Today sees the release of OPVS NOIR Vol. 1, the first instalment in what promises to be a bold and theatrical new trilogy from darkwave-metal juggernauts Lord of the Lost. After their chart-topping Blood & Glitter era (and a Eurovision appearance most bands could only dream of), this new record marks a confident swerve back into murkier territory, with all the drama we’ve come to expect.
Right from the opening track Bazaar Bizarre, we’re plunged into LOTL’s gothic circus, where pounding industrial drums and snappy vocals feel both fresh and familiar. It’s immediately clear that this album is a statement of intent. Chris Harms and co. have never been ones to play it safe, and Vol. 1 leans fully into their more cinematic, melancholic side. Tracks like My Sanctuary and I Will Die In It are full of emotion, all while wrapped in walls of synth and metal guitars. These feel like full blown performances.
The guest features across the record really elevate things also. Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation) brings a piercing elegance to Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness. This track is an absolute must listen to. Damage featuring Deathstars is pure industrial fire, gritty from the start, theatrical, and totally unapologetic. Meanwhile, Moonstruck with dark a cappella group Stimmgewalt offers a haunting, cinematic atmosphere that I can only describe as what feels like stepping into a gothic cathedral.
There’s a rugged calm to Ghosts, where Tina Guo’s cello adds a beauty that balances the darkness. The Sadness in Everything is another standout, with Anna from Tales of Time delivering a delicate vocal that offers a nice contrast and gives the track a uniqueness.
OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 is compelling, these tracks feel massive in scale, but there’s always a pulse beneath the production, a rawness that makes it feel intimate. LOTL are clearly not interested in riding past success; this is a band still evolving, still challenging themselves and their listeners.
In short, this is Lord of the Lost at their most ambitious and artistic. OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 really does feel like the start of something massive.
OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 scores a massive 8 out of 10
OPVS NOIR Vol. 1, out via Napalm Records | Order NOW!
Reviewer – Alan Robinson @alan_robinson_photography