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You can’t blame LORD OF THE LOST for brimming with confidence. 2023 was the German gothic rockers’ explosion into the wider world, both with their appearance at that year’s Eurovision Song Contest and a subsequent tour with IRON MAIDEN. Their stock at its highest and with momentum fully behind them, they’re about to embark on their most ambitious project yet, the Opvs Noir trilogy. Three albums, 33 songs and the band’s first as a six-piece, guitarist Benjamin ‘Benji’ Mundigler making his studio bow with the group. Vol 1 of this journey is out on Friday August 8th via Napalm Records, in time for their appearance at Bloodstock Open Air two days later.
LORD OF THE LOST have talked about returning to the dark core of the band following their more vibrant chapter of Blood and Glitter with these next three records and it’s something they’re very adept at; if you only know them for the gothic party vibes that they showed two years ago, you might be in for a bit of surprise. Indeed, when they go down that path on Vol. 1, the song tends to be a highlight – Moonstruck, which features acappella group STIMMGEWALT, is bolstered by the minor key of the keyboards and organ that give it a more melancholic feel. Penultimate song The Sadness In Everything is helped out by a haunting guest vocal appearance from Anna Marie Rose and its follow up, closing ballad Dreams Are Never Alone, might have a strings intro that sounds like it’s been lifted from Symphony of Destruction, but Chris Harms’ deep baritone is delivered with vulnerability, the line ‘Twinkle twinkle brittle stars’ in the chorus a fine bit of wordplay that brings immediate fragility to the tune, despite the ringing of the guitars.
It’s not all doom and gloom across the record, though – songs like My Sanctuary and I Will Die In It are both upbeat and pacey, although lyrically the latter isn’t sparkling with positivity. Damage, which features DEATHSTARS frontman Andreas ‘Whiplasher Bernadotte’ Bergh is a big, industrial stomper and stakes a strong claim for being the best track on the record, even if it’s a bit repetitive by the end. Where this record falls short, though, is its inconsistency – too many of the tracks change tempo, style or both as they progress and at worst it makes the songs sound quite confused. Opening number Bazaar Bizarre goes from immediate choir voices, fast guitar strums and a symphonic barrage to slower and stripped back verses; the contrast is stark enough that it’s possible to disconnect entirely from the experience. The Things We Do For Love is also guilty of this, although this time it’s the chorus that is the offender; a head of steam is built up well and then quickly lost as the pace shifts from fast to slow and back. They’re not enough to derail the record entirely, but maintaining interest is made harder when a tonal change happens that doesn’t seem to make sense
This feels like a transitional album for LORD OF THE LOST, as they try to bring fans gained from their recent exposures in the mainstream to a style that is a little grittier and less colourful. It’s not the most coherent, but there are several high points throughout and, if Opvs Noir Vol. 2 is darker again, it has the potential to be among their best records going.
Rating: 6/10
Opvs Noir Vol. 1 is set for release on August 8th via Napalm Records.
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