My Epic

Loriella

After five years of relative silence, North Carolina alternative rockers My Epic are finally back and better than ever. Although they signed to Tooth & Nail Records in 2020, they chose to spend the last few years working hard and re-entering the scene with what is arguably their best studio release to date, Loriella.

The context in which this album is being released is important. The last time we had heard from My Epic was their 2019 EP, Violence. At the risk of understating the obvious, our world changed a good deal between 2019 and 2024. Additionally during that time, members of the band also became fathers and “moved around personally and professionally,” according to the record label.

Furthermore, My Epic fans have not received a full album from the band since 2013’s Behold (another fantastic release). The band has set the bar incredibly high for themselves this time around, thinking back to 2010’s smash hit, Yet, and even further back with I Am Undone, their underrated album from 2008.

Long-time fans of My Epic know them for their quite unique sound in the alternative rock space. Frontman Aaron Stone has a beautiful, sometimes haunting voice that has become a signature of the band’s sound, often juxtaposed with crunchy guitar riffs, lilting piano melodies, groovy riffs, and hard-hitting drums that serve the song just what it needs—never too overpowering, but always forceful enough.

So how does Loriella fit into My Epic’s discography and where does the band seem to be standing in 2024? Let’s talk about it.

An arguably perfect opener, the finger-picking guitar work and crisp, beautifully delivered vocals in “Late Bloomer” set the tone for the rest of the album. The heavily layered vocal harmonies placed strategically throughout the track draw out a full chorus effect at times. Despite the lack of heavy guitars and the song’s minimal drums, its open spirit and subtle build manage to prime listeners quite well for what’s to come. From there, we’re led into “Wildflowers,” where we get the groovy riffs and catchy hooks that we’ve come to love from My Epic.

“Old Magic” has to be the perfect encapsulation of what My Epic is trying to achieve sonically. Opening with a guitar riff that is impossible to not bob your head to, it transitions smoothly into the verse that feels more ethereal, and then somehow manages to fall right back into that same opening guitar riff and keep the whole thing moving. Chef’s kiss on this one.

Another standout track on Loriella is “Northstar.” Bringing in thick vocal harmonies alongside some subtle-but-powerful stringed instrumentals makes the heavy guitar strums hit that much harder.

If this album has a weak point, it’s that it feels a little front-loaded. My Epic certainly saved their best tracks for first on Loriella, as it slows down on the back half. That’s not to say any of these songs don’t belong—on the contrary, they are still very compelling tracks in almost every way. But when compared to what we’ve heard already in the first half, it does feel like it starts to lose momentum with tracks like “Phantom Limb,” which is not a slow song necessarily, but not quite as dynamically interesting as other tracks, and “Make Believe.”

Despite the album’s shift, “Heavy Heart” remains an exquisite conclusion for Loriella, completing and satisfying the journey from the beginning of the album to the end.

“The record is about having lived long enough to lose your innocence and still being able to find joy, hope, peace, and faith.”

And what a journey Loriella really is. Both musically and lyrically, it showcases the maturity and growth of the band when compared to My Epic’s other phenomenal work. Listeners are treated to the same introspective and poetic writing style that they’ve come to know and love from this band. The term “Christian rock” certainly carries its baggage with it, especially in today’s religious and political climate. While there are certain songs in My Epic’s catalogue that could be sung in almost any contemporary church today, Loriella approaches faith-based themes with an incredibly human perspective—something the band has always done well.

“The record is about having lived long enough to lose your innocence and still being able to find joy, hope, peace, and faith,” frontman Aaron Stone said about Loriella. “I can be a critical person, but there’s a difference between being critical and cynical. I understand why people end up choosing cynicism, because sometimes it can seem like the best way to make sense of all the data in the world–but I think cynicism is death. It’s part of my aim to fight cynicism at every turn. The album is about discovery and re-engaging life with purpose on new terms of your own.”

Listening to new My Epic in 2024 feels like sinking into a warm bath after a long day. It is certainly good to see them return so strongly after several years of silence.