This isn't the first time I've heard of Worm Shepherd, nor their blackened style of modern deathcore. What originally pulled me in were their album covers, especially their 2024 LP "Hunger." I never listened to it, but I've always had bands and albums like that on the backburner. It's time for Worm Shepard to come off the back burner, as their newest EP, "Dawn of the Iconoclast," is set to be released tomorrow. The oil paint album artwork hits my eyes once again, and I'm finally ready to let it hit my ears.

"The Omen" starts as bombastically as you can get. Ian growls in unison with a chorus, but the chorus fades with a little piano ditty. The deathcore unleashes in its typical fashion, and there are so many breakdowns in a row. The neoclassical guitar solo after it is just another ingredient to this symphonic breakfest. Every downtuned chug feels like a brick falling square on your temple, and they hit even harder with a split-second of silence in between. You'd think the track ends at around 3:40, but as at least six more breakdowns occur back after back, you're thinking the song'll never end. Breakdown count? ~15. "Soulless Lament" taps into the blackened aspects of deathcore, especially the drumming and a stronger melody, plus some epic guitar work. The vocalist is clearly gargling chunks of marble here, but I don't really care. Breakdown count? ~12. "Feast" brings back the choir, but Worm Shepherd is breathing down your neck the entire time. "Feast" would make a great single track for this EP, but the single is coming soon. The symphonic elements play a bigger part in the song's composition, and there's even a bass and drum-only segment. Breakdown count? ~not a lot.

"Sanctified Rot," while shorter, with its angular riffage and classically-inspired melodies, is, well, pretty alright. I'm concerned about the lack of breakdowns in the last two tracks, but I sense that they may be saved for the seven-minute album-ending track, "Whispers of a Buried Land." Breakdown count? ~5. Finally, the aforementioned "Whispers of a Buried Land" wraps things up. Seven minutes and twenty-five seconds consists of equal parts deathcore and equal parts atmosphere. The last two minutes of this track are Heaven for a deathcore lover. For me? It's more like Limbo. Breakdown count? ~9

Sure, it's epic, and it sure is deathcore all right. Worm Shepherd's "Dawn of the Iconoclast" is a textbook symphonic/blackened deathcore EP, and I'm sure their sizable fanbase will dig it. I counted around FOURTY-ONE breakdowns, and I am not Sherlock Holmes when it comes to keeping track of stuff like that. I didn't even include two songs in that final tally. This is a tad ridiculous for me.