Album Review: The Arcane Order – Distortions from Cosmogony (Black Lion Records)

Danish extreme progressive death metal quintet The Arcane Order return with their fourth album, ‘Distortions from Cosmogony’, to be released 9th June via Black Lion Records.

Distortions from Cosmogony tells the story of mankind’s eternal existential conflict between autonomy and submission. It is the first release featuring The Arcane Order’s stellar new line-up including Kim Song Sternkopf (Møl) on vocals, Bastian Thusgaard (Soilwork) on drums, and Anders Frodo S. Mikkelsen. They join long-time members Flemming C Lund (guitars) and Kasper Kirkegaard (Hatesphere) on rhythm guitar.

The word is epic. A word that comes to mind from the moment the haunting intro of the title track spreads cold tendrils through the mind and a word that firmly takes hold with Cry of Olympus. The explosion of extreme heaviness made more palatable by the layers of progressive melody and symphonic grandiosity. With such a stellar line-up, it’s not surprise that such a high bar would be reached almost immediately.

Yet, it’s not an unreachable bar either as this is an album that gets better and better as it goes on. From the maniacal speed, progressive intensity, and melodic jabs of A Blinding Trust in Chosen Kings (Kim is such a great vocalist). To the blackened heaviness and immense guitar soloing of Starvations for Elysium, and the methodical crunching sound of Favors for Significance. Even with its transcendent symphonic pause, it is an unrelenting track.

The first half of the album is an exhaustive trawl through the enigmatic minds of The Arcane Order.

Continuing to hit the listener with big track after big track, The First Deceiver’s death, black and tech fusion is a temperamental effort. Especially as it’s punctuated by dangerous tempo changes. Before a breathless showcase of guitar melody and bright atmosphere in the form of Empedocles’ Dream arrives, and Ideals of Wretched Kingdoms drags the mind, body and soul into extremely dark areas. This is The Arcane Order at their blackest, while also layering in elements of melodic metal.

Finally, it’s a pair of exceedingly weighty and enthusiastically intense offerings to wrap up this mammoth release. The empowering heaviness of Children of Erebos and the ordered chaos of Wings of Duality proving to be the cherry on top.

Epic stuff from The Arcane Order.

The Arcane Order – Distortions from Cosmogony Track Listing:

1. Distortions from Cosmogony
2. Cry of Olympus
3. A Blinding Trust in Chosen Kings
4. Starvations for Elysium
5. Favors for Significance
6. The First Deceiver
7. Empedocles’ Dream
8. Ideals of Wretched Kingdoms
9. Children of Erebos
10. Wings of Duality

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