Shores of Null – The Loss of Beauty

Written by on 23-03-2023 at 18:45.

My heart leaps for joy, the new Shores of Null album is on our promo list waiting for a review. I am not familiar with the band, but it is the support act for Swallow The Sun and Draconian on the 6th of April, 2022 (Doornroosje, Nijmegen), which I obviously do not want to miss. And how nice is it when you already know the music before watching it live. It often makes the experience more complete, because the whole performance is easier to follow. Now I must say that I of course realize that the Italians will not only play songs from The Loss of Beauty but I also consider it as an advantage to get more acquainted with it now. Dutch reviews on Zware Metalen of the previous albums were Quiescence, Black Drapes For Tomorrow and Beyond The Shores (On Death And Dying)

According to the promo, we can expect an album that is just a bit faster than its predecessors in terms of tempo, but still sounds melancholic and dark. Harmonious vocals and deep grunts in a jacket that varies from black/death metal to doom/gothic. Those are quite a few different styles, is our first thought. This work is highly recommended for fans of Enslaved, Amorphis and Paradise Lost. You understand that we’re going to take our time for this one.

With nothing less than 56 minutes, there was apparently enough inspiration for The Loss of Beauty. That immediately raises the question of whether the album remains interesting enough over its whole length. As indicated, next to a deep grunt we can also hear clean vocals on this album. In any case, this is good for the variety. It’s hard to imagine that both types of vocals come from Davide Straccione. A very nice and warm timbre has his clean vocals, especially enjoyable when a melancholy guitar line emerges, like for example during the end of The Last Flower. Immediately after the intro Transitory, Destination Woe follows, which does not seem like a very complex song in its essence, but is an instant earworm due to the loudly roaring chorus. Extraordinary is the fact that the clean vocals are not limited to the desperate sob, but go on an adventure several times. We can also hear powerful vocals and a full palette of sounds that goes a bit more toward the classically oriented heavy metal vocals. This is clearly audible in a song like Darkness Won’t Take Me. His grunt, on the other hand, fits more in the doomdeath genre. Sometimes there is a sharper edge to it, so that we almost move towards black metal. It is the fact that the instrumentation gives off a constant stream of gothic and doom impulses to avoid pure black. Particularly captivating is Nothing Left To Burn, where a tragic epic in the vein of My Dying Bride is expressed.

 
The whole record continues to sound quite firm and solid, as we had hoped. The drummer knows when he has to increase the tempo. And under the influence of the very melodic guitar riffs, an intense listening experience is guaranteed. And how wonderful that this band dares to experiment, for example during the end of Old Scars. A strong grunt with an underlying screaming grunt in combination with melancholic guitar work guarantees an interesting ending. We can hardly believe our ears when The First Son breaks open the second part of this special album with classical instruments. What we get to hear is nothing less than a beautiful and moving interplay between violin and piano. We think it’s a great idea to open a live show with this.

A Nature In Disguise kicks off with gritty guitar work to continue with melancholic heavy dark doom metal. We make this up at this very moment, but no other interpretation is appropriate here. After some solid grunts that complete the clean vocals, some raspy black metal screams are added. This song can be heard as a story in itself. Sometimes oversimplified, but well thought out, Shores of Null shows his many faces here. Wonderful! A song like My Darkest Years lets the rhythm section blast once again. In the meantime, the voice of Davide Straccione doesn´t let us go, what a wide vocal range this man has. Every note sounds like a shot straight in the heart, which then also bleeds for that beautiful melancholy effect on the guitar.

Until the end, the Italians remain consistent in what they do best, which is to play very varied metal that covers a wide range of genres. Genres that have been tried by many bands to combine or merge, but which in many cases do not work out very well. We think it’s great that it worked out on The Loss of Beauty. As said, it is an album with many faces, a true chameleon, that shows the best of heavy, doom, dark, gothic, death, and a pinch of black metal. The musicians of this band are playing at the very highest level and it is unprecedented what this band is capable of. Often we really think we have heard everything, but Shores of Null plays with the psyche, and the emotions, defies fate, and grabs you firmly by the throat. Every now and then you get a pat on the head only to be suddenly rattled. The open-minded metal fan will appreciate this work very much, and so will your reviewer of course. It can’t be April the 6th soon enough for me.

Score:

94/100

Label:

Spikerot Records, 2023

Tracklisting:

1. Transitory
2. Destination Woe
3. The Last Flower
4. Darkness Won’t Take Me
5. Nothing Left To Burn
6. Old Scars
7. The First Son
8. A Nature In Disguise
9. My Darkest Years
10. Fading As One
11. A New Death Is Born
12. Underwater Oddity
13. Blazing Sunlight

Line-up:

  • Davide Straccione – Vocalen
  • Gabriele Giaccari – Gitaren
  • Raffaele Colace – Gitaren
  • Matteo Capozucca – Bas
  • Emiliano Cantiano – Drums

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