Order of Nosferat is a black metal band of international origins, specifically Germany and Finland. Their latest album, “Towards the Nightrealm of Orlok,” is their sixth full-length album; they have also released a split.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love reviewing so much because of all the badass bands I get to discover. Case in point is Order of Nosferat; their latest blackened slab of bloody vampiric haunts is my first time hearing the band’s music.
I love how damn raw this album is yet it has a keen sense of melody with its usage of synths/keyboards. Their metallum page says they are black metal and dungeon synth. I won’t argue with that but this album is way more interesting than any true dungeon synth I’ve heard. It is obviously a big part of their sound but the black metal shares equal airtime as well. As a result, “Towards the Nightrealm of Orlok,” is an album that is haunting all the time even while it is throat ripping.
The album opens with “...Far Away to the Land of Ghosts,” and, as far as intro tracks go, it is pretty damn solid. It without a doubt carries the atmosphere and theme of the album and it doesn't sound half bad either. I appreciate that it runs into the first full song “Crossing the Shadowland,” so it creates a seamless blend of storytelling.
“Crossing The Shadowland,” begins with immediate energy and riffs so raw they ride the line between being actual notes and just static distortion—sounds amazing! The synths are raw too, sort of muffled and definitely bleak. They provide a fantastic layer to the song without overtaking any of the band’s primal power away. The drumming is engrossing, the right notes at the right time always finding their place among these shadows.
“At The Sea She Longs For His Return,” is so goddamn beautiful in a way that’s hard to explain to normal people—in a way that only black metal can be. The synth work is depressive but there is a regal atmosphere to its bleakness that make it hard to ignore. Its melancholic tones pair so goddamn well with the blackened screams. The riffs are a heavy blanket, suffocating darkness that hangs over the song like a neverending winter. Around the 4:11 mark, only the drums and keys/synths remain–it’s a twist that fits in, which really shouldn’t be that much of a surprise at all. The black metal returns to end the song with sorrow tinged riffs that end this dirge with a bang.
“Into Pale Shadows and Ghostly Dreams,” is like a surreal moment when you’re caught in a fever dream but can see and feel the nightmare as much as you would if you were awake. The song transitions to unrelenting speed and riffs around the 1:54 mark, a visceral display of caustic savagery. The screams reach for pain and horrific emotions that can’t be easy to pull off but yet here we are. I like the synth/key/ambient passage that begins at the 3:45 mark–I’m amazed at how well the band explores these other planes of existence without compromising their core black metal sound.
The final original song (the actual last track is a cover) is “Beyond The Eternity Gates,” captures the mood and themes of the album as a whole. The synths and metal are truly one, cohesive force. It’s depressive yet beautiful, contemplative yet arresting.
Order of Nosferat have impressed me with their approach to atmospheric elements and how they present their powerfully bleak black metal. “Towards The Nightrealm of Orlok,” is a (very) late year surprise.
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