Written by Jesse James Smith

I have known about Lives Lost for a couple years now as they’ve been climbing the local ladder for sometime. For those who aren’t aware of them yet, Lives Lost is a post hardcore/Metalcore band from Hershey, PA. Emerging in 2021, the band has been putting in massive amounts of work to be a competitive band in the scene. Having very emotionally charged lyrics dripped in vulnerability, they do a very good job in connecting with their listener and with every release they get closer to perfecting their sound. They just release their newest EP titled Home and I think this just landed them in the top of their foodchain.

Lives Lost does a really good job in blending some older style influences with what is connecting today, and this EP is the perfect blend. First off, this is their best production as far as quality goes. The mix is so classic but not dated. This gives a ‘from the heart’ vibe where it’s familiar yet it has cleaner vocal production and better song structure. The EP leads off with the song ‘CHIN UP KID’ which is a personal victory song. Offering inspiration from experience and lending hope to those who need to hear ‘keep going’ from someone else. But this song is where you get the first taste of the nostalgic vibe. Another stand out track is ‘NUMB THE PAIN’ which seems to be the most popular track. This vibe is where they dip into the Modern Rock world where it’s less on the heavy side in terms of what is heavy in metalcore, and more on the fast paced and energetic side. It reminds me of a mid 2000’s Emo band’s deep cut, where it’s a little faster and more aggressive than the singles but it’s the one everyone likes. Still, it blends in nicely with their songs and shows a more dynamic side to the band. To hammer in the ‘Rock’ vibe of this song, it features a sweet guitar solo towards the end. It’s a lost art. The last song is my favorite song, which is ‘Found’. For me, there was something so captivating to me about early We Came As Romans and bands like that when they would drop into this powerful verse that would feel like a breakdown with more production. It was always that magical moment that I felt transcended to a different place with the music. This song has that and gave me that same feeling. It is the perfect song to end the EP with and it also features one of the best vocalist to ever do it, Kellin Quinn.

Lives Lost is moving up quickly and this EP is such a strong release to have on your back as you move. This showcased the best parts of the band in great quality tracks. As far as locally, I think they solidified their name amongst the top and are a force to be reckoned with. They’re getting out of the area and moving up and down the coast which is the next step for them for sure. If they keep pushing hard and keep experimenting with ways to promote their great music, I can see them getting somewhere. The foundation they’ve built is perfect and strong, I think this EP will be the start of building the house. Maybe that’s why it’s called Home.

EP REVIEW: Lives Lost - “HOME EP”

SONG REVIEW: firerband - “Orbit”