interview Shores Of Null
Shores Of Null has been around since 2013. Their breakthrough album The Loss of Beauty from 2023 opened up new possibilities for them. A big reflection was in 2024 when they performed at the Hellfest festival, where they became a household name in the metal world. Before the new album comes out, we'll do a light interview so that (we - you) can learn more about this band.
Alan - Hello to Italy.
Raffaele - Hello Alan, it's a pleasure to be here, and greetings to all the readers of Magazine.
Alan - One big question. How did you get together? Who was at the beginning? Who is in the current line-up? And did the band members play or are they still actively playing in other bands?
Raffaele - The band officially formed in 2013. Gabriele and I started working together by exchanging ideas and song drafts. Once we had completed writing a potential album, we shared the songs with Davide, who really appreciated them. Soon after, Emiliano and Matteo joined, forming the line-up that still stands today. Each of us had previous experiences in other bands: for example, Davide played in the stoner band Zippo; Gabriele in The Orange Man Theory, a band blending death metal and hardcore, and he is currently collaborating as a touring member with The Foreshadowing. Emiliano has always collaborated with various bands, bringing his experience to multiple projects, while Matteo played in a band called Il Grande Scisma D’Oriente, which explored unique sounds. As for me, I played in Mens Phrenetica.
Even today, the line-up remains the original one, although there are times when we need substitutes for certain live shows or are joined by an additional guitarist. Notably, Lorenzo Carlini from Invernoir replaced Matteo on bass for most of the tour with Swallow The Sun, Draconian, and Avatarium, and he later accompanied us in several live performances as a third guitarist. Leonardo Sapio (Thecodontion) also helped us with some shows and tours, playing bass when Matteo was unavailable.
Alan - How do you currently stand in metal in Italy and the rest of the world?
Raffaele - In Italy, we feel part of a scene that, while not huge, is filled with talented and dedicated bands. Abroad, especially in Europe, we’ve received great feedback, thanks in part to tours that allowed us to reach a wider audience. In 2023, we toured with Swallow The Sun, as I mentioned earlier, which was an incredible opportunity to play in front of an audience aligned with our music. In 2024, we performed at major festivals in Europe, such as Rock Imperium and Hellfest, in USA at 70Ktons of metal, alongside a tour in Finland and several dates across Italy and Europe. We’re starting to see the fruits of years of hard work, but there’s still so much to do.
Alan - You've released 4 albums in your existence. One of them is acoustic. Can you describe it a little bit?
Raffaele - Actually, we’ve released five albums so far, including “Quiet Whispers.” It’s an acoustic album recorded live at Traffic Garden in Rome. This was during the post-pandemic period when restrictions on concerts were still in place, so we decided to reinterpret some of our songs acoustically. The setlist included tracks from our first two albums and an acoustic version of an excerpt from “Beyond The Shores.” The idea was to create something intimate, showcasing a different dimension of our music. It was an experiment we truly appreciated, and it allowed us to return to live performances after months of restrictions.
Alan – You have one special thing between the third and fourth albums. It's a bit complicated. On the other hand, you could say that it's also a bit funny. Tell us more about why the fourth album was supposed to be released as the third.
Raffaele - “The Loss of Beauty” was originally meant to be our third album. It was already completed when we decided to write and record “Beyond The Shores,” a more experimental project. At the time, we were at odds with our label, Candlelight, which wanted a third album, but we were dissatisfied with the support we received for “Black Drapes For Tomorrow.” So, we decided to create something entirely different to break free from that contract. Fortunately, we managed to end the agreement and found ourselves with two albums ready around the same time. The pandemic then changed our plans: we chose to release “Beyond The Shores” first, as it felt more fitting for that introspective period—a single 38-minute track that required focused listening. “The Loss of Beauty” came later, when things were returning to normal.
Alan – Speaking of funny things. Do you have any funny stories from your existence?
Raffaele - During the tour with Swallow The Sun, at the end of each concert, we would close the show with an outro sent directly from the control booth. During the same tour, while on the tour bus, we often sang a very famous Finnish song together with Swallow The Sun, which we found particularly amusing. At the end of the final concert, when we were expecting the usual outro one last time, Matti, the tour's sound engineer, decided to play that Finnish song instead, giving us a moment of pure fun. It was a memorable evening, the last of a tour that I will surely remember for the rest of my life.
Alan – Let's take a look at your songs, not just from the last album. Do you have, say, 7 songs that you could tell more about? I'll give you an example. We thought that this song would be more of an addition to the album, and the surprise for us was that people wanted us to play it the most. Similar or different stories about your top 7 songs?
Raffaele - Each song represents a piece of our history, reflecting both personal experiences and the musical evolution of the band. Let me tell you something about seven specific tracks.
