Saille - Forbode (2026)

It has been a while since Symphonic/Melodic Black Metal outfit, Saille, has released a full length album. Luckily for us, “Forbode” marks the band’s sixth release and it delivers nine tracks and over 52 minutes of high-octane music. Featuring 4 new songs, one re-interpretation and one extended version of older tracks, and three live offerings, the band showcases they still have some killer chops to unleash crafty and engaging music.

Opening with the lush “Deception of Decadence”, we get a blistering pace and whirlwind guitar riffing, creating a very immersive atmosphere. Reinier Schenk’s the band’s remaining original member unleashes vicious guitar onslaughts that nicely change tempos and allow for the immersive atmospherics to permeate. New members, Jasper van Minnen and Wessel van Oostrum do an excellent job at drums and bass guitar respectively, showcasing their fury on blistering tracks like “Cycle of Cynicism”.

While the band’s sound is not revolutionary, they do a very solid job in crafting songs that are powerful, engaging, and very dynamic, as “Reminiscence of Regrets” and the new and more dramatic version of “Haunter of the Dark” from their “Ritu” release showcase. We particularly enjoyed the extended and classical version of “Eater of Worlds”, from their “Eldritch” release, featuring better arrangements and the band’s current explosive sound.

Closing the release with three songs recorded live, we get a taste of the band’s sound richness and clear execution in a live setting. Overall, “Forbode” is a nice return to form from Saille, showcasing their newer and more evolved sound, and contrasting it with their earlier antics. While only a handful of songs are probably not really an LP, but more of an EP, the band managed to put a well crafted package with the extra additions.

Rating: 94/100