyond just the music itself. The accompanying music video for “Prison of Flesh” was specifically designed to match the song’s aggressive and relentless nature. It serves as a visual representation of De Micco’s vision for what modern metal should embody – something that genuinely challenges and even frightens listeners rather than conforming to mainstream palatability.
