It’s time for something more idiosyncratic! At first glance, you might think there’s nothing too strange about Forgotten Tomb, but the more you delve into its work, the more you realize how little MeloBlack has been mixed with Doom Metal. “That’s a killer combo!” you might say, and that’s exactly what Nightfloating is about. But does it work, or does it float over our heads? (I’m so getting fired after that joke.) Forgive my poor comedic timing and stay with us!
I won’t hide it—the first half of this album spoke to my inner angsty teenager more than NuMetal did to teens in the 2000s. It had all the sadness, pain, and repressed aggression I craved. Plus, the tracks were so well-paced despite their length. If the album only contained the first four tracks, I’d be happy to go home and cry about lost pets and missed opportunities. Life is full of those, after all, and it’s nice to have a soundtrack for our failures. I think that’s what we’ve got here: extreme highs and extreme lows.
There’s not much I can highlight after a few rounds with Nightfloating. It lives and dies by its melodic themes, and it does that well. Most of the solos are pretty sick, too. “This Sickness Withered My Heart” was definitely my favorite track. It has a strange mix between Agalloch and Insomnium that pushes all my soft spots. However, I was left trying to find that high again, since the second half of the album feels less consistent. I’m getting ahead of myself again. There’s a specific part of these reviews to talk smack, and it’s about to start.
Beyond the smaller issues like how memorable the tracks are or not, the real problem I have with Nightfloating is that the first three tracks are awesome while the last three didn’t click with me. Especially the last two tracks where there’s an interlude (“Drifting”) straight out of an old Castlevania game, and “A Despicable Gift,” which overstays its welcome by maybe three minutes. There’s a lot of potential and talent here, but it needed a bit more focus to achieve greatness. I know Forgotten Tomb has a history of mixed reviews from snobbish critics, and while many get nitpicky, I also see the issues with consistency here.
Either way, Nightfloating is an interesting effort, and the tracks that are good are well-crafted and heart-wrenching MeloBlack that not many bands dare to try. I can’t see people telling me, “Catto, there’s nothing wrong here, you suck!” If that’s the case, more power to you, my corpse-painted child. But this seasoned veteran is going to steal (I don’t mean it literally, don’t sue me Agonia Records!) a few tracks from Nightfloating and ride into the sunset with them.
Label: Agonia Records
Release date: 12 July, 2024
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Official.Forgotten.Tomb
Country: Italy
Score: A really sad midnight flight, or 3.0/5.0. Help me get rid of the scores, please!
Metal Eclipse Reviews 