Nightfloating is the band’s 11^th or 10^th full length, depending on your opinion. While they have been described as DSBM, they’ve certainly steered more into a black doom direction. It’s not quite Insomnium with black metal rasps, but if you imagine it well, you’re in the right realm.

I enjoy there being no intro on the first track, which is also the title track “Nightfloating.” Just an “Arrggghhh” and then into the melancholy. Tell me the guitar melodies aren’t death doom. It’s sufficiently infectious. The track does get quieter short of 3 minutes in, with a light melody, going back into the doom-death verse riff. The lyrics are in that DSBM realm, though. Great opening track.

“A Chill That You Can’t Taint” is up next and has a similar approach. The production on this album is clean, but hefty, striking a perfect balance, much like Nihilistic Estrangement. After the chorus goes by twice barely 2 minutes into a 7-minute track, there is a brief instrumental section. At this point, I noticed the guitars are mostly clean, yet with a crunch. The solo is solid, leading back into the main riff. Then, another quiet instrumental section with an isolated, clean guitar.

It’s perhaps worth mentioning at this point 6 songs are nearing a 40-minute total runtime, so some have an extensive runtime, especially the closer, god damn it. However, we’re now talking about “Unsafe Spaces.” Keep up. If previously unheard, it may also bear mentioning Ferdinando’s vocal approach is best described as a demon with significant mucus issues. Based on the title alone, it’s easy to tell the subject. I am a huge fan of the track, even though it once again is the same approach. Slightly over 4 minutes in, the crunchy riff sounds as if someone is using a practice amp in front of your face.

The very next track, “Drifting,” is an instrumental, and sticks out like a sore penis. It does however lead to the final track, which, wait for it, is the longest at over 10 minutes. “A Despicable Gift” doesn’t start subtly as one may expect. The despicable gift in this track is clearly your life. Or mine. Probably mine. After the first chorus, a significant instrumental section occurs, then into some blasting. Most of the tracks have a distinguishable chorus or hook, and this one’s no different. Despite it only being two words, it’s effective. I do recommend, if you enjoy the album, to read through the lyrics. There’s a lot more going on here than typical DSBM content. An almost somber solo section gets close to 80s ballad worship. Do not fucking tell these dudes I said that.

I don’t have many complaints. The best track is at the end, the production is excellent, and the songwriting couldn’t be much better. I will admit there are twists and turns in each track, but they are the same twists and turns, so it does get predictable. If you’re a fan of the last few Forgotten Tomb albums, you’ll be one of this. It’s a top-notch release from them again, and I’m still impressed.

So, here we have the latest album from Forgotten Tomb entitled Nihilistic Estrangement. The promotional materials state that modern and vintage recording methods were used for the album, including some older microphones. It shows, too. Without knowing what was mentioned above, the recording already stood out. Herr Morbid’s vocals, while always vicious in my opinion, sound even more feral. The instruments are full, lush, and mostly devoid of modern sheen (and Martin Sheen). In summary, it sounds like a black metal album should.

The first song is charmingly titled “Active Shooter.” This song plods along for nearly 9 minutes, but doesn’t feel that long. Groovy, heavy, DSBM influenced black metal, and maybe even black ‘n’ roll is the name of the game here, containing vicious vocals and the lyrics to match. Even though the song itself may not seem like it is going anywhere, it gets the head moving, and is over before you know it. This is the Forgotten Tomb I remember, and I have high hopes for the rest of the album.

The title track, “Nihilistic Estrangement,” is the star of the show here. I’m sure that’s no coincidence. The first minute plus is slightly clean guitar, which appears more than once throughout the track, and serves as a backing for a significant portion of the runtime. There’s also a weeping lead which reappears throughout the track. With around 4 minutes left, clean guitar comes in, lasts about 30 seconds, then goes back into the main riff. With a minute and a half left, the clean guitar comes back in and stays until the conclusion. While this song is the longest on the album, it finds Forgotten Tomb at their peak. It writhes, moves, slithers, and works its way into your skin. It’s top notch songwriting, and this is where they excel.

The final track on the album “RBMK,” which I had to look up, is the type of nuclear reactor involved in the Chernobyl explosion (I feel Cher missed an opportunity to name an album of hers CHERnobyl). I learn something new every single day… Such as how to mention Cher’s name in a heavy metal review. Sorry, guys. If I could turn back time, I’d remove it. Oh, you still want to hear about the song? Well, this is definitely the only track on the album that could be defined as traditional black metal, although I think that might be a stretch. It’s mostly mid-paced, yet blast beat filled, and fades out at the end like any closing track should.

