Review by Jeger on December 1, 2024.

Since 2021, the prolific Order Of Nosferat have bestowed upon their horde six LPs that realize through sound the perils of life eternal and strike up from the depths of imagination the deepest dungeons - ancient torchlit corridors where the damned dwell - lonesomely haunting and yearning to relive just a single moment of a past life all but completely forlorn. Mourning the warmth of mortal life and unleashing their wrath upon those foolish enough to intrude. Order Of Nosferat's masterful synergy of entrancingly melodic black metal and captivating dungeon synth has earned them a cult following, and a cult following within the realm of BM is the ultimate goal for artists who understand the meaning of true black metal.

Black metal for harkening, for fantasy and for delving into dusty centuries olde volumes by candlelight. The magick of the night! The eternal and internal woes of immortality as detailed in heartfelt records like Order Of Nosferat's forthcoming opus, Towards The Nightrealm Of Orlok, scheduled for a December 25 release via Purity Through Fire. It's in the melancholy of wasted days and in the somberness of existence where the essence of this record pulsates like cold crimson running through vampiric veins. Tracks like 'At The Sea She Longs For His Return' and 'Into The Pale Shadows And Ghostly Dreams' that stir up your mortal passion - a Vampire's lament - churning the spirit and conjuring up images of rain-soaked nights by hearth-light as the desolate ones brood eternally just outside; stalking and awaiting the killing moment.

Modestly produced black metal with earthy tones and ethereal synth underlays that intertwine with the bittersweet melody of it all like Ouroboros serpentinely converging with destiny on this sorrowful eve of redemption lost. A striking mood piece to send you reeling through the annals of time into a simpler era of steed & steel, of heart & soul and of life so fragile. On a stylistic front, Nightrealm is bolstered by a sturdy Suomi backbone - reminiscent of early Sargeist, Horna and Satanic Warmaster, but accentuated by bittersweet synth-driven atmosphere. None too swift or complicated, just simple and impactful black metal crafted with dignity.

This is for the underground black metal enthusiast - the admonisher of the mainstream who sees BM as the finest dark art and who hallows the soil beneath. An album to just let yourself go, to embrace the sanctity of the mortal coil and to pity the eternal ones. A celebration of eves macabre and of the howling of the wolf as it echoes through the moonlit forest canopy into azures of black and silver. With Towards The Nightrealm Of Orlok, Order Of Nosferat snatch you from the dread of the now and pull you through portals of yesteryear into the world of the castle & dungeon, and the soundtrack couldn't be sweeter. Embrace the night! The mystification of Autumnal eves under harvest moon and the sweet sound of true vampiric black metal.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Alex on January 20, 2021.

There's no doubting the fact that once you place members of Kawir, Black Blood Invocation and Hate Manifesto together, you would be getting the highest quality of black/death metal Greece has to offer. Those are just some of the bands the members are involved in and even stretch as far as the mighty and morose Disharmony; hence the final product form Caedes Cruenta is none other than remarkable. Having been aware of their 2014 act of deplore which fell under the name Ερείπια ψυχών, expectations for Of Ritual Necrophagia and Mysterious Ghoul Cults, were cast fairly high. Thus said, their 2021 ritual set to be released through Helter Skelter and Regain Records February 1st, has once more managed to go above and beyond.

Firstly the artwork, amazing!!!, that's a metal cover, then there's the music, what more sonic strength could one's ears bare before crumbling in subservience to synth and guitar compositions this majestic. It begins on the opening title, 'Of Ritual Necrophagia and Mysterious Ghoul Cults' that's an eclectic musical dawning upon the listener. You'll get showered in completion and totally drenched in the most memorable synth pieces. The album appears filthy, yet haunting and eerie, yet beautiful romantic and majestic altogether; not forgetting that in some instances such as on 'Aura of Immortal Souls' or 'Into the Ashes of the Unforgotten Woods (L'Inferno)' there is some sense of melancholia present on Of Ritual Necrophagia and Mysterious Ghoul Cults.

The album displays a lot of dynamism atmospherically, but not at the expense of the actual metal; the vocals are raw particularly in the growling death metal parts where there's sort of a hoarse grunt that sounds just damnable which is contrasted yet supported by sharp harsh sprawling roars. Hence, there is more dynamics taking place on the record, this time within the voices heard. And to top it off the drumming and riffs work so well together pace for pace, step for step, through the changing tides of the music. Whether it be in fast blasting parts or mid paced spacious sections, they make each moment a worthwhile experience. There are even parts on here that remind me of Empire of the Moon and Incantation which makes listening to the record even more of a pleasure. Those pinch harmonics and overlord descending style of keyboards make it hard to shrug off something this grandiose.

'Of Ritual Necrophagia and Mysterious Ghoul Cults', 'From the Darkest Paths of Golgotha' and 'The Wizard of Yaddith' happen to be just a few favorites of the album that even for more than 1 hour seems to be so short for music this good.
The recording sounds like the kind of album you'd play in a cathedral or on some desecrated body of land. By the way, get that Black Blood Invocation full length done!!

Rating: 9.5 out of 10