Album Review: Orden Ogan – Final Days: Orden Ogan and Friends (AFM Records)

October 21, 2022 will see power metal force Orden Ogan release their very special tribute album, ‘Final Days: Orden Ogan and Friends’, via AFM Records.

Following the much acclaimed, latest studio album Final Days (2021, AFM Records), the band started to release a series of new single versions, featuring some high-class guest vocalists. These tracks will appear on their upcoming record, Final Days: Orden Ogan and Friends, which is a tribute to the album itself.

On each song, vocals are provided by, among others, Stu Block (Iced Earth, Annihilator), Peavy Wagner (Rage), Andy B. Franck (Brainstorm), Chris Boltendahl (Grave Digger), Elina Siirala (Leaves’ Eyes), Leif Jensen, Ross Thompson (Van Canto), Dennis Diehl (Any Given Day), (Ross The Boss) or Frank Beck (Gamma Ray).

Breathing new life into their stellar album, Final Days, Orden Ogan have enlisted the help of some friends, talented vocalists, to give fans something new and exciting. To hear Final Days with different voices and re-experience some of the best music this band has produced to date.

Is that enough to make this worth your time? Absolutely, but just in case you’re wavering, the album opens with a new track and it’s a banger. A power metal banger called December. It’s a track with plenty of pomp but plenty of heavy head-banging power-infused groove too. An instant ‘gee you up’ track, it’s an Orden Ogan anthem.

Featuring Peavy Wagner of Rage, Heart of The Android is the heart-racing start to Final Days we all remember. However, once his vocals hit, it becomes a different experience altogether. The same can be said for the whole album of course, but some tracks sound more transformed than others. Such as Into the Dawn of The AI which sees Van Canto’s Ross Thompson and Gamma Ray’s Frank Beck lend their immeasurable talents to Orden Ogan. Or when Nils Molin of Dynazty and Amaranthe sings with such immense power on Inferno. That’s just the first third of the album!

The powerful, fast and heavy rhythm of Let the Fire Rain and Interstellar works brilliantly to compliment the epic voices of Annihilator’s Stu Block and Brainstorm’s Andy B. Franck. However, it’s Alone in The Dark that might be the most special track on the entire album. Partially because it is such an impressive Orden Ogan track and partially because Grave Digger’s Chris Boltendahl and Crystal Viper’s Marta Gabriel really sell the sense of grandeur the track has.

Another massive highlight is Black Hole as Orden Ogan’s instrumentation lets Leif Jensen of Dew Scented rip and roar. A weighty and robust track made all the heavier thanks to his voice.

The latter third of the album then sees the uber-talented Elina Siirala from Leaves’ Eyes add even more heart and soul to Absolution for Our Final Days. Ross the Boss’ Marc Lopes makes an already extravagant track even more lavish and intense, and Any Given Day’s Dennis Diehl adds a ton of drama to It Is Over.

Before the album wraps up with a fantastic orchestral version of Fields of Sorrow. Final Days: Orden Ogan and Friends is a must listen for fans of the band.

Orden Ogan – Final Days: Orden Ogan and Friends Full Track Listing:

1. December (New Track)
2. Heart of The Android ft. Peavy Wagner (Rage)
3. In the Dawn of The Al ft. Ross Thompson (Van Canto) & Frank Beck (Gamma Ray)
4. Inferno ft. Nils Molin (Dynazty, Amaranthe)
5. Let the Fire Rain ft. Stu Block (Iced Earth, Annihilator)
6. Interstellar ft. Andy B. Franck (Brainstorm)
7. Alone in The Dark ft. Chris Boltendahl (Grave Digger) & Marta Gabriel (Crystal Viper)
8. Black Hole ft. Leif Jensen (Dew Scented)
9. Absolution for Our Final Days ft. Elina Siirala (Leaves’ Eyes)
10. Hollow ft. Marc Lopes (Ross the Boss)
11. It Is Over ft. Dennis Diehl (Any Given Day)
12. Fields of Sorrow (Orchestral Version)

Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram | AFM Records