If I were to describe Nihilistic Estrangement in two words, those would be “vicious” and “confident.” To say I was looking forward to a new Forgotten Tomb album in 2020 would be an overstatement. However, when I saw the promo for it, I had to call dibs. I’m glad I did. While they certainly don’t need a “comeback,” this album feels like it to me. I am enjoying it far more than We Owe You Nothing. Believe it or not, I am also enjoying it more than Hurt Yourself and the Ones You Love.

Is this Forgotten Tomb’s magnum opus? I’m not quite sure as I have not heard every single entry into their catalog, but it was always on my agenda to do so. With their latest effort, that thought has been placed a little higher on my list. If there’s one minor complaint, there’s not a lot of variation between songs. With that being said, the album itself barely crosses the 40-minute mark, so it’s not too long. When listening, you probably won’t be checking your watch (let’s be honest, by “watch,” I mean the clock on your phone). Not that they give a single fuck what I think.

Opener ”Deprived” is the sole take on a truly black n’ roll approach I actually enjoy out of the two songs that carry this sort of endeavor on this relatively short record. It has a fairly dirty and doomy intro, and immediately brings the word Accessible to mind, which was one of FT’s main guns on the previous effort, and frankly, it comes off as being in perfect shape, still, at least in the case of this tune. It still has a blackened/proggy first verse showcasing a very signature stamp on the guitar sound that really is very hard to resist, even for someone that doesn’t necessarily get into this latest wave of proggier and shoegazier bands that seem to take over the scene since ’bout ’09. The chorus is absolutely memorable, sounding no less than desolate, even in the midst of a track with a rock feel. All the patterns are recurring and that’s all well and good, cos they’re fucking fun to listen to, exactly for what they are. It’s heartfelt and firing on all cylinders at the same time, which sure as hell is something not everyone attempts with immediate success, or any sort of an acceptable result at all. It doesn’t get boring, and damned near reaches the seven minute mark. I’m especially digging the doomy riffs around 3.06, and 3.33 has this shoegazy cue that, as I’ve been emphasizing plenty, sure is no sort of new terrain for FT. It’s gotta be said that in the first half of this release, it seems to always be incorporated in the right space of a tune so that it really works with the rest of its elements and doesn’t overstep and drown out their efficiency. It’s definitely the case here, and hence, sounds particularly brilliant. This leads into bone-chilling bleakness that I just adore. It’s beautifully enchanting with great leads tossed in, that really sound rather mesmerizing. May I add, they’re far too rare on this record, I’m left with a craving for more of these after seven songs.

The title track could easily fool anyone into thinking the black metal is actually happening full blast all through this track, but it’s quick to shape up into something else in this particular project’s typical fashion. It still seems to take a straight dive into that more darkly psychedelic area of thought and pattern the main man indicates while talking about this album as a whole. This feel is more obvious here than on the previous song, but that torch definitely gets carried throughout, and maybe more insistently further on, although this is a neat kickstart, and certainly varied. It’s actually the most nuanced song on this whole ordeal. It takes about two minutes to actually develop into this unfurling of instinctive journeys, but the wait is worth it. At 1.37, this mind-numbing scream of the main man’s tags along with phantomatic (get that volume UP; it won’t kill the ambiance, but simply add an extra layer of awesome to these tracks and especially the slightly meh ones) leads and a steady, energized drum gallop. It all has this epic frostbitten feel, but it leans more towards the Swedish melodic metal overtones than the genuinely Norwegian black metal mantra as it progresses. It soon (unexpectedly this time) takes the shoegaze turn with very enthused and interesting basswork, although that’s quick to go straight back on the main road the song initially picked. It’s all very well-connected and all the parts mesh perfectly, although the mid-paced stroll around 4.55 seems less enticing than the rest of the trickery. It feels like a flat area of the song, if anything, but as it progressively goes into a doomier, more southern rock’ish mood at 5.30, I suddenly get what the whole point is, and it wasn’t easy to foresee; who could’ve guessed this type of general stylistic idea for the song as a whole could go there? This is the main thing I dig about my Forgotten Tomb. It doesn’t care about the roadmap, and simply goes where it damn well sees fit, never fearing impulsivity, or almost never.

