With a vintage sound and production, ORPHAN DEVIL brings listeners a two-track melodic release sounding like it's straight out of the 1980s scene. Formed in Finland in 2016, the band consists of members that originally bonded over their love of metal. Once they found their vocalist Perttu later that year, their band was set. Influenced by classic and early Speed Metal, they set off for the studio to record an EP. With only two tracks, it showcases the band's sound and vintage style well. However, they employ older techniques like distorted vocals thrown in the back of the songs that I wish would have died with the decade. Despite this glaring flaw, the musicianship is excellent. If they refine some of their techniques in a way that makes their tracks crystal clear while preserving their traditional style, they can be an awesome band.

"Victims Of The Night" begins with a beautiful melodic riff with subtle harmonies and distortions that weave a narrative with the music. The production is so clear you can hear every waver of the string. Once the drums come in to carry the beat, the melody changes to a hard-hitting gallop that encompasses another strong melody line, this one lower. While the vocals are clear, I dislike how far back they are. They echo and sounds like they're drowning in too much in reverb. At parts, the singer completely submerges under the production. The vocals do come forward in the chorus in a soaring melody that sounds breathy. This would be fine for a live recording, but I think they should have done another take. The sweeping solo is clear and fine-tuned. I also enjoyed the echoing refrain after the instrumental break. However, while the outro is solid, the howling vocals in the middle of it can be grating. Overall, it's a great song instrumentally. The vocals needed another take.

"Drifting Away" starts with a biting snare beat followed by a dirge followed shortly by a rolling guitar riff. The vocals are also far back, but the syncopated beginning and unique transition to the chorus make it distinguishable. The echoing chorus is there for effect, but being so far back, it sounds more like a bug and less like a feature of the album. Similarly, the outro is tuned down and faded to the point the instrumentals are distorted.

Overall, the instrumentals are spot-on for a traditional Melodic Metal piece. However, I'd suggest a few more takes for the vocals. I also think they should bring the vocals forward and cut out the older, distorted production style. Once they do that, I think they could be a contender as one of the best up and comers in the Traditional Metal genre.