Order Of Nosferat Towards The Nightrealm Of Orlok CD Review

When darkness falls, the somber embrace of roving shadows and the nagging bloodlust that burns deep inside are the only companionship you have. The feelings of loneliness and isolation fuel the fire and only the pale moonlight illuminates your way. And just like the moon, Order of Noserferat's 'Towards the Nightrealm of Orlok' lights my path, this time towards the promise of black metal that makes me feel something. I'm not the biggest fan of the genre, so when I stumble across something that really speaks to me, I make note of it.

This is the band's second release of 2024, with 'The Absence of Grace' having come out in March. And while I can't speak to that album, I can say this one is fucking phenomenal. This is especially impressive when you take into account that the band consists of only two members - Anzillu (drums) and Count Revenant (vocals, guitars, bass and keyboards). Upon initial listening, I got a lot of old school Cradle of Filth vibes, especially 'Dusk and Her Embrace' and 'Cruelty and the Beast', but there's so much more, which is revealed with subsequent listens. There's a lot of loss and romanticism on display here, which may correlate to the 1922 version of 'Nosferatu' which would make perfect sense based on the band's name and album title.

One of the main standouts for me are the keyboards. They are used sparingly but make such an impact, raising the emotional state of tracks such as "Towards the Nightrealm of Orlok" and my favorite offering "At Sea She Longs for His Return". The title track's backing keys are subtle yet convey the harmony of darkness that rains down. "At Sea She Longs for His Return" is a beautiful and morose dirge that weighs heavy on my heart. I legitimately feel the weight of this sadness on my shoulders when listening to it. It is similar to "The Fate of Norns" by Amon Amarth in that respect. The keyboards are showcased more here which is a driving force in the overall tone which I can't get enough of. The final song featured here is a cover of Gummy Boy's "Don't Leave". While I'm not familiar with the band, this instrumental features some amazing keyboards with distorted guitars in the background. It somehow goes with the album, offering the listener some hope as the sun rises, killing the darkness.

~TJ