Order from Norway are at the start with their now more second album called "The Gospel". The band, which consists of such well-deserved veterans as drummer Manheim (drummed on Mayhem's legendary "Deathcrush" EP), vocalist Messiah (also ex-Mayhem), guitarist Anders Odden (Cadaver, Satyricon) and bassist Stu Manx (ex-Gluecifer), and this name-dropping is in no way necessary regarding the musical quality, however, live up to its members previous musical legacy. Order manage in a very impressive and intense way to mix old black and death metal with faster eruptive parts to a flowing melange, which in contrast to the debut "Lex Amentiae" goes noticeably deeper and also hits the listener where it hurts. Music and lyrics complement each other in a congenial way, lyrically the album deals with the thin dividing line between life and death, the fragility of everything, self-knowledge, the assumption of responsibility and the will to create. In this sense it is death metal, black metal, but also life metal-in the truest sense of the word, even if I seem to remember that Euronymous, used this term in a derogatory way for bands that were not dark enough or too commercial for him. So it is also important to the band that "The Gospel" is a concept album. Even though this description doesn't sound that unusual at first, and of course the band hasn't reinvented the wheel, Order have found their own little niche, I can't think of many bands that play this style. Listeners who adore Celtic Frost's "Monotheist" should like the band as much as lovers of Darkthrone's old works or people who like Beherit's "Drawing down the moon"- especially in terms of atmosphere, "The Gospel" comes very close to this ancient milestone.
