Shores of Null – Homesick (2026) (Dusktone)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
“I think Homesick is meant to be experienced as a whole rather than as a collection of separate songs. It is a record that moves through different emotional states: longing, loss, anger, vulnerability, and the need to find a place to belong. We wanted it to feel immersive, with songs that can hit hard in the moment but also reveal more of themselves over repeated listens.
The singles will offer different entry points into the album, each showing a different side of its sound and emotional weight. But the full picture only comes together when you listen to the record from beginning to end. Hopefully, it will be an intense and personal experience for anyone willing to spend time with it.” – Davide Straccione – Vocals – Shores of Null
For fans of Paradise Lost, Amorphis, Swallow The Sun, Katatonia, Borknagar
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Album Title: Homesick
Release Date: October 16, 2026
Label: Dusktone
Genre: Gothic Doom Metal / Melodic Death Doom Metal
Location of Band: Rome, Italy
Track Listing:
1. Allies Before Defeat – 4:35
2. Two Mountains – 4:34
3. Bleed to Life – 4:09
4. Homesick – 5:31
5. Son of the Tide – 4:18
6. Dreaming of a Scar – 5:08
7. Society Is the Murderer – 4:30
8. The Numbing Void – 6:18
9. Another Breath – 3:52
10. Disappear – 4:33
Album Length: 47:32
Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Shores Of Null
• All songs written by: Gabriele Giaccari and Raffaele Colace
• All lyrics by: Davide Straccione (except ‘Allies Before Defeat’ by Matteo Capozucca)
• Produced by: Shores Of Null and Marco Mastrobuono
• Mixed by: Marco Mastrobuono
• Mastered by: Marco Mastrobuono
• Album Artwork by: Brooke Shaden
Album and Live Band Line-up:
Davide Straccione – Vocals
Gabriele Giaccari – Guitars
Raffaele Colace – Guitars
Matteo Capozucca – Bass
Emiliano Cantiano – Drums
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About The Album Artwork:
Some artworks illustrate an album. Others seem to have been waiting for it. That’s exactly how we felt when we discovered Reflection: Departed, a piece by photographer and visual artist Brooke Shaden from her Begin Again series, which we ultimately chose as the cover artwork for Homesick. The artwork portrays a figure climbing through an empty frame, leaving behind shattered pieces of glass on the ground. As Brooke describes it, the frame represents the way we frame our lives and the places we look to in search of belonging and a sense of self. But here the glass is shattered, and the frame stands empty. Is she breaking free from her cage, or becoming trapped even further inside it? That ambiguity resonates deeply with the concept of Homesick. The album revolves around the contradiction contained within the idea of homesickness itself: the longing to return to something familiar, while knowing that what we call “home” may also be the source of our pain. Throughout the record, home becomes something far more complex than a physical place. It can be a person, a memory, a state of mind, or a former version of ourselves. It can comfort us, but it can also haunt us. The artwork captures that tension beautifully. The figure is neither arriving nor leaving, neither free nor imprisoned, suspended between departure and return, much like the emotional space inhabited by the songs themselves. For us, nostalgia is not simply a refuge. It is also the courage to face the past and the realization that, however painful it may be, our history is what ultimately shaped who we are.
About the album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
Lyrically, Homesick revolves around the idea of belonging and the complicated relationship we have with the places, people, memories, and experiences that shaped us. At its core lies the contradiction contained within the very idea of homesickness: the longing to return to something familiar while knowing that what we call “home” may also be the source of our pain. Many of the songs deal with nostalgia, loss, trauma, mortality, acceptance, and the difficult process of reconciling with our past rather than escaping from it. There is also a recurring sense of cycles throughout the record: tides, seasons, memories and emotions constantly returning, reminding us that some things never truly leave us, but perhaps can eventually be understood and embraced.
Musically, I think Homesick represents the most mature and focused version of Shores Of Null so far. The different elements that have always been part of our sound now coexist more naturally than ever before, always serving the emotional core of the songs rather than existing for their own sake. The result is probably our most intimate and emotionally honest record to date, but also one of our heaviest and most dynamic. At the same time, it contains some of the catchiest and most memorable melodies we’ve ever written, like‘Bleed To Life’ or ‘Two Mountains’. It is an album that lives in contrasts: light and darkness, comfort and danger, despair and acceptance, departure and return. Sounds like home.
Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
1. ALLIES BEFORE DEFEAT
This was always meant to be the opening track of the album. It immediately establishes the emotional direction of Homesick, combining explosive energy with a deep sense of melancholy. Lyrically, it explores the complex relationship between love, support, suffering, and separation, and was written by our bassist Matteo Capozucca.
2. TWO MOUNTAINS
Probably the catchiest song we’ve ever written. The lyrics are inspired by the Legend of Maja, an ancient story from Abruzzo, the region where I was born and still live today. It’s a tale of maternal love, grief, and sacrifice that has been passed down through generations and remains deeply rooted in the identity of our land.
3. BLEED TO LIFE
One of the most aggressive and in-your-face songs on the record, but also one of the most melodic. The song revolves around the idea that pain, sacrifice and suffering are not only things we endure, but experiences that shape who we become and ultimately bring us closer to life itself.
4. HOMESICK
The first song ever written for the album and the one that gave the entire record its title and emotional core. It explores the idea of home as something deeply ambiguous: a place of comfort and belonging, but also of fear, pain, and memories we can never fully leave behind.
5. SON OF THE TIDE
Built around crushing growl-driven verses and an epic chorus, the song explores themes of solitude, destiny and belonging through imagery connected to the sea, which becomes a metaphor for the forces that shape our lives and the paths we inherit rather than choose.
6. DREAMING OF A SCAR
Musically, it sits somewhere between melodic death metal and gothic rock atmospheres, opening with a piano and violin introduction that immediately sets the mood for the journey ahead. The violin was performed by Shaun MacGowan of My Dying Bride, whose contribution adds another layer of melancholy and elegance to the song. Lyrically, it’s a dialogue between childhood and adulthood, reflecting on the passing of time and the desire to hold on to the wonder and dreams of our younger selves, even as life slowly changes us.
7. SOCIETY IS THE MURDERER
Probably one of the most unusual songs of the platter, built around some unconventional ideas and arrangements. It’s also entirely sung with clean vocals. Lyrically, it deals with our relationship with failure and the pressure of living in a society that glorifies success while often condemning those who fall short of it. It’s ultimately an invitation not to fear failure, but to accept it as an inevitable and valuable part of our journey.
8. THE NUMBING VOID
Featuring guest vocals by Natalie Koskinen of Shape Of Despair, this song ventures into more death doom territory, while opening up into melodic passages during the chorus. In many ways, it feels like a spiritual successor to Beyond The Shores. Lyrically, it explores grief, mortality and the helplessness that often follows the loss of someone close to us, along with the regret that so often comes with realizing there was never as much time as we thought there would be.
9. ANOTHER BREATH
After the slowest and most introspective moment on the album, this song arrives like a bolt from the blue. Driven by recurring blast beats and abrasive energy, it reflects the anxiety, loneliness and relentless repetition that often define modern life.
10. DISAPPEAR
The closing track of the album and yet another example of how central melody remains to our songwriting. Despite dealing with themes of loss, surrender and acceptance, the song carries one of the most memorable choruses on the record, almost inviting the listener into one final singalong before the journey comes to an end.
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Photo Credit – Arianna Savo
Shores of Null stand out as one of Italy’s most compelling and forward‑thinking metal acts, defined by their ability to merge seemingly disparate elements into a seamless, emotionally charged whole. Their sound is overwhelmingly heavy yet deeply soothing: blackened aggression intertwines with gothic‑doom melancholy, while chorale‑like guitar textures stretch across the instrument’s full range. A powerful rhythmic backbone supports a refined interplay of clean and growled vocals, enriched by the lush harmonies that have become the band’s unmistakable trademark.