"Quiescent" is one of the most representative tracks from our debut album. It combines melancholy and power, and it was one of the first pieces where we found our balance between heavy and melodic parts. For us, it remains a symbol of our roots and the path we’ve taken as a band. I don’t think we’ve ever played a live show without including it.
"A New Death Is Born" was a track we initially didn’t include in our live sets until we played it for the first time and felt its powerful impact as a closing song. It’s powerful, evocative, fast, and melodic. Right now, it’s my favorite track to close a show.
"My Darkest Years" is inspired by my grandfather’s story during World War II when he survived thanks to the help of a woman in Greece. This song allows me to feel strong emotions at every concert because of how personal the story is to me. Davide’s vocal lines perfectly capture the pain and hope contained in this story.
"The Last Flower" is one of the most significant tracks from The Loss of Beauty. It tells the story of a world where only one flower remains, symbolizing the beauty we must preserve. It’s certainly one of the songs that has resonated the most with audiences, and it’s currently our most-viewed track on YouTube.
"House of Cries" is a desperate track that begins with a blast beat before descending into dark and melancholic melodies. It tells the story of an old asylum and is a song we’ve played less often in recent times. It’s one of my personal favorites, though I feel it has reached fewer listeners. We tend to play it when sharing the stage with black-metal-oriented bands or during darker-themed evenings. I hope to bring it back to festivals in the future.
"Ruins Alive" is another track from our debut album and is a song we enjoy playing at every opportunity. Our fans particularly appreciate it for its fast pace and melancholic melodies. It’s one of our signature tracks.
"Beyond the Shores (On Death and Dying)" was a special project, a single 38-minute composition. It was conceived as an emotional journey, exploring the five stages of grief inspired by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s book On Death and Dying. Its unconventional structure allowed us to push beyond the limits of our usual style, including orchestral arrangements and moments of pure introspection.
Alan – So the reflection in the awareness of the metal crew was mainly Hellfest. Where did you play there, who did you meet? And what did it give to you? European tour, possibility to play in USA – Japan?
Raffaele - At Hellfest, we had the honor of performing on the Temple Stage, one of the most iconic stages for our genre. It was an incredible experience from the moment we arrived: the atmosphere was unique, and we immersed ourselves in what truly is a paradise for metalheads. Playing in such a setting, surrounded by some of the best bands in the global scene, was a moment of great pride for us.
We met many artists we admire, sharing experiences and stories. It was also an important opportunity to create professional connections: festivals of this caliber allow you to be noticed not only by the audience but also by industry professionals.
At the beginning of 2024, we performed at 70000 Tons of Metal, but that was our only experience outside of Europe so far. Participating in major festivals like Hellfest, Rock Imperium, and 70000 Tons is part of our journey to expand our horizons.
We hope to perform all over the world in the future, but it's a long road ahead.
Alan – Our readers are mainly from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Do you know any bands from these two countries? And do you know any festivals in these two countries?
Raffaele - We’ve had the chance to play in both Prague and Bratislava a few times before, including at MetalGate Czech Death Fest in 2022. That show was especially meaningful as it marked our very first performance abroad after the pandemic. One day, we’d love to play Brutal Assault at it’s truly one of the best festivals out there right now. While I’m not an expert on Czech and Slovakian bands, I’ve come across some incredible acts from that area, like Malokarpatan and Cult of Fire. We also played a few times at the same festivals with Gutalax, that was a fun experience to say the least.
Alan – Your live recording, won´t it be released on LP/CD?
Raffaele - At the moment, we do not plan to release the live recording on LP but there will be probably a CD version. It will also be available in digital format to make it more accessible to our audience. We believe the digital format is the most immediate and practical way to share this performance, especially for fans who couldn’t see us live.
That said, our Hellfest live performance has been made fully available on Thunderflix, offering fans a chance to relive that experience. We will consider physical release options only if there is significant demand or if we can create a product with added value for our supporters.
Alan – It’s probably too early to ask, but when will you prepare for a new album?
Raffaele – We are actually already working on new ideas and in the pre-production phase for our next album. Many tracks are already in an advanced stage, and we are starting to record them as demos to refine the arrangements. However, we don’t have a precise release date yet because we like to take the necessary time to ensure every detail is well-crafted.
The goal is to create something consistent with our identity while introducing new elements to our sound. We are exploring different solutions and arrangements to push the boundaries of our usual style while staying true to our musical essence. We hope to share some previews with our audience soon!
Alan – Thanks for the interview. We’ll do another interview with the new album, or if you go to concerts in the Czech Republic or Slovakia. We’ll see.
Raffaele - It was a pleasure, Alan! We’d be happy to do another interview when we have updates on the next album or for any shows in your area. It would be great to meet the readers of Hell Magazine directly in front of the stage. A warm greeting to you and all the fans in the Czech Republic and Slovakia!
