Power metalers Orden Ogan will release their new album The Order of Fear on July 5 via Reigning Phoenix Music. This is their seventh record, and it was masterminded by vocalist, guitarist, and producer Sebastian “Seeb” Levermann.
Levermann gave us a rundown of the new record, which you can stream below before it drops this Friday.
Kings of the Underworld
Starts immediately at 100% and goes full-force. One of the fastest and hardest Orden Ogan tracks and a perfect opener. The choirs and shouts were recorded live with the audience at three different festivals, including the Masters of Rock in the Czech Republic, where 40,000 people joined in. Story-wise, it’s about those who have lived in the shadows for decades, loyal to Alister Vale. There is, however, a second layer of meaning to the lyrics.
The Order of Fear
The title track of the album and in a way of the band itself, as Orden Ogan means “The Order of Fear.” The song is a mid-tempo groove monster with an epic chorus. It was the second single/videoclip from the new album and has already become a fan favorite live. In the storyline, Vale, after years of searching, finally meets the eldest of the Oden Ogan and asks for his help to break his curse.
Moon Fire
… is an epic, mid-tempo track with cinematic moments and features probably the two best guitar solos on the album. Lyrically, it continues from “The Order of Fear” and explains that Alister Vale was betrayed by the monks. Instead of breaking the curse, they involved him in an ancient ritual that intensified his curse. Vale realizes the monks of the “Order of Fear” are actually deeply evil creatures aiming to use his curse against humanity to destroy it. Meanwhile, an ancient demonic deity (the Dread Lord) is awakened. The mantra-like words in the chorus are part of the ritual. The song was the third single/videoclip from the album.
Blind Man
…is a song we wrote together with a super-fan from Uruguay. A typical ORDEN OGAN uptempo track with a great middle section and a slightly tricky drum groove. Lyrically, it’s understood as a conversation between Vale and his friend Abel, whom Vale will eventually betray (and kill) by the end of the day.
Dread Lord
… is based on a riff I wrote when I was 17 years old. I always wanted to make a song out of it, but never found the right place for it until now. Finally, the puzzle came together. A mid-tempo groove track, internally hotly debated as a single candidate because the chorus is a real ear-worm. Lyrically, as the title suggests, it’s about the resurrection of the ancient deity.
Prince of Sorrow
…is, amusingly, a song I originally wrote for the Angus McSix debut album …and the Sword of Power. Tom (Winkler) said the song sounded too much like Orden Ogan, and he was absolutely right. The opening riff with the echoed delay tapping is very unusual and rarely heard. We loved it, and the chorus is very strong too. It was a no-brainer to include the song on the album. In my opinion, it features one of the best guitar solos Niels (Löffler) has ever played.
My Worst Enemy
… was the first single from the album and an unusual choice, since it’s a ballad, or power ballad. It was a bold move, but the band, friends, and the label all found the song very strong. Lyrically, it introduces the album excellently, and the mood in the music video perfectly captures the album’s atmosphere, so we had no doubt the song would be successful. The clip hit the million mark on YouTube within a few weeks. Lyrically, it works on two levels—It’s a self-reflection of Vale and also a personal message to people with depression and anxiety: You are not alone.
The Story Thus Far
… is basically the intro to the album but was placed later in the track list, as we wanted to start with “Kings of the Underworld”. It briefly summarizes the story from “Vale” (2008) to “The Order of Fear” (2024).
Anthem to the Darkside
… is a song I wrote when I was 16 years old and appeared on a sampler in demo version in 1998. We wouldn’t write such a progressive song nowadays, but I always wanted to record it in album quality because we always liked it a lot. Lyrically, we just had to tweak it a bit to fit the album concept. Musically, we made some significant changes, all for the better. The chorus is probably one of the best we’ve ever written.
The Long Darkness
… was originally written for the 2017 album Gunmen and also recorded back then. We decided not to include it on that album because Gunmen was already long and had a similar long song at the end. Since The Order of Fear musically is closer to albums like To the End (2015) or Gunmen (2017), and the synthesizer and technoid sci-fi sounds from Final Days (2021) are completely gone, we knew this song would fit well on the new album. Lyrically, it’s about the situation after the “great misfortune” and Vale’s thoughts on a possible way out. But currently, the future lies in darkness. The track is very atmospheric, starting slow and later gaining momentum. It ends with a phenomenal guitar solo by Rhapsody of Fire guitarist Roberto DiMicheli, the only guest appearance on this album.