Formed in Rome in 2013, Shores of Null quickly established themselves within the metal underground through a series of acclaimed releases. Their debut “Quiescence” (Candlelight, 2014) introduced a melodic and somber approach, followed by the darker and more intricate “Black Drapes For Tomorrow” (Candlelight/Spinefarm, 2017). In 2020, the band unveiled the ambitious “Beyond The Shores (On Death And Dying)” (Spikerot Records), a 38‑minute doom opus featuring guest appearances from Mikko Kotamäki (Swallow The Sun), Thomas A.G. Jensen (Saturnus), and Elisabetta Marchetti (Inno), further cementing their reputation for bold, immersive songwriting.
Their fourth album, “The Loss Of Beauty” (2023), was hailed as one of the genre’s standout releases of the year. Shores of Null supported it with an extensive EU/UK tour alongside Swallow The Sun, Draconian, and Avatarium, followed by major festival appearances at Hellfest, Rock Imperium, 70000 Tons of Metal, and more, solidifying their status as one of the rising forces in contemporary melodic death doom.
In 2025, the band released “Beauty Over Europe,” a powerful live album capturing the raw emotional weight and commanding presence of their performances across the continent. The same year, they announced “Latitudes of Sorrow,” a highly anticipated split with Finnish funeral doom masters Convocation, offering a profound exploration of grief, atmosphere, and sonic heaviness.
Now, Shores of Null return with their most ambitious and accomplished work to date. “Homesick,” out October 16, 2026, via Dusktone, marks a new milestone in the band’s evolution. Following the success of The Loss Of Beauty, the band expands their emotional and sonic universe with ten meticulously crafted songs—each carrying its own identity while contributing to a cohesive, immersive whole. Refined arrangements, streamlined structures, and subtle details reward repeated listens, showcasing Shores of Null at their most mature.
Produced with exceptional clarity and depth by Marco “Cinghio” Mastrobuono, Homesick features the strongest production in the band’s history, enhancing the contrast at the core of their sound: deeply melancholic and decadent passages balanced by moments of intensity, energy, and emotional elevation. Guest appearances from Natalie Koskinen (Shape of Despair) and Shaun MacGowan (My Dying Bride) add further dimension, with Koskinen’s haunting vocals and MacGowan’s evocative violin enriching the album’s atmosphere.
Lyrically, “Homesick” explores nostalgia, absence, and the complex meanings of “home”, not merely a place, but a memory, a wound, a person, or a version of oneself left behind. Conceived as a complete listening experience, the album moves through longing, loss, anger, vulnerability, and the search for belonging, revealing its full emotional weight when experienced from beginning to end.
With “Homesick,” Shores of Null deliver one of the strongest statements of their career: a deeply emotional, immersive, and meticulously crafted record that reaffirms their place among the leading forces of melodic death doom while continuing to push their sound into new territory.
Discography:
2026 – Homesick – Album
2025 – Latitudes Of Sorrow – Split w/ Convocation
2025 – Beauty Over Europe – Live Album
2023 – The Loss of Beauty – Album
2021 – Quiet Whispers (Unplugged at Traffic Garden) – Live Album
2020 – Beyond the Shores (On Death and Dying) – Album
2017 – Black Drapes for Tomorrow – Album
2014 – Quiescence – Album
Shared Stage with:
Paradise Lost, Swallow The Sun, Saturnus, Draconian, Lacuna Coil, In Flames, Messa.
