Album Review: Lives Lost – A Portrait of Loss

by James Buckey

Lives Lost seems to punch above their weight class every time out, and their newest EP “A Portrait of Loss” is no exception. Before breaking down every track on this super digestible and accessible offering from the Hershey, PA outfit, it’s worth giving the whole project its flowers where it’s deserved. The songwriting and composition of every track off APOL feel both deliberate and natural. Lyrically, lead singer Tanis Pellegrini takes no moments off, allowing his instrument to sit at the front of the mix and pull everything else along in tow.

 

 

The opening track, “Insomniac”, seems to waltz back and forth between your ears if you let it. Vocally a lot is happening without seeming muddy or overproduced, and this really powers up the ultra-somber lyrics even more. At times the words land right on the beat, and at other times it feels like the guitar chords echo back to what’s being sung. Genuinely a heartfelt take at one of the many sides of Lives Lost.

 

 

Taking no breaks, the next track “Jonny Romeo” kicks the tempo up alongside all of the fantastic post-hardcore tendencies that can be found throughout the EP. Slick guitar play bounces back and forth with tricky drumming, neither overpowering nor getting lost with the vocals. Both harsh and clean vocals also tag in and out, but where this track and the whole EP shine is when they are in tandem. The next track, “Equivalent Exchange” holds this true as well. Tanis seems to have a really solid groove as it pertains to fitting the lyrics into the songs – perhaps a testament to the band as a whole and their creative process. Toward the end of the track, the guitar reverts to a light crisp tone against what is a very bass-heavy track, seeming to trampoline on top of the subtones underneath.

 

 

Rounding out APOL, track 4 borrows vibes from the opening track and the rest of the songs. “Webs (En Memoria)” It’s less urgent at first than the pace set by the previous couple of songs, and a little lighter tonically as well. That’s not to say it lacks the kick-to-the-teeth that is typical in a Lives Lost tune. The chorus is very anthemic and half-time feeling, amplified by softer moments. At 3:30, Tanis breaks out multiple gears in his screams – shades of Shane Told, or Beau Bokan.

 

Floor toms, thick kick drums, and a very swagger-inducing rhythm bring the EP home with the title track, “A Portrait of Loss”. It doesn’t take long before the song evolves from pop-punk sensibilities into the heavier themes of the EP. This one in particular feels BIG, like something you’d put behind an action movie trailer. More diverse screaming shines here, solidifying a really solid archetype for what Lives Lost is, wrapped up in one song. “A Portrait of Loss” (both the song and EP) end with a clenched fist, gritted teeth, and a poised stance, feeling like the grand finale of a fireworks display. As the last chord rings out, you know for certain you’ve listened to something with barrels of sweat and boxes of effort invested.

Lives Lost was formed in secret in the summer of 2019 by Frontman/Principle songwriter Tanis Pellegrini (formerly of regional metalcore standouts Lasciaté), with the sole purpose of writing music that combined his favorite things about his favorite bands into something he wanted to listen to. Tanis scoured for local musicians that he felt strongly embodied his vision. Friend and drummer Alan Thompson and guitarist Aaron Perry joined Lives Lost.

With a fully formed lineup and an EP out, Lives Lost continues on to change the world through art. Billed as a high-energy, unique rock band. Lives Lost brings a genre-bending sound to the stage making each performance unique. Throughout their tenure as a band, they have shared the stage with artists such as Alesana, Defiant, Eternal Frequency, Hinder, If Not For Me, Ignite, Jimmies Chicken Shack, Lyndhurst, Palisades, Small Town Titans, Softspoken, Vampires Everywhere, and VRSTY, and more!

Of their sound, Pellegrini opines, “I’d say we have the catchiness of Silverstein, the aggressiveness of Beartooth, the radio feel of some of the heavy-hitting octane bands such as Nothing More, and the prog/technical ambition of Coheed & Cambria!”