- LORNA SHORE w/ Paleface Swiss + Signs of the Swarm
- 04/19/2026 - The Sylvee - Madison Wisconsin
- ©Justin Nuoffer
A Sunday night in Madison, WI, is normally a quiet time as people wind down from a busy weekend. However, tonight the city was bustling and full of activity as the sun was shining and the temperatures stayed relatively warm. This warmth brought fans out very early to line up outside of The Sylvee. The massive glass facade of the venue reflected the sun’s rays below and helped illuminate the marquee that wrapped around the front, reading “Lorna Shore Tonight.” The energy built as the line expanded down the street and around the corner. The bar on the corner was full of patrons decked out in band shirts and their finest black clothes.
The glass doors below the marquee opened one at a time to let fans into the security check and ticket scanning area. Once inside, the tour merchandise was displayed in a large cutout to the right. To the left, a bar ran the entire length of the wall and was packed with various beverages to help enjoy the evening. Straight ahead, two sets of stairs take you down onto the main general admission floor. The dedicated ones flew down those stairs to the barricade that runs the entire length of the sublevel floor. The stage is massive and elevated for prime viewing. Above, on the second level, two rows of seating wrapped around with two tiers of standing room behind them. On the third level are multiple suites.
First up on the bill is Signs of the Swarm. The Pittsburgh deathcore act took to the stage aggressively with “To Rid Myself of Truth” and “Tower of Torsos.” Vocalist David Simonich was electric as he moved and bounced along the catwalk lining the front ledge. His voice was viciously good, and his attitude delivered throat punches one after another. With his consistent encouragement, the crowd surfers came in hot and heavy as the band dished out “HELLMUSTFEARME” and the single “IWONTLETYOUDIE.”
On each side of the stage, bassist Michael Cassese and guitarist Carl Schulze lay down the gritty, heavy riffs and body-shaking low end while watching the crowd at The Sylvee go absolutely crazy.
Check out the Signs of the Swarm concert photo gallery here:
Signs of the Swarm even introduced an unnamed new track that had the same classic vibe but a new level of brutality to it. Which was impressive with the band closing their time with “Natural Selection” and “Amongst the Low & Empty.” If there was anything to take away from this, it was the band’s ability to command a crowd and force them to have fun without even realizing it.
Following a crazy start to the night came Paleface Swiss, who were about to lay waste to the seemingly impenetrable walls of The Sylvee. Frontman Marc Zellweger, or Zelli, hopped onto the catwalk, waving as he watched the circle pit start moving before they even strummed a note. The Madison crowd was prepared.
Opening with three straight songs from their breakthrough 2025 album Cursed made a statement early on. With “I Am a Cursed One,” “Hatred,” and “…and with hope you’ll be damned” laying the foundation of their set, the rowdiness came as no surprise given the sheer savagery of their sound, blending deathcore and hardcore. To Zelli’s left, guitarist Yannick Lehmann was an unrelenting force. His energy felt like something pulled from the classic 80s guitar greats. He slashed and tore through solos with ease and attitude.
Impressively, for how out of control and heavy they were, the band remained tight as they progressed through “Nailed To The Tooth,” “Withering Flower,” and “The Orphan.” Zelli then took to the microphone to ask the audience who had seen Paleface Swiss before. A scattering of hands went up. Naturally, he followed up by asking whose first time it was, and a majority of the room raised their hands. It was incredible considering how hard the room was moving and how many people were already singing along.
As they transitioned from the middle to the end of the set, “Everything is Fine” from the 2026 The Wilted EP separated the men from the boys, so to speak. The rhythm duo of bassist Tommy Lee and drummer Luigi Paraventi delivered repeated body blows. Their low end rattled the general admission floor. This intensity carried through “My Blood On Your Hands” and “Let Me Sleep.”
Check out the Paleface Swiss concert photo gallery here:
Paleface Swiss’ growth and rise should come as no surprise after witnessing their command of the crowd, but as a whole, their sound is impeccable. Zelli’s voice is violent, and he never lost control of it. Closing their time out, “Please End Me” was the perfect culmination of their catalog and stage show. Every last ounce of energy poured out of their bodies, and the crowd eagerly let loose one last time. There is no doubt that Paleface Swiss is the next big thing in deathcore.
