The Arcane Order – Distortions from Cosmogony Review

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I just love albums that impress from the very first moment as this “Distortions from Cosmogony” did with the intense intro. Its beginning has an impressive grip. The kind that promotes love at first sight, or better, at first listening. The drumming is really insane with so many beats sounding like a machine gun of some sort. I find it really interesting how Extreme Metal bands are including such themes as astronomy and space to their lyrical themes. This is an album that really impresses for the honest and direct approach they make of Extreme Metal. Moreover, the mix of voices in the album is also something that makes my dear child of the night impressed by the variations that happen here. They go from the eerie and shrieking to the classical anthems. That’s really a lot, if you know what I’m talking about. But it’s the power that impresses more. The album is a direct hit to the mouth causing a knockout.

Ok, now track by track – well, sort of. As I said before, the drumming is really something amazing. There are lots of blast beats as in “Favors for Significance” where the drumming really makes a point. Pay attention to all the variations drummer Bastian Thusgaard impresses to his kits and the frank spanks he does. And it’s not only in that very especific track, in all the album the drumming goes beyond the expected. However, it’s following track “The First Deceiver” that goes beyond the musically expected frpm a band that sticks to the label Melodic Death Metal by adding some ethereal effects in theis music that give a deep impression. The Arcane Order’s choice to include space themes into their lyrics and music really made a difference in their sonancy taking them sometimes to a more Progressive field. Most tracks are away the four minute limit – some people say four minutes is a limit to a song – what gives them this Progressive aura whatsoever. Aside the drumming, it’s fair to say that the instruments are neat and very well produced.

The Arcane Order were founded by guitarist and composer (Invocator, Autumn Leaves, Temple of Scorn) in the 00’s with the aim of writing epic and melodic extreme metal pushing the boundaries for what metal could be and express. The band was signed to Metal Blade, which released 2006’s “The Machinery of Oblivion” and 2008’s “In the Wake of Collisions.” After a extended release break, the third album 2015’s “Cult of None” came out via Massacre Records.

During their career, The Arcane Order have been challenged by line-up changes, but has continuously returned as a strengthened outfit with artistic will and vision. In 2017, Bastian Thusgaard (Soilwork) became the band’s new drummer and thus accompanied Flemming C. Lund and longtime guitarist Kasper Kirkegaard (Hatesphere). In 2019, work on album four commenced, but the process was to be challenged by both change of members and a pandemic and lasted three years in all. In the final phase of recording, the band finally found a new singer in Kim Song Sternkopf (MØL), and with bass player Anders Frodo S. Mikkelsen’s inclusion in 2022, the band’s current line-up was complete.

Really an album that impresses.

The Arcane Order “Distortions from Cosmogony” will be released on June 09th via Black Lion Records.

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

Watch “The First Deceiver” official music video here:

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