Born of Osiris - Through Shadows

Progressive metalcore juggernauts Born of Osiris return with Through Shadows, set to be released on July 11, 2025, their seventh full-length effort and arguably their most dynamic and focused album since 2011’s The Discovery. Released via Sumerian Records, the record fuses the band’s hallmark blend of djent-laced riffing, virtuosic synths, and philosophical lyricism with a newfound emotional resonance and cohesion, elevating their sound for a modern era of metalcore.

From the moment “Seppuku” opens the album with an atmospheric swirl of electronic sound bytes and machine-gun riffs, Through Shadows reveals itself as a fully realized sonic odyssey. The track seethes with technical complexity and spiritual anguish, channelling themes of self-sacrifice and rebirth. It’s a powerful declaration that Born of Osiris is back with sharpened intent.

The album's lead single and title track, “Through Shadows,” captures the essence of the album’s emotional arc—lush layers of orchestration underlie brutal breakdowns and sweeping choruses. Vocalist Ronnie Canizaro’s snarling growls are in perfect harmony with the blistering chugging guitars, a hallmark that’s matured impressively over the years. The accompanying music video further explores the lyrical metaphor of emerging from psychological darkness into clarity.

“The War That You Are” and “Inverno” tread into more introspective territory, combining philosophical musing with mechanical precision. The former touches on internalized conflict, while the latter draws inspiration from seasonal desolation, set against one of the most cinematic backdrops the band has ever written, driven by an immensely grooving bassline.

The following tracks like “A Mind Short Circuiting” and “Torchbearer,” show Born of Osiris at their most technically dazzling, but never at the expense of feeling. The rhythm sections, anchored by drummer Cameron Losch’s polymetric wizardry, propels the two songs with mechanical tightness, while Lee McKinney’s (his final album with the band) and Nick Rossi's guitars remain as intricate and emotive as they've ever been.

A standout moment arrives with the song “Activated,” which features Spencer Chamberlain of Underoath. Chamberlain’s tortured screams and post-hardcore energy blend surprisingly well with Born of Osiris’ digital and technical chaos, making the track a highlight of both experimentation and catharsis.

Lyrically, Through Shadows leans heavily into the duality of struggle and ascension. “Dark Fable” conjures mythic imagery to comment on the stories we tell ourselves to survive. Whereas the album's closing track, “Blackwater,” is the most progressive song on the record, it wraps the album in a sense of cyclical rebirth, ending not with finality, but with reflective stillness.

With Through Shadows, Born of Osiris has found a compelling balance between evolution and core identity. The album is both a return to form and a forward leap, loaded with blistering technicality, introspective lyrics, and grandiose melodies. It’s the sound of a band refusing to stagnate—refining their craft while pushing themselves into deeper, darker, and ultimately more transcendent territory.