Review: Shores of Null / Convocation – Latitudes of Sorrow

November 11, 2025

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We all just need an easy way

Before I even begin this review, I should disclose that I am in a band that is signed to Everlasting Spew, the Italian label releasing Latitudes of Sorrow, which is the new split between Shores of Null and Convocation. That being said, my opinions in this review are in no way influenced by my relationship with the label. I’ve long been a fan of Convocation and they were a significant factor in my band’s decision to join the Everlasting Spew roster but I’ve more recently discovered Shores of Null through their 2023 album, The Loss of Beauty, which I did enjoy.

Shores of Null begins the procession with “An Easy Way,” which finds vocalist David Straccione growling over a sufficiently doomed chord progression before the band settles into a familiar groove that will propel the majority of the song. While slashing away at 8th and 16th notes isn’t the most exciting approach, it is an undeniably tried and true method within a subsect of death/doom bands and Shores of Null do it rather effectively.

The following “The White Wound” is mostly more of the same, but it’s with the third and final track offered by Shores of Null, “The Year Without Summer,” where they really seem to latch onto something great. In contrast to the preceding two tracks, they more effectively build texture as the band leans into an obvious Paradise Lost cadence. Straccione’s clean vocals are fantastic here, highlighting that the best moments on Shores of Null’s portion of this split are when they fully lean into their melodic side, as it seems to be a more natural fit for them.

While I’ve enjoyed what I heard from Shores of Null prior to this release, their three songs on Latitudes of Sorrow do feel like a slight step back from the creativity of even their last album. Don’t get me wrong, what’s here is still pretty good but the songs can feel repetitive and easy to predict with the band’s tendency to hit a little too close to their various influences.

Convocation delivers the final two songs of Latitudes of Sorrow and they start things off low and slow, just as we’ve come to expect. “Abbadon’s Shadow” is immediately drenched with an undeniably familiar atmosphere but it soon feels as though the band is using their side of the split to try something a little different. The song reveals a more caustic and dissonant side of the band than what we heard on their incredible 2023 album No Dawn for the Caliginous Night. While it is the longest song on this split, clocking in at over 10 minutes, Convocation keeps you engaged through each tick with unpredictable arrangements and constantly shifting textures.

“Empty Room,” which is the last track, begins with a rather foreboding guitar intro that is quickly crushed by a huge doom section. The melodies within the song effortlessly weave through droning synths and background vocals that sit slightly lower in the mix, which creates an unnerving atmosphere throughout the 8-minute runtime. Convocation is a 2-person studio project and it’s clear that their songwriting takes place in a studio setting, where they take time to craft each individual layer.

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.