Alright. We gotta further the cause of Power Metal some more. Veonity just aired a few days ago. And that makes – together with Hammerfall – all but two PM records on RMR for 2024. So, why not kick it up a notch or two and have a go at another one? After all, Orden Ogan and their new piece The Order of Fear waited patiently on the sidelines for a few months now.
A band with more active years under their belt than most readers can count as their own. Or let me put it that way: In 1996, around the time the worst Black Metal impulses were running rampant, these guys took up the sword to go a-searching for dragons and demons. And that commands at least some respect. But does that transform the RMR zine into a bunch of hopeless acolytes of the famed Metal o’ the Light? Naw, fear naught.
So, here’s to a band knowing full well in whose backyard to hunt. Orden Ogan‘s1 style firmly roots itself in the murky depths of European Power Metal. And confusion reigns, because, for some reason, the ‘Euro’ tag doesn’t seem to cover Scandinavia for most Adepts ov Metal out there. Up North, that’s where the really energetic ones like to roar along, by the way. Remember the aforementioned Veonity for guidance.
Thus, the more measured steps The Order of Fear takes oscillate somewhere between Avantasia and the rougher musings of one Blind Guardian. But exceptions will confirm the rule, right? Because Kings of the Underworld unexpectedly hits you with a speed track right out of the book of Scandinavian Power Metal. And why not, a good album needs that little push, as the joker liked to state while flying off into the dark yonder.
And immediately after the album’s first ambush, you get that sense of densely written shreds and full-throated anthems. All of that – unsurprisingly – ensconced in tales of kings, fearless knights, and – The Order of Fear. Yet Orden Ogan kinda goes down a slightly different Power Metal path. The often soaring and bombastic vocals with their usual cheese drips2 come multilayered to a point with some most unusual group chanting spiffing the delivery up at odd places. To the point that this record often feels like a concoction of some boy band on a mission to forge some real steel. A highly unusual but most interesting way of delivering vocals, away from the high-pitched screamo performance you often get on other PM pieces.
But all those wordy screams, melodies, and harmonies would be nothing without the guitar work. And indeed, the meaty riffs, solos, and snazzy leads tightly chase each other mercilessly on some sort of solemn warpath to win this battle of giants. Together with rock-solid drum work, Orden Ogan got themselves the recipe to gallop effortlessly to victory.
And yet. As is often the case, The Order of Fear totally overloads on a case of playing to the audience on stage. In other words, it ain’t a great sign of quality if you get too many ‘hey’-like yells destined for a stage production on an official vinyl tracklist. Some fans might see this as a power-enabling feature. The RMR Review Desk doesn’t. This kind of thing is always a sign of laziness on the songwriting side. Disc and stage versions of any song are usually kept apart for good reason. If neglected, this often leads to a second undesirable, which is a tendency to noodle and meander about the soundscape. And this is the issue we have with this here record. Yet another case of the carving knife? Quite so. Some of the lengthier tracks could easily lose some (a lot of) fat.
In the end, The Order of Fear remains an insanely catchy record. Apart from the meandering parts, there isn’t a shred of boredom on this piece. Apart from the title track, none of the songs really reach for greatness. However, the snazzy variety, the irresistible energy, and a bunch of ideas well executed carry the flag to victory. Complete with a ballad that seems to reverberate with those echoes Disney take pleasure in. Fondue, bread, and white wine abundantly included.
Orden Ogan concocted one helluva cool record full of thrills ‘n’ frills. And this makes us want to check out the rest of their discography.
Recommended.
Record Rating: 6/10 | Label: Reigning Phoenix Music | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 5 July 2024