Style: Progressive death metal (harsh vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Blood Incantation, Ulcerate, Gorguts, Morbid Angel, Death
Country: United States (Vermont)
Release date: 17 April 2026

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Gaze into Paulo Girardi’s chaotic and otherworldly spiral artwork and try not to be mesmerized. As Ordh meticulously crafted their brand of progressive death metal in their debut Blind in Abyssal Realms over a five year span, they looked to Girardi’s piece as inspiration, sonically emulating the captivating visualization. Ordh, made up of former members of the disbanded progressive sludge metal band Barishi, carry an eerie lovecraftian vibe that encapsulates Sulphur Aeon’s Cthulu-inspired melodic death metal aura. Much more than simple imitation, Blind in Abyssal Realms is complex and sonically diverse; did the Vermonters get lost in the whorl, or did they tame the imprisoned hostile beasts? Stare into the spiral and be still.

Blind in Abyssal Realms opens with subtle chimes, as swirling winds in a dusky sky summon the all encompassing spiral overhead. Ordh guide the listener along a dizzying interdimensional journey, interweaving gruff, reverberant distorted passages with serene acoustic sections. Layer upon layer of guitar harmonies steadily emerge and retreat from the mix, creating a sonic tunnel as a directional guide through the barrage of angular death metal riffs. Guitar solos periodically surface as tangential fractals from underlying musical themes—bursts of energy seeking to escape from the all-encompassing, dreadful spiral—while subtle synths create a surrounding electrical field to hold in the chaos. “Apis Bull”, “Moon of Urd”, and “Hierothesion” careen through Girardi’s aggressive dragon fangs and alien tentacles with a downtuned, sludgy, and dense guitar tone in the Inter Arma-like burly rhythm sections. The wide vibrato in the opening riff of “Moon of Urd” produces a fitting sense of panic while the blastbeat and frantic chugging in the midpoint of “Blind in Abyssal Realms” heighten the listener’s sense of surrounding danger. Blind in Abyssal Realms is wonderfully paced as guitarist Graham Brooks’ strange melodies are provided space and freedom to evolve without feeling over extended or self-serving.

As the blazing intensity builds to a fever pitch at the midpoint of “Moon of Urd”, the spiral breaks free into spacey, gentle guitar timbres. Transitions between distorted and acoustic passages occur fluidly and feel natural, united through Brooks’ haunting melodies. Serenity is found in the opening of “Phlegraean Fields” as the spiral’s velocity reduces to a mellowed pace. A graceful, bluesy guitar harmony atop reverb drenched clean strings reveals a peaceful pocket within the frantic voyage. Jonathan Hébert’s omnipresent growl, however, warns against a tranquil complacency. As Ordh constantly shift tempo and evolve their tone throughout each track, the calm is only a reprieve. Pulsating guitars emerge and recede as a consistent theme through the soft and searing sections. This throbbing varies in frequency and intensity throughout Blind in Abyssal Realms, perfectly mirroring the surrounding atmosphere. Underneath the resonant guitar tones, Dylan Blake’s drumming is the driving force to the wild circular ride. The kick of Blake’s bass drum is a steady force, while his tom fills add rich texture to the distorted sections. His lumbering, doomy performance during the acoustic sections of “Phlegraean Fields” and “Blind in Abyssal Realms” punctuate the unearthly strings brilliantly.  Extended acoustic sections continue through the ethereal title track interrupted by fiery death metal riffs lined with harmonized guitar lines similar to Blood Incantation’s approach.

With five tracks running just over forty minutes, Ordh has produced a unified composition of expansive progressive death metal that does not overstay its welcome. This is the result of effective tempo changes, interwoven acoustic and distorted passages, minimal excessive repetition, and harmonious musical themes that span throughout Blind in Abyssal Realms—an accomplishment and major feat for the band’s debut. Enthusiasts of progressive death metal should not be wary of Girardi’s hostile spiral, though be warned: breaking free of Ordh’s swirling gravity is unlikely.

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Recommended tracks: Apis Bull, Moon of Urd, Phlegraean Fields
You may also like: Sulphur Aeon, Inter Arma, Tomb Mold, Mors Verum
Final verdict: 8/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

Label: Pulverised Records

Ordh is:
– Jonathan Hébert (vocals)
– Graham Brooks (guitars, synths, backing vocals)
– Dylan Blake (drums)
– Joshua Smith (bass)
With guests:
– Hannah Hoffman (additional keyboards, synths)