Shores Of Null - Black Drapes For Tomorrow album review

It’s easy to lose count of how many former extreme metal bands, in search of a new horizon after years of blastbeats and devil worshipping, turn to greener and more diverse pastures, looking for a way out of their scene’s confines. But it’s far more rare to see musicians going the opposite way and it’s both these Italians’ blessing and biggest shortcoming. Where extreme metallers taking on a more mainstream sound is too often shoddy at best, Shores Of Null’s melodic, progressive roots translate into a far more classy and soothing delivery, especially on the vocal side of things. All the better to convey the melancholic and dreamy atmosphere this second full-length is permeated with, following the path once trodden by Novembre post-Materia. But in the middle of those rather well-arranged yet five-minute mini-epics, the occasional scruffy growls and inappropriate boosts of sedated blackish outbursts not only bring nothing extra to the table but actually kind of ruin the delicate vibe. Stick to what you know, boys, and get rid of the fat.