Birds chirping, a steady beep building tension, then drums and guitars that just won’t sit still: “Nightmare’s Coming Back” opens up quietly and turns into a chaotic ride that announces Faker still has plenty left to say.
The intro alone sets an earthly tone with birds chirping against a constant beeping sound, which is a clever touch especially when the song talks about turning into a tree. It creates a quiet unease into which the laid back opening vocals lean. Then the drums and guitars take over, and they’re easily the standout of the whole track: Energetic, inventive, and always shifting in small ways that keep the song feeling alive from one section to the next.
The guitars match that energy with real chaos, tangled and layered with backup licks behind the lead line. The bass is genuinely catchy and simple too, even if it stays a bit buried in the mix. Near the end, the song takes a sharp turn at the bridge, briefly changing direction before snapping back: a small surprise that adds some unpredictability.
The vocals sound raw and unprocessed, and while that suits the aura of the song and has some character to it, a touch more brightness in the mix would let them cut through all that instrumental noise a bit more.
Lyrically, the song captures the strange experience of losing yourself, imagined here as slowly turning into a tree and growing taller while someone else grows further away. It’s a vivid but unusual way to describe drifting apart, and it fits the album’s bigger themes of inertia and disconnection.
Busy, layered, and a little unhinged in the best way, “Nightmare’s Coming Back” is a strong, lived in comeback for Faker. Take a listen below.
Written by Toyo Senpai