Tours and Festivals:
2026 – Tour in support of Paradise Lost and Saturnus – Europe
2025 – Headlining UK Tour – UK
2025 – Support show for In Flames and Lacuna Coil – Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy
2025 – Mini Tour w/ Decembre Noir – Germany
2024 – Hellfest Open Air Festival – Clisson, France
2024 – Rock Imperium Festival – Cartagena, Spain
2024 – 70000 Tons Of Metal – Miami-Puetro Plata (USA / Dominican Republic)
2024 – Finnish Tour – Finland
2024 – Fekete Zaj – Mátrafüred, Hungary
2024 – Teifljågd Metal Open – Helfenberg, Austria
2023 – Tour in support of Swallow The Sun, Draconian, Avatarium – Europe and UK
2022 – Tour w/ Impure Wilhelmina – Italy and Slovenia
2022 – Metal Days Festival – Tolmin, Slovenia
2022 – Metalgate Czech Death Fest – Červený Kostelec, Czechia
2019 – European Tour w/ In The Woods, Ereb Altor, Isole – Europe
2019 – Italian mini-tour w/ Arcturus – Italy
2018 – Headlining Tour – Europe
2017 – Tour in support of Harakiri For The Sky – Europe
2017 – Metalitalia Festival – Milan, Italy
2017 – Frantic Fest – Francavilla al mare, Italy
2016 – Tour in support of Novembre and Isole – Europe
2016 – Italian mini-tour w/ Harakiri For The Sky – Italy
2016 – Tour in support of Hooded Menace and Mourning Beloveth – Europe
2016 – Inferno Metal Festival – Oslo, Norway
2015 – Co-headlining tour w/ Doomraiser – Europe
2014 – Candlefest – London, UK
2013 – Doom Over London – London, UK
2013 – Mini-tour w/ Negura Bunget – Italy
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What the press has said:
““An Easy Way” is the first of three Shores of Null songs on the split, and it quickly begins in a very un-easy way, delivering slowly writhing and uncomfortably dissonant notes along with gritty, ragged growls. In its upper reaches, the music also miserably wails in glistening tones, in counterpoint to vividly throbbing beats. From there, the band ratchet up the music’s intensity, deploying hammering drums and tremolo’d riffing that creates a searing form of distress. At that point the vocals also change, soaring in song, but far from joyful in mood. The band then continue shifting gears and sensations (as well as the high/low vocal stylings), intertwining sounds of gloom and torment, as well as riffing that throbs and captivating melodies that both miserably sparkle and moodily flow above a heavy low-frequency undercurrent. At times the music seems to grieve and yearn, or to become dour and bitter, leavened with bursts of aggression that include hard jolts at the song’s conclusion.” – No Clean Singing
“Latitudes Of Sorrow is deeply affecting and powerful through and through. Shores of Null and Convocation are ideally paired on this release and provide a good balance to this ship adrift in nihilistic fog.” – Doomed & Stoned
“The Shores Of Null tracks are atmospheric, bleak and haunting, while the Convocation pieces are crushing, very funereal and cavernous. Combined, they make a bleak, thought-provoking and sublime listen…. End-to-end, a superb EP,” – Metal Talk
“Reviewing a split release is interesting because you can often judge it from different perspectives. Should you review each band’s contribution separately or should you make a judgment of it as a cohesive front to back release? Both approaches are valid and for Latitudes of Sorrow, I think it’s a pretty good contribution from Shores of Null paired with a stellar one from Convocation, adding up to a really good release overall. If you like either band, you’ll certainly be pleased.” – 4/5 – Toilets ov Hell
““Latitudes of Sorrow,” this split effort pitting Shores of Null and Convocation, lands at an ideal time, when summer has indeed ended and the cold weather is seeping into our pores. These are two bands that bury you in power and punishment, making sure the toll you pay is physical and mental. It also is perfect music for the darker days, when your hope is at its bleakest and you take some solace in knowing you don’t suffer alone. ” – Meat Mead Metal
“One track really stands out above all of them, and it’s a bit of a collaboration. It’s the sort of thing that really makes the split come together. “The Year Without Summer” is an absolute gloomfest, and it sees Shores of Null team up with Convocation vocalist Marko Neuman. It’s a highly effective way to transition from one band to the next, as it opens with a more melodic feel and slowly ramps up some of the heaviness to prime the listener for the second half. It’s a fantastic touch, but it’s also a great track on it’s own, bringing some anguished and brutal vocals to the more melodic Shores sound and it makes for a very epic feel as the song moves on. For fans of either group, or anyone looking for a strong bit of icy doom to start your winter season with, Latitudes of Sorrow is a great selection. Both bands provide their own flavors of misery and gloom, in such a way that fans of one group should find themselves drawn to the other by the time the split ends. 8/10″ – Dead Rhetoric
