I am digging the expansion of the Ordo Aurum legends from Indiana blackened death metal band Symphony of Heaven. Part concept album and part stitching together leftovers, “Ordo Aurum Archeia” dishes up the strongest offering from the band, showcasing their maturing sound. The concept, as far as I can tell, traces back to Pantokrator album covers that showcased the symbol on the eagle’s chest. There seems to be a tight connection between Pantokrator and SoH besides sharing a similar style.

SoH has had quite a journey. Starting as a solo project by Logan “Pathos” Thompson. The debut album was a heavily blackened death metal release called “The Season of Death” back in 2017. After the debut, Pathos accumulated other band mates and formed the first stable lineup of David “Timoratus” Napier (Timoratus, Azell), Mason “Asaph” Beard (Timoratus, Ascending King) and Eero Tertusen (Renascent, Angel of Sodom) and released the follow-up EP, “Ascension of Extinction” in 2020 and their second full length “Maniacal Entropik Discordium” in 2021. Then David and Eero left the band and Shawn “Turadh” Medley joined on bass. SoH released the single “In Anger’s Midst” in 2023 which was threaded with a batch of new songs for “Ordo Aurum Archeia.”

Putting the Ordo Aurum concept aside and focusing on the music, we have the intersection of intense blackened death metal, deep melodic and harmonic textures, and orchestral elements. It is intense, sonically, emotionally, and spiritually. Although this intensity may point to a darker struggle, which SoH historically employs catharsis, the musical side has a very uplifting edge to it with liberal use of major chords within empowering musical progressions that move the sound upwards. There is a plethora of additional musicians on the album, which adds depth, but doesn’t change the character of their sound.

To call this blackened death metal is incomplete. If I didn’t hear from their back catalog, my ear would connect the intense riffage, varying death-tinged vocals, and synth ornamentation leading to a melodic death metal diagnosis. The tremolo leads are the main black metal element, but that is not unique to the genre. There is a surprisingly diverse set of vocals for a death metal release ranging from the deeper death growls to the barking thrashy vocals with plenteous use of layered vocals that sound like many waters pouring at once. The guitar work has a good blend of heavy chugging, technical riffs, and harmonic twin guitar work, however the addition of synths, such as atmospheric pads and brass, really elevated their sound. The drums on this performance are excellent and musically relevant as seen in the orchestration of full band crescendos and support during thinner instrumentation. There are times when the intensity of the polyphonic texture gets to the point that the texture smooths out, kind of like a whiting out, leaving a rather pleasing post-metal texture. This is particularly evident in “Away with the Atheists” and “Portent of Flame.”

The first 7 tracks of the album point to the legacy of Ordo Aurum. I love concept albums, especially when they aren’t too explicit, which fits here. The common theme are stories of Grandmasters of the order that stand up against darkness. My best guess are Elijah the prophet in “Portent of Flame” and early Christian saints George in “Spear and Sword” and Polycarp in “Away With The Atheists.” Apparently Bram Stoker was a Grandmaster of the order as the tale of vampire hunter Professor Van Helsing is memorialized in “The Hunter.” In the midst of these tracks is a quite majestic instrumental “Serenity’s Embrace” that builds up beautifully with some great solo guitar and bass work with the drums conducting the whole affair.

Next is “In Anger’s Midst” that plays to SoH‘s cathartic lyrics with a similar melodic death metal style, showing off their grooving style quite nicely. The closer is the Sepultura cover “Nomad.” If any, this one is the odd one out with a straightforward thrash metal style without the same symphonic support. Although a pummeling ending, the bottom end muddied the intricate articulations taking away from a truly bombastic ending to the album.

This album shows a band coming into their own. There are details that can distract, like the transition from “Legendarium” to “Archeia,” or disappoint, like the endings of songs being less thoughtful than the rest of the song. That said, the songs are as enjoyable the seventh listen as the first, endearing imperfections and all. The heart of the album aims at sharing the light of Ordo Aurum in dispelling the darkness of evil, but if the secret society aspect isn’t for you, I think that their brand of melodic death metal is definitely worth experiencing.

Rating: 9.0/10

Written by Sean Bailey

Tracklist
1 – Legendarium
2 – Archeia
3 – With Sword and Spear
4 – The Hunter
5 – Serenity’s Embrace
6 – Away With The Atheists
7 – Portent of Flame
8 – In Anger’s Midst
9 – Nomad (Sepultura Cover)

Symphony of Heaven is:
Pathos – vocals, guitars, orchestrations
Asaph – drums
Turadh – bass

Guests:
Eero Tertsunen – guitars on tracks 2, 6, and 7
Onyx – guitars, bass, and orchestration on track 4
Øx – guitars on tracks 3 and 4
Casey Hurd – vocals on track 2
Karl Walfridsson – vocals on track 6
Rachel Thompson – vocals on track 7

Release Date: October 25, 2024

Record Label: Independent

Discography:
2017: The Season of Death [review]
2020: The Ascension of Extinction – EP [review]
2021: Maniacal Entropik Discordium
2024: Ordo Aurum Archeia

Social Media: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Bandcamp | X

Video for Portent of Flames