The time came for Lorna Shore to decimate The Sylvee, and they did just that. Walking onto the stage, the band headed to the catwalk and stood in darkness. Vocalist and all-around nice guy Will Ramos unleashed a deep guttural scream, and off they went into “Oblivion.” The lead track from 2025’s Feel The Ever Black Festering Within Me was a punishing punch to the face as the light panels wrapping around the stage flashed blue and purple images of waves and lightning strikes.
Ramos, whose vocals are legendary within the metal scene, was in peak performance condition. For eight plus minutes, he put his entire vocal range on display and often encouraged the Madison audience to sing along. To his left, Adam DeMicco stood tall on the catwalk, taking in the insanity of the general admission floor, but when it came time to perform “Unbreakable,” his incredible playing took over. Whether it was a solo or the infectious riff that repeatedly looped and tickled the eardrum, DeMicco was firing on all cylinders and never let up.
Lorna Shore cruised through “War Machine,” which also featured Nick Chance on guest vocals, to get to “Sun//Eater.” Before they launched into the popular song, Ramos took time to speak to the crowd as the stage lighting flipped to a deep orange. He told the crowd to split down the middle like Moses, forming a wall of death. The eager crowd wasted no time doing just that, and the band instantly launched into the chaotic anthem with Ramos and bassist Michael Yager unleashing hellish screams. The track is easily one of the most beloved by fans and was perfectly placed early in the evening. It kept everyone guessing what was coming next.
Ramos stated, “Everyone thank the security. These guys are keeping you alive. Now get the fuck up here already.” Lorna Shore launched into “Cursed To Die” and then “In Darkness.” The mosh pit was massive and full of bodies slamming into each other, while the front of it picked people up in a constant flow of crowd surfers. Security lined the front of the barricade and caught each one of them. Even through the brief breaks between songs, the crowd never slowed down.
Pushing into “Glenwood,” Ramos proudly proclaimed that the song was about leaving home. The track kept the brutality pounding, but not nearly as much as “Prison of Flesh.” Guitarist Andrew O’Connor spent most of the show standing back behind the catwalk along the front of the stage. This time, however, he moved forward and helped deliver the heavy, backbreaking sound that makes Lorna Shore a premier deathcore band. His long hair covering his face added to his cool and calm composure. The guitar duo complemented each other well, especially with the most merciless breakdown in the band’s catalog attributed to “Prison of Flesh.” Ending this section with something so heavy was the perfect touch.
After a few moments, Ramos walked back onto the stage to address the crowd. “If you hear the thunder, I’m about to give some bad fucking news. This is our last song, but it’s a pretty fucking long one because it’s a trilogy. It’ll be like we are playing the whole set all over again. Not too bad, right?”
The Pain Remains trilogy, “Pain Remains I: Dance Like Flames,” “Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear,” and “Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire,” is a twenty-two-minute odyssey of deathcore mixed with black and technical death metal. The symphonic backing tracks and additional synthesizers added layers of depth to their already rich sound. These songs are also where drummer Austin Archey truly shines. His skill is well known within the genre, and not once did he slip or fall out of time. Archey is a human drum machine perched high above the stage. He often shared glances with Yager as they played in complete unison. DeMicco also showcased his technical ability with finger tapping, picking, and sweeping.
Check out the Lorna Shore concert photo gallery here:
Lorna Shore was flawless, but all good things must come to an end. After multiple walls of death, waves of crowd surfers, and a sea of cell phone lights, the band walked off the stage, only to return for one final song, “To The Hellfire.” The breakout track from the … And I Return To Nothingness EP once again showcased Ramos’s full vocal range and power. From gutturals to pig squeals, it was all on display.
Lorna Shore is easily one of the most intense live acts going. The merchandise stand was packed as the line grew and began to wrap around the venue. The Madison crowd did not want to leave. Those who did stepped outside to take photos beneath the still-glowing marquee. The band’s rapid growth over the past few years is a direct result of both their records and their live performances. You could not ask for more. This touring package is full of raw energy and relentless intensity. It is not a show to miss.
Catch Lorna Shore on the Road…
