Order of Nosferat – Towards the Nightrealm of Orlok

Band: Order of Nosferat
Album: Towards the Nightrealm of Orlok
Label: Purity Through Fire
Release date: December 25th, 2024
Country: Germany/Finland
Format Reviewed: High quality digital recording

And just when you thought The Absence of Grace was incredible, this album shows up. Order of Nosferat have managed to outdo themselves once again with their latest effort, Towards the Nightrealm of Orlok, their second release of 2024. Having been familiar with the band, my expectations leading up to this record were undoubtedly high, and even though this review ended up coming along fairly late to the discussion, it wouldn’t have sat right with me to ignore this record. Coming out on the same day as the new rendition of the 1922 classic film “Nosferatu”, it became a highlight of my otherwise very unsophisticated Christmas. In any case, this album is best enjoyed, in my opinion, on a cold gloomy evening with a cup of tea and a gothic novel, although it may work just as well for a lonely evening walk through the woods. But now, without further ado, let’s get into the actual music.

Something that I noticed fairly quickly when writing this review, is that the album feels too much like one cohesive piece, thus analyzing each individual song would do a disservice to the music, as it would provide a fragmented point of view, while simultaneously missing the bigger picture. One thing to note is that the album obviously follows the narrative course of the movie it is based on, this being obvious from both the song titles and the lyrics. Speaking of the lyrics, they do a great job at telling the story in a more poetic form, adding to the mood and the overall “plot”. The meat and potatoes of this, however is the music. This is where things become a little more complex.

At a first glance, Towards the Nightrealm of Orlok is a complete shift from its predecessor. The misanthropic, depressive mood of The Absence of Grace replaced with a fantastical, gothic atmosphere, according to the concept. The songwriting is also more intricate, a far cry from the oppressive, minimalist take of the previous record. The synth is also used much more often, being the driving melodic force of the record, while also making it feel more cinematic and epic. The tempos are mostly on the slow side, but they only help add more value to the other musical elements, with songs such as “At Sea She Longs For His Return” illustrating this phenomenon best. The guitar work is a little more simple than the synth, yet it carries even greater importance. It does a great job at adding depth to the sound of the album, and the raw sound gives the album that undoubted old-school charm that everybody loves. The riffs stick fairly close to the melodic lines already established by the synth, while maintaining a touch of “freedom”, such as in the song Into Pale Shadows and Ghostly Greams where the guitars suddenly take the lead, offering a very dynamic and engaging composition, aided by the incredible vocal performance. Speaking of the vocal performance, I would say it is the best I’ve heard from the band so far, and that is no small thing. It is powerful, a little emotional at times, while also including a well placed narrative flair, that makes it feel like a monologue, and a very well executed one nonetheless. I don’t think that I can accurately put it into words, thus my advice is to go see for yourselves, and perhaps you may find some truth in my loose description.

Another aspect of this album that I appreciated was their use of ambient synth tracks in a way that suits the narrative and the flow of the music, and not just to fill in blank space. I also appreciate the fact that the level of attention shown to these tracks is the same as in the case of the rest of the song, resulting in no quality being lost inbetween (although it is not like Order of Nosferat ever slacked on any songs ever).

To conclude this more or less chaotic review, I will state the obvious, that I truly loved this album. From the immersive atmosphere to the quality of the songwriting, it has it all. I would even dare call it a veritable piece of art, without overblowing anything. I am certain that there are plenty of people who will agree with me on this matter, and if you haven’t gave it a listen already, it’s high time you do, as it is nothing to miss out on. 10/10 by Ioana

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10/10  Immortal Classic
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