“Split EP’s do not always work. Sometimes there is a glaring split between the bands that cannot be overcome. What Everlasting Spew Records have done is link a couple of bands on their roster that work together, delivering an EP that leaves you wanting more from both bands, including a joint tour. 5/5″ – Metal Epidemic
““Latitudes of Sorrow” is a masterful study in contrast, proving that grief has many voices. SHORES OF NULL approaches sorrow as a turbulent, human experience: passionate, melodic, and driven by dynamic tension. Their side is the sound of the emotional struggle itself, filled with weeping guitars and soaring vocals that fight against the darkness.” – Tuonela Magazine
“As a whole, “Latitudes of Sorrow” is one punishing release filled with crafty atmospherics, monumental riffing, and very bleak and desolate moods. Both bands create unique vibes on their sides of the EP, but the overarching theme of mystery and melancholy very much permeates their music. With all songs perfectly crafted to never overstay their welcome and yet inflict the maximum amount of mystery, this split release is as effective as they come for the genres portrayed.” – Infernal Masquerade
“Doom and darkness take center stage with Latitudes of Sorrow, bringing together two underground bands with complementary styles under the same banner. While Shores of Null knows how to be both aggressive and melancholic, Convocation sticks to its slow aggression to win us over. Both bands are becoming sure bets on the scene.” – Acta Infernalis
“The three tracks contributed by SHORES OF NULL are thoroughly melodic, building on rather sad emotions and constantly hovering between dark metal reminiscences and something more organic gothic metal.” – PowerMetal.de
“„Latitudes Of Sorrow” is a successful split that presents both in their typical musical habitat… the almost 40-minute record serves its purpose and shows that it is always worth bringing split releases onto the market in order to open up new perspectives and target groups for both sides.” – Metal.de
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Metal Hammer writers’ top metal albums of 2023 – Edwin McFee – #20 – Shores of Null – The Loss of Beauty
“With The Loss Of Beauty, SHORES OF NULL have produced their second world class record in a row.” – Distorted Sound Mag (9/10)
“The deep, dark, poetic brilliance behind The Loss Of Beauty is undeniable, and Shores Of Null’s doomy melancholic style is especially ideal for those considering themselves fans of Swallow The Sun, Draconian and Saturnus.” – Metal Storm (8,5/10)
“The Loss of Beauty is a morose and often magnificent listen.” – Metal Hammer UK (8/10)
“The Loss of Beauty is an engaging, exquisite, and moving slice of melodic doom that further cements Shores of Null’s esteemed position in the scene.” – Dead Rhetoric (9/10)
“The Loss of Beauty is an incredibly strong and versatile album, on which themes known from genres such as post black metal or post punk are presented in a diverse and varied manner.” – BetreutesProggen (13/15)
“Once again, Shores of Null continue to impress with yet another slab of high-quality doom/death that seems the quintet on an upwards trajectory.” – Angry Metal Guy (4/5)
“With lyrics like “my loneliness will guide me” and “isolation will set us free,” classic doom drumming, and impressive vocals, Shores of Null announce their intent to deliver the best doom album of 2023.” – Noizze UK (9/10)
“Un grato disco de casi una hora de música, donde la melancolía no es predominante, sino lo melódico, y eso es cae a la perfección.” – Metallerium (9.2/10)
“A savourer, en s’aimant. A savourer, l’esprit ouvert aux beautés que l’on croit – ou que l’on relègue au rang d’- insignifiantes et qui sont le sel du monde qui nous entoure. A savourer, tout simplement..” – Soil Chronicles (9/10)
“Shores of Null haben für mich mit The Loss of Beauty einen heißen Anwärter auf mein Album des Jahres veröffentlicht, das ich jedem Fan von melancholischem Metal mit Doom, Gothic, Melodic Death und Black Metal Einflüssen nur wärmstens empfehlen kann! Von mir gibts für dieses Meisterwerk die Höchstnote!.” – Sound Magnet (10/10)
“If “Beyond the Shores (On Death and Dying)” granted them the status of Masters of the Genre, with “The Loss of Beauty” we cannot help but acknowledge their unquestionable talent for creating stunning beauty that goes under your skin, both with music and words.” – Tuonela Magazine
“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.” – Zware Metalen (94/100)
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