by Justin Gaines
– Senior Columnist —
Is there a band in the European Power Metal scene with more buzz than Germany’s Orden Ogan? Their 2012 album To The End was a major breakthrough for the band, and their stunning performance at last year’s ProgPower USA event made a huge impression on America’s most dedicated power metal fans. Needless to say, expectations were high for the band’s follow-up album, titled Ravenhead.
Orden Ogan’s roots were in the folk metal sound, and you can still hear that influence on Ravenhead, though at this point their sound is squarely in Power Metal territory. If you’re unfamiliar with the band, think Imaginations From the Other Side-era Blind Guardian with just a touch of Elvenking and Grave Digger. Much like the previous album, Ravenhead finds the band pushing songs with simple, catchy melodies and huge, layered choruses. The songs are almost deceptively easy to get into, with the melodies hooking you before you realize just how weighty some of the lyrics are.
Ravenhead is a very strong and very consistent album, but it does have its share of standout tracks that you’re all but guaranteed to find yourself singing at random hours of the day. “F.E.V.E.R.” is the first single and video, and it’s ridiculously catchy, as is “Evil Lies In Every Man.” “Here at the End of the World” could easily pass for a ’90s Blind Guardian song, and as an added bonus it features guest vocals by Grave Digger’s “Chris Boltendahl. Hammerfall’s Joacim Cans lends his voice to “Sorrow Is Your Tale.” The slower “A Reason To Live” is a folk-infused song worthy of Elvenking, and has some memorable lyrics.
Orden Ogan has been on quite a streak lately, and they continue it with Ravenhead. With this album, they have to be considered among the best bands the Power Metal scene has to offer. It’s already a contender for best Power Metal album of 2015. If you enjoyed the direction the band took with To The End, you’re going to love this album. And if you’re new to the band, Ravenhead will make you a fan.
Edition Notes: The limited edition CD version of Ravenhead comes in a digipack and includes two bonus tracks – the hysterical “8-Bit” version of F.E.V.E.R. and a folk version of the To The End song “The Things We Believe In” – as well as a bonus DVD with their performance at the 2013 Summer Breeze festival.
Genre: Power Metal
Band:
Seb Levermann (v) (g)
Tobin Kersting (g)
Niels Loffler (b)
Dirk Mever-Berhorn (d)
Track Listing:
1. Orden Ogan
2. Ravenhead
3. F.E.V.E.R.
4. The Lake
5. Evil Lies in Every Man
6. Here at the End of the World
7. A Reason to Give
8. Deaf Among the Blind
9. Sorrow Is Your Tale
10. In Grief and Chains
11. Too Soon
Label: AFM Records
Website: www.ordenogan.de
Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10
