Lord of the Lost’s trilogy comes to a close.
With OPVS NOIR Vol. 3, their fifteenth album released on Napalm Records, the band comprising Chris “The Lord” Harms (vocals/guitar/violin), Class Grenayde (bass), Gared Dirge (keyboards/guitar/percussion), Pi Stoffers (guitar), Niklas Kahl (drums), and Benjamin “Benji” Mundigler (guitar/keyboards) brings to a close its most ambitious project, which began last year.
We kick off with the unsettling intro to Kill The Lights, the first track where the band stays rooted in a fairly minimalist approach on the verses, letting Chris lead the way to a simple yet catchy, staccato chorus, but the band quickly moves on to I’m A Diamond, welcoming its first guest: Alea from the band Saltatio Mortis. The track is undoubtedly very unifying, and the guest’s parts help make it very melodic, whether through the backing vocals or when he responds to the vocalist, before letting My Funeral bring a majestic symphonic touch that blends perfectly with the band’s frontman. There’s still a dissonant edge and a touch of heady aggression, then we move on to I Hate People, where the Germans enlist the inimitable Wednesday 13, who brings his raw, raspy vocals to an already highly infectious composition and its bouncy riffs. The Shadows Within returns to softer, ethereal tones that naturally intensify during the choruses while retaining that accessible simplicity, before the band shifts back to more imposing sounds on La Vie Est Hell, a track inspired by Charles Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du Mal and sung partly in French, featuring Hannes Braun, the vocalist from Kissin’ Dynamite. The two voices complement each other perfectly on this melancholic ballad, then Square One surprises us with a dynamic Synthwave track, while still allowing the singer great freedom on the stripped-down verses where he often finds himself almost alone at the helm. The musicians reconnect with their symphonic influences by welcoming Ambre Vourvahis (Xandria) on When Did The Love Break” a fairly rhythmic track that shifts from a moment of absolute tenderness to a more powerful chorus that alternately and then simultaneously brings both voices to the forefront. A much heavier and more aggressive sound returns with Your Love Is Colder Than Death” a track with a striking contrast in its execution that seamlessly transitions between the two styles. Then, with Damien Edwards (Cats In Space), the band kicks off Take Me Far Away, further enhancing the tenderness with a mesmerizing duet. We can’t escape, however, the powerful break where the vocals reach their peak at both extremes, and then a final surge carries us into The Days Of Our Lives, the closing track that puts Chris and the keyboards in the spotlight for a final, solemn moment, bringing the album to a stunning close.
After opting for violence and experimentation, Lord of the Lost focuses on its majestic side on OPVS NOIR Vol. 3. Always well-paced, the instrumental sections perfectly accompany the vocalist in his multifaceted serenade.
80/100