”Cold Summer” is also absolutely sweet for what it is and blends the filthiness of the doom core the man loves to explore, alongside the polar opposite being the shoegaze avenue he’s trying to wrap up this monster into. It’s an interesting sort of contradiction and yet doesn’t seem like a genuine one here. It’s definitely unique. Anyhow, the intro definitely swims in this shoegaze ambiance. It’s contemplative and smooth, but somewhat completely deranged all the same. It dives into a sort of a blend of doom and post-rock in the first verse, putting lots of emphasis on extremely soul-draining chords. It’s a very raw and lovely section. The slow-paced drumming also has plenty of punch, and the vocal is, yet again, puking out demonical and bipolar emotion like fuck-all matters. It’s impossible not to dig the incredibly dirty guitarwork, and the stumbly, almost zombified drumming (in this case, it sounds absolutely fitting and awesome, make no mistake). It drives the point home in a stellar and immediate manner. There’s even more urgency to the second verse thanks to that same drumming that, in this case, goes against the grain to stick out, on more of a furious roll. Still, I’m preferring the mid-paced stroll underneath the man’s screams, and the way it kicks back into the thick and genuinely doom dwellings. At 4.56, the riffery sounds almost more maniacal than it did to begin with, and a lot filthier, and even downright friggin’ sexier. Against all odds, 5.53 starts cruising along the sidelines of what sounds like actual black metal with some atonal and strongly eerie background stringwork. And I’ll be damned, it sounds like classic F.T. and is one of the highlights of this album as a sole fleeting passageway this tune decided to take off the damned cuff.

The fourth track is the moment where I lost some understanding for the general direction and pacing of things. Actually, I was horrified at this song. Not only did the title (”Let’s Torture Each Other”) point blank said everything about how goofy it’s bound to be, but I ended up staring a Satyricon-goes-MTV-friendly piece of shit in the face. The semi-dark alternative sound of the intro was okay to my ears at first, with its accessible main bassline I didn’t think really reeked at that point. What made me jump straight out of my skin was that it seemed like it was ruining the general endeavor of what I’d heard so far into this generally promising deal. 56 seconds in, there’s suddenly more of a malevolent intent surfacing up, thanks to which I realized this was gonna be a black and roll tune, without fail. I hence knew it was gonna have absolutely all the aspects of a filler. In all due respects, it’s not the worst stinker I’ve ever heard; it’s still sorely unnecessary and uninspired. In fact, it becomes a zoneout as soon as the second verse kicks in, which doesn’t feel like it took too long, regardless of the song being a quarter past six minutes long. About three minutes in, the keyboard sample barging in sounds almost oddly techno-friendly, and the acoustic stringwork is lame and sleep-inducing at best. Everything veers towards a mid-paced stroll that has nothing to do with the rest of the song, but instead of that being the blessing I was hoping it would be, it only comes off as directionless and piss poor. Things definitely get better when the soaring background leads get back on board. At least, I can say the feeling is definitely back. It’s the sole part of the tune that I manage to dig, albeit the doomy kick at 4.25 is a strongly (and oddly, all things considered) sub-par one. It feels this song consciously keeps on trying to get into that radio-friendly schtick, which sure isn’t the man’s best bet, especially on this one album. On the previous effort, interestingly enough, it was done well; here, it simply shouldn’t exist

Luckily, ”Love Me Like You’d Love the Death” has this bleak depressive/contemplative mindset that I absolutely love, and it predictably enough has nothing to do with whatever the previous track was on. This hat most definitely fits this guy’s head better. The lead work develops into quite the skillful and libertine series of wanderings. It’s very calculating, and hollow to the bone. The vocal also gets more and more insistent as the song goes, which is one of this project’s most kickass feats; this front man sure can wail. The chorus is pretty cool; and, again, the lead work is the whole magic of this one tune. The second verse is the same as the first, but considering this approach works well for what it is, it ain’t a flaw. It’s not trying to be overflashy; it’s authentic and true to its core, and that’s how I like my Forgotten Tomb, period. The mid-section around 5.20 is truly in this calculating and low vibe that doesn’t seem to go anywhere, but interestingly enough, this full-circle motion illustrates a wandering into that emotional spot that’s simply endless and stuck in a rut, and this illustration has a valid point in this picture. It’s not really a song that evolves; it’s like it’s sitting into a profound sorrow and wallowing in it, and I would think this is exactly what this music is trying to express most times. ”Adrift” is a tad less memorable to these ears, even though it tags along with the previous cut in terms of a mindframe. The kick ass clean vocal goes atop an energetic drum pace that quickly switches back to the high-pitched screams and the slow stroll for what feels like a good and balanced affect at first. There’s lots of variation in this drum pattern. The background string work sure ain’t that hollow; it’s sort of airy and almost Alcest‘y here. Most the song’s patterns are recurring, making it a touch more accessible; still, it’s a different kinda cat. That being said, the contemplative bass work embraced by the acoustic string work about mid-track sort of force things to get plainly boring at that point. 4.50 seems to indicate some kind of build-up towards something promising, and the urgency is definitely on board, if not all *that* mind-shattering; that was a false prophet, going back to the main stroll of the verses underneath the heartfelt and still wonderful wails of the front man’s. I guess it works for what it is. It’s far from original and even pretty run-of-the-mill by now, although it ain’t entirely dated yet.

