Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Orden Ogan
Label: AFM Records
Released: 2016
Rating: 4.5/5
Orden Ogan haven’t been a new name on the heavy metal map for a long time now. The band, formed even before the new millennium, 1998 to be exact, and hailing from the German town of Arnsberg in North Rhine-Westphalia, more than deserves a proper retrospective for all that grit and defiance, in the form of a hefty compilation packed with unreleased goodies.
“The Book of Ogan” is a chest, a real treasure trove of Orden Ogan goodies, packed onto two DVDs and two CDs! The contents of this box couldn’t sum up the essence of the band any more vividly than they do. This massive »treasure box« of indulgences has something for everyone. Whether you’re a freshly baked fan, or a longtime follower hunting for absolute rarities, in other words a music consumer of the more demanding kind. And don’t overlook the booklet »stuffed« with info and photos, which lavishly enriches this release.
The two DVDs add up to a full six hours. The first one holds a bundle of all the band’s videos released so far, plus an extended documentary, an in-depth look into the very core of the band. From the very beginnings of its career and through the evolution it has gone through. The road was thorny, full of defiance and sacrifice. It takes us all the way to 2015, when the band, with its fifth studio album, »Ravenhead«, finally broke into the international charts. The second DVD features two full concerts that Orden Ogan played last year on summer festival stages. In Germany, of course. That’s where they get the most support, and of course that’s where the money is, and where there’s support for this kind of music, which is by no means drying up anytime soon. On top of that there are shorter clips from other festival stages, as well as three in-depth interviews.
The first CD is a welcome gift especially for all the freshly baked fans who want to get to know the world of Orden Ogan. The compilation runs through the best songs from a total of five studio albums. The track order is chronologically jumbled, but it’s still fun to pick up on the production nuances as well as the artistic ones across the songs. The band gradually moved from its folk metal beginnings into a power metal fortress that held on to the folk elements on one side and began lavishly decorating its arrangements with symphonic touches too. No wonder Orden Ogan are often, and rightly, compared to Blind Guardian or even Running Wild.
The second CD contains “Testimonium a.d.”, (the first time it’s ever been officially released through any label), which first came out in 2004 as the band’s self-released effort. It holds the original recordings of songs that later found their way, in altered form, onto the studio debut. So, an absolute rarity. Word has it that prices on the black market for this collection of recordings hit €500.00 a copy.
In short. A true fan of European power metal and its legacy won’t think twice about making this investment. »The Book of Ogan« is a carefully seasoned document that endlessly pampers and spoils the true power metal devotee (to put it modestly). A box worth all your attention. For the longtime, hardcore followers of the band and all the other legions of faithful defenders of European power metal.
Track List
DVD 1: Documentary – The History Of Orden Ogan
01. Introduction
02. Part I: 1996-2008 – Becoming A Band
03: Part II: 2008 – Vale
04: Part III: 2010 – Easton Hope
05: Part IV: 2012 – To The End
06. Part V: 2015 – Ravenhead
07: Part VI: 2015 – ? – Conclusion
Music videos:
2004: Angels War
2008: The Lords Of The Flies
2010: We Are Pirates!
2010: Easton Hope
2012: The Things We Believe In
2012: Land Of The Dead
2012: Masks
2015: F.E.V.E.R
Bonus content:
– The Making Of “To The End”
– “Rhapsody”-Tour Report
– The Making Of “The Things We Believe In”
DVD 2: Orden Ogan Live
Orden Ogan Live At Rock Harz Open Air 2015
01. Orden Ogan
02. F.E.V.E.R
03. Deaf Among The Blind
04. We Are Pirates!
05. Farewell
06. Ravenhead
07. Here At The End Of The World
08. Sorrow Is Your Tale
09. Announcement
10. The Things We Believe In
ORDEN OGAN Live At Brose Arena Bamberg 2015
01. Orden Ogan
02. F.E.V.E.R
03. To New Shores Of Sadness
04. The Lords Of The Flies
05. To The End
06. Ravenhead
07. We Are Pirates!
08. Deaf Among The Blind
09. The Things We Believe In
Bonus content:
– “Angels War” Live At Summer Breeze 2013
– “Easton Hope” Live At Wacken 2010
– “Rites Of Vale” Animated Comic
– “Masks” Alternative Clip
– Festival Report 2013
– EMP/Rockinvasion Interview At Summer Breeze 2013
– Rock Hard Interview At Bang Your Head 2015
– Sons Of Metal Interview In Paris 2014 / 2015
CD 1: “All These Dark Years – The Best Of 2008 – 2015”
1. To The End
2. F.E.V.E.R
3. All These Dark Years
4. The Things We Believe In
5. To New Shores Of Sadness
6. A Reason To Give
7. Farewell
8. We Are Pirates!
9. The Lords Of The Flies
10. The Ice Kings
11. Deaf Among The Blind
12. Masks
13. Ravenhead
14. Requiem
CD 2: “Testimonium a.d.” (Demo 2004)
1. Testimonium a.d.
2. Ethereal Ocean
3. Angels War
4. Moods
5. Y, U, Id Ant My
6. Golden
7. The Step Away
