As musical evolution continues, another powerful hybrid has arisen. With crazed speed metal as their father and candid, in-your-face hardcore as an evil, molesting step-uncle, speedy rhythms and guileless screaming vocals have returned to favor in the underground music scene -- or perhaps they were just visiting a psychiatric clinic for a few years. Either way, this wicked genre has coddled a new generation of disenchanted youth, as well as making some of us recall our youthful days of musical violence.
Running along with the likes of The Dillinger Escape Plan and Drowningman, Geneva, Switzerland's Shora are neck and neck with the aforementioned groups' use of uncanny tempo changes and vicious percussive swings -- not to mention the distorted mayhem that results. Your first immediate experience with Shora is "A Deviance," which slams down a buzzing whirlwind of guitars and crashing drums that abruptly synchronize in an explosive bit of raging hatred. It's so powerful that you'll cock your head in befuddled shock and either reach for the remote to mute the stereo or crank the volume as high as it'll go. Shora tentatively balances between the chaos of Skullflower and the polished precision of Botch as a rush of all things unrelaxing hastily eclipses "Drowned Beauty"'s cascading space-guitar noise. This unmitigated funnel of high-impact energy will sweep across your stereo like a rampant tornado ripping through an Omaha trailer park, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake.
The only complaint that can be made about Shaping the Random is that there's just not enough to go around. You're flogged by several rounds of well-honed metalcore -- stuff that's solid enough to stand up to anyone else working in the genre -- but there's still a distinct lack of satisfaction when the last track comes to its brisk ending. However, that's no reason not to immediately grab a copy of Shaping the Random, as anyone in need of a little musical abuse will stumble away from a Shora listening session with bloody eyes, bruised lips and a wavering grin of satisfaction.