Final cut ”Nullifying Tomorrow” fails to convince as well, at least on this end. There’s an engaging entrance into the matter with plenty of urgency to it though. Still, it was already pretty damned clear it wasn’t gonna be a major departure from the rest of the album, which has its good, and clearly bad sides at this point. The mood is definitely there; the variation isn’t. Considering this guy has many takes on his own approach, he could’ve kept on mixing them up, especially as he wraps the record. The leads seem to want to take the reigns at 1.41 but they’re too damned quick to fade off. If they were a lot more present, they’d amp up this mood he’s striving to get across. This is far too linear. Actually, even by the three minute mark, it doesn’t manage to stun at all. The sound’s extremely layered in some places, although misproportioned in terms of the production; at 3.28, there’s FAR too much echo on the acoustic string work. It buries the rest to a point where even the drums are particularly choking up under the rug. 3.50 finally introduces some kind of a bonghit of a slowing in pace, although it dives into the lamest acoustic string work again. About 5 minutes in though, thanks to the ultimate despair of the vocals, the feel of it all gets quite shiver-inducing anyway. The leads come back into the tableau on this very cool cue, and the tune is smoothly rounded out by circular string work and bass work, atop of very relaxed mid-paced drumming.

I’m left puzzled by the second half of this release, for the most part. I’m quite sure this is only a valley in the experimentation process this man (and band) is on, and I also know the purpose is absolutely valid, and that it will pay off in the long run. There’s some goodness to be found herein, especially for diehards of the softer endeavors this sound can take, which goes straight against the general idea that it was supposed to be *entirely* darker than previous albums; still, the potential of the record’s best assets is strong enough to make this qualify as a very good disc, even though it doesn’t quite reach the threshold of the greatness it could’ve been capable of pulling blindfolded.\par

Any such inclination is not immediately evident on album opener “Reject Existence”, a driving nihilist anthem whose chorus will have long-time fans sway-banging and goth-serving everything in sight; but things get a bit more interesting on the follow-up track, “Shutter”. Kicking off with a blackened variation of the “43% Burnt” riff, dreary sludge verses alternate with monolithic death metal choruses, building intensity. Then, out of nowhere, bassist Algol gets all stoney on us, goading the rest of the band into joining in a massive bong-hit bridge with Merchisio even singing some soulful 90’s styled doom refrain, complete with some Dorrian-like ad-libs on the fade out. Crazy stuff – not only does the tune maintain coherence despite these diversions, it still manages to sound like Forgotten Tomb all the while. “Downlift” subtly absorbs some of these new influences, while returning to the group’s comfort zone with Asher’s energetic and imaginative drumming being a particular highlight. A bit of a wrong turn, covering the only Stooges’s song that every metal bands apparently knows breaks the momentum, it may be “fun” live, but I am yawning hearing my 666th burning of this particular chestnut. Similarly, some lazy rote goth singing almost ruins “Joyless” right off the top, but Asher’s speed-bagging his double bass through the chorus combines with the exquisite lead work of Razor SK to somewhat redeem it, Merchisio even redeems himself with a bit more effort toward the song’s end.

Just when the album threatens to take a turn for the wrong kind of downer, the two-part title track takes center stage. Part 1 is vintage epic atmospheric black metal, driven once again by Asher’s performance, regarding which I could easily expend another hundred words about, but suffices it to say I’m a guitarist mentioning the drummer for the third time in a review so take it for what it is. Merchisio and Razor join forces on a brilliant twin-g harmony which blazes into Part 2 where Algol’s phased-out bass sets the distended undertone for a tangle of semi-classical guitar lines. Around the two minute turn-around the band achieves one of those transcendent moments of counter punctual synchronicity and when they finally stomp on their fuzz boxes to bring it all home, the delirious swirl is almost overwhelming. The closing numbers easily maintain the same mastery while striving to achieve the same majesty. Though both fail to do so, it’s an admirable failure, even a spectacular one, as the ending of “Spectres Over Venice” (and the album) comes dangerously close to matching the title tracks’ impact.

It is unusual for a band to be messing with their sound this much on album six, but for all that experimentation, I actually think most long-time fans will be as enthusiastic about hanging around to hear where this is going as I am. While most listeners will be sucked in by Merchisio’s greatly expanded vocabulary and Asher’s fourth-time-in-the-review-worth-mentioning drumming; Razor and Algol’s contributions can’t be ignored either, and FT might just have a definitive line-up here. On its own merits, Under Saturn Retrograde is a decent transitional album with quite a few great moments, alongside a couple of mis-steps as well, which is to be expected when a band is fucking with the formula. Provided they stick with what works here, we may be in for one of the more fascinating mid-career re-launches, and the next level awesome of what may be to come may prove this album to be one of their more important in retrospect.