Italian Gothic/doom act THE FORESHADOWING just published their fifth full-length “New Wave Order” on November 15th, 2024, via Lifeforce Records. It has been quite a while – almost a decade – since their latest album “Seven Heads, Ten Horns” was released but they broke the silence about a year ago by releasing the EP, “Forsaken Songs.” This EP was a nice treat for their long-time supporters, though, in retrospect, it was misleading compared to “New Wave Order.” The reason behind this lies in the nature of the EP itself, as it collected tracks released in digital format throughout the years, plus two brand-new tunes. At this point, these new tracks didn’t say much about what “New Wave Order” would sound like, except for the cover of “Such a Shame” by TALK TALK, which I previously described as “a full-fledged love letter to the ’80s.” I would totally confirm this description to summarize what “New Wave Order” is about.
The album opens with “Vox Populi”: its almost dreamy intro is immediately followed by the heavy, majestic drumming provided by Giuseppe Orlando (who also took care of production duties). Singer Marco Benevento’s warm, soothing voice works as a thread, and the powerful chorus, enriched by the quite epic harmonized vocals, takes me back to their early days but, again, there is no room for any kind of “safe play” here. Their shameless love for the ’80s is revealed in the following track, “Judas Had a Friend,” the music video of which II highly recommend watching. The drums and keys are quite nostalgic, providing that specific vibe, while melodically the song is 100% infused with their trademark sound. I would even affirm that if it were slowed down a bit and arranged differently, it would fit perfectly in one of their older releases.
“Last December” gained a special place in my heart at the very first listening, maybe because of its strong, yet soft emotional drive. The partnership between keyboardist Francesco Sosto and guitarist Alessandro Pace, responsible for the music and the lyrics of this tune, makes it one of the highlights of the album; I would rather say that it could even be considered one of their all-time best tracks. The third tune, “Lobbies,” was released as a single in early September, so it ended up being the very first glimpse I had at this brand-new opus, and I feel like suggesting, once again, watching the music video, as it adds some interesting narrative layers. It is weird and somewhat fascinating, now, how I cannot help thinking about their previous albums in retrospect and seeing how much they were influenced by the new wave elements already back then. Take, for instance, “Our Nightmare’s Call” – the first part does not even sound like a “metal” tune, while a drastic change of mood is detectable when Marco’s whispers kick in. The peak intensity is reached with the band’s interpretation of the Gregorian chant of “Dies Irae” [Eng. “God’s Wrath”], a medieval Latin poem that describes the Last Judgement. That’s a fairly strong image, I would say. This is not even the first time this band dared to include lyrics in Latin, as it happened, for instance, on “Second World,” – then, I would also like to mention SWALLOW THE SUN’s “Lumina Aurea,” which featured Marco reciting lines in Latin. The way they incorporate this classical language adds, in my opinion, a further touch of elegance to the overall opus without it ending up as a pretentious and unnecessary detail.
“Heraclitus” sees the keyboards in a central role, as the main melody provided by Francesco works as a foundation for the whole tune. The vocal line goes a bit outside Marco’s usual comfort zone, especially in the verses. There is a thick Gothic vibe in both the lyrics and music, and the latter is, again, co-written with guitarist Alessandro. As for “Bound for Ruin,” the song rather sees Marco taking part in writing the lyrics along with Francesco. The tune has a peculiar uplifting vibe, despite its message, in an odd, yet effective combination of conflicting feelings.
Another feature that makes the album quite special is the track list; the specific order they have chosen for the songs enhances the overall listening experience, in a smart and thoughtful game of contrasts. The following song is reminiscent of those atmospheres that were very popular in the late ‘90s, or early 2000s when it comes to Gothic metal. “Eyes of a Dawn,” entirely written by Francesco, sets a drastic change of mood. Hearing Marco’s harsh vocals took me off guard since it had not happened in quite a while. The haunting keyboard melody, along with the obsessive drum pattern, the crushing guitars, and the heartfelt chant, makes it one of the best songs on this album, and I would suggest, again, watching the music video, which is narratively connected to the previous ones.
“Vox Dei” bears the responsibility of closing such a rich and flavorful piece of art. Melancholy takes over in the intro, leaving some room for a more doom-like atmosphere. Marco’s chant leaves its mark and the excellent drums and passionate guitar work do make the tune perfect for closing this chapter. The break at mid-song even shows a prog hint, as if we were not surprised enough. This almost 9-minute tune also includes a drone-like part at the end, leaving the listeners wondering what the hell they’ve been listening to. There is a distinctive apocalyptic feeling in the music, as well as in the lyrics, and a mysterious force that clearly asks me to play the album again from the beginning.
It might sound like a cliché at this point but “New Wave Order” is one of the finest albums released this year and one of the richest comebacks ever. THE FORESHADOWING proved once again how much of a solid team they are, and I cannot help but hope to see them on stage soon.
Tracklist
- Vox Populi
- Judas Had A Friend
- Last December
- Lobbies
- Our Nightmares Call
- Heraclitus
- Bound for Ruin
- Eyes of a Dawn
- Vox Dei
Lineup
Marco I. Benevento – vocals
Alessandro Pace – guitars
Francesco Sosto – keyboards
Giuseppe Orlando – drums
Label
Lifeforce Records
