Four musicians have teamed up to form an alliance with the sole purpose of unleashing "Pure Fucking Armageddon" on Earth. Thus, this mission has led to the birth of ORDER, a formidable band with an appetite for creating black metal with a tinge of death metal. These musicians who were once affiliated with some of the most prominent black metal bands in Norway include Messiah (ex-MAYHEM) on vocals, Stu Manx (GLUCIEFER) on bass, Anders Odden (CADAVER) on guitars and Manheim (ex-MAYHEM) on drums. The band's debut "Lex Amentiae", which translates to "The Law of Insanity" in English, does not hold back from displaying its profoundly philosophical essence.

The album opens with "Winter", a grim track that pits you against a desolate soundscape filled with nothing but darkness and despair. Messiah's demonic black metal shrieks amidst the backdrop of riffs and double bass drum beats. "Prophet" is one of the stand-out tracks on this album. The ominous and sinister voices that cloud the beginning of the track hint at the song's gloomy and dismal nature. The tempo slows down at certain points within the track to give way for spoken lines and deep growls.

Religious (or rather, anti-religious) and historical themes abound in "Torquemada". Based on the real-life figure of Tomas de Torquemada, the 15th-century Spanish Grand Inquisitor, this upbeat track composed entirely in Spanish is rife with provocation and harshness. Amidst the catchy melody and energetic performance is the lyrical content that takes a jab at the atrocities committed in the name of religion. Up next is "Dugma", an especially high-tempo tune which also happens to be the shortest track on the album. Interspersed with yells and screams, this track is bound to provide listeners with an aural assault! Interestingly, the song also includes quotes from Orwell's "1984".

Furthermore, the album includes a cover of CELTIC FROST's "Procreation (of the Wicked)". It is indeed a solid cover. ORDER's incorporation of growls and heavy down-tempo guitar playing, infusing it with a powerful death metal vibe. "Folly Grandeur" is another testament to ORDER's exceptional showcase of musical artistry. Beneath the cryptic lyrics is a song that is the result of a marriage between the mercilessness of death metal and the bleakness of black metal. The final track, "Order" is a rather unique one. With shrieks and growls kept to a minimum, the vocals are instead comprised mainly of yells and emotive spoken passages by Messiah set against a gloomy backdrop. The vocal delivery here is exceptionally intense and the lyrics are compelling.

ORDER has succeeded in dishing out a vicious and captivating album that is "Lex Amentiae". It is a somber affair with thought-provoking lyrical themes and solid musical deliverance by established members of the black metal scene. This album (and band) is bound to wreak havoc (in a good way of course!) on the metal scene, and it would be very interesting to see where the band takes off from here.