Orden Ogan – "The Order of Fear"

Praise the kings of the underworld!

I remember getting a promo of Orden Ogan's second album, "Vale" (2008), and dismissing the band for whatever reason. I think maybe they'd been hyped as a new power metal hope, and still tripping on those first two Avantasia albums, I was expecting something a lot faster and... I dunno, more power metal-ish? In any case, I've felt like a complete tool about it since I happened to catch them on their "Gunmen" tour with Rhapsody of Fire in 2017. Because holy shit, does this band not only pen a proper tune; they also make said tune sound like it's the most important thing in the world going on right there whenever you're listening to it. This impression only grew when I saw them at Epic Fest this year, and upon hearing their newest long-player, I'm officially sold.

We're dealing with huge material here, people. Time was, some of us would be joking about how Dimmu Borgir seemed to be raising their sonic ceiling just a coupla inches with every new album; if someone told me that Orden Ogan were deliberately making that attempt, I wouldn't be surprised. My trusty guest reviewer and I are sometimes vainly trying to find any music that could be as huge as "We Are the Champions"; it's an impossible task, but holy shit: Orden Ogan may very well be on par!

"The Order of Fear" starts smack dab in the middle of frantically thrashing power metal anthem "Kings of the Underworld". And yes, this is a goddamn anthem, alright: A gigantic fist-pump, headbang, shout-along half-time bridge picks up with an even bigger pirate choir and the most stupendously perfect vocal harmonies and chord extensions I've ever heard simultaneously. I'm getting goosebumps here. If you do not get carried away by this, you will never understand me 100%, and if you're not in the slightest moved by it, there must be something wrong with you.

Perhaps knowing fully well that their verse sections aren't all that interesting, Orden Ogan aren't late in introducing another grand chorus in the ensuing title track. For some reason, the melody reminds me of the band's countrymen in Running Wild, which is only a good thing – and it just goes to show that this group is so much more than simply power metal, because their melodies are much more recognizable than with 9 out of 10 bands in that genre. But also because musically, this is just as much plain ol' heavy fucking metal, as witnessed, for example, by the chuggingly pounding rhythm figures in the still equally grandiose "Moon Fire" and "Blind Man", the former featuring some, again, million fucking dollar chord extensions, breathtaking drum fills, and insane guitar and keyboard solos.

Seriously, I had to put on the album again just for writing this review – not because I felt like I still needed to catch up, but because it's that good.

Yes, Orden Ogan excel not just in songwriting, but also in superior musicianship. And they just fucking keep on doing it. Whether the folk-y shuffle of "Conquest", the uptempo, syncopated "Prince of Sorrow" or the slower, heavier "Dreadlord", not only are these songs gonna rock your tits off; they're also gonna be stuck in your head after a couple of spins – and you'll still wanna hear them again. Seriously, I had to put on the album again just for writing this review – not because I felt like I still needed to catch up, but because it's that good.

... Okay, so it's not a perfect record. Ballad "My Worst Enemy", while not a bad song, is a bit superfluous. And even though "Anthem to the Darkside" ups the whole greatness by introducing some orchestral elements – that sound real, even – it's probably the most forgettable track this time around. Closer "The Long Darkness", however, adds to the variety by introducing an ominous lead theme, the chorus now unfathomably gigantic, carrying a bleak testimony:

All you've ever known
Turned into a nightmare
Close your eyes
And wake up in Hell
All your crimson tears
Slowly drip down to the ground
Close your eyes
And wake up in Hell

And as aforementioned lead theme fades along with the choir's stately chants of "Gloria! In excelsis! Deo!", we might not have just witnessed an album conclusion on par with the epicness level of the average album conclusion of, oh, say, Iron Maiden... but we're kinda close. And either way, we don't have to.

Because Orden Ogan are awesome in and by themselves. It's about bloody time that they get some proper international recognition. In fact, I've been thinking about why this band remains so criminally overlooked. It may have something to do with the fact that main man, vocalist and producer Sebastian "Seeb" Lebermann, as sturdy and powerful as his voice is, isn't much of a colorful character like, say, the Ozzy Osbournes, Bruce Dickinsons, and Phil Anselmos of the global metal world. And you could say it's a shame. But on the other hand, it might only detract from the music. And we don't wanna risk that.

Rating: 5 out of 6

Genre: Heavy metal / power metal
Release date: 5/7/2024
Label: Reigning Phoenix Music
Producer: Sebastian Levermann