ORDEN OGAN – The Order Of Fear (2024) *HQ*
Since their debut album in 2008, ORDEN OGAN has risen from insider tip to be one of the most interesting and popular power metal outfits, with their latest album ‘Final Days’ climbing to number 3 on the official German album charts in 2021.
Now their upcoming, quasi self-titled epic “The Order of Fear” is here – and continues the saga of ORDEN OGAN with a particularly triumphant lesson in dark Power Metal. The seventh album of the band led by mastermind Sebastian “Seeb” Levermann is a recording that bangs like never before and is probably the hardest ORDEN OGAN has ever unleashed. It’s metallic, direct, the guitars are more in the foreground.
With shorter, catchy songs, “The Order of Fear” is also pretty commercial, and fun to listen to. Within the first few seconds of the lead track, ‘Kings of the Underworld’, you know that this is ORDEN OGAN reinvigorated and ready to lay the world to waste with heavy riffs and blazing speed.
‘Moon Fire’ is another standout track on the album. While it’s a more midpaced song, the lead riff is heavy and the chorus melodic, which is a combination that works brilliantly. ‘Blind Man’ is even more anthemic that drives the album forward with its powerful guitar work and punishing double bass.
There’s epicness on ‘Prince Of Sorrow’ with its huge choruses and stinging lead guitar, while ‘Dread Lord’ is another midtempo song that, with its bombastic drums, oozes heaviness while never sacrificing melodicism.
While there is definitely a focus on heaviness on this album, The Order Of Fear is no one-trick-pony. Track four ‘Conquest’ is much more commercial with a radio potential featuring a big chorus that will get audiences singing along in a live setting.
Later in the album, ‘My Worst Enemy’ is a ballad rich in atmosphere with a wonderful guitar solo towards the end. And then there’s ‘Anthem to the Darkside’, which is a re-recording of an older Orden Ogan song now with full orchestration and a backing choir. In this case the song works perfectly because it is just a really strong song.
While there is no doubt that Orden Ogan’s recent albums are loved by fans of the power metal genre all over the world, “The Order Of Fear” is their strongest to date which focuses on heaviness first and melody, orchestration and theatricality second. Additionally, there’s a focused story all over the album lyrics, well rounded and entertaining.
”The Order of Fear” succeeds in this endeavor, and I have no doubt that it will be a welcome addition to the Orden Ogan discography to old fans and new fans alike.
Highly Recommended
01 – Kings of the Underworld
02 – The Order Of Fear
03 – Moon Fire
04 – Conquest
05 – Blind Man
06 – Prince Of Sorrow
07 – Dread Lord
08 – My Worst Enemy
09 – Anthem to the Darkside
10 – The Journey Thus Far
11 – The Long Darkness
Sebastian “Seeb” Levermann – Vocals
Niels Löffler – Guitars
Patrick Sperling – Guitars
Steven Wussow – Bass
Dirk Meyer-Berhorn – Drums
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