Original: ConcreteWeb ( http://www.concreteweb.be/reviews/ordog )Tornio is a city in Finland, located at the border of Sweden (it’s like a sister-city of Sweden’s Haparanda), and at the very Northern shores of the Gulf of Bothnia. Tornio is also the location where Ordog hail from. The latter is a band that was formed at half of last decade, being named after the Hungarian word for ‘devil’. These Finnish doomsters did record and release a couple of demonstrational stuff, and five full lengths (without the compilation that covers the first demos). Their last album The Grand Wall was recorded, mixed and mastered during Winter 2015-2016 across the border (indeed in Haparanda) by Antti Lindholm (you might still know him from The Duskfall) at the Boat Island Studio, and it gets released in an edition of 500 copies via three of the best Doom-oriented labels (all of them from Russian soil!), being Frozen Light, Solitude Prod. and Moscow Funeral League.Well, in general The Grand Wall goes on in the vein of Trail For The Broken (2014), though it might sound more powerful and intense at first listen. Actually, what these five guys (being former or current members of e.g. Cryptic Death, Darker Grounds, Nordic Necropolis or Incrost) bring is not renewing at all, but hey, you won’t hear me complaining! These guys belong to the ‘trend’ that made the Doom-Death scene ‘popular’ and ‘acceptable’ a couple of decades ago, as a counterbalance to the UK’s monopoly.There is quite some variety, which is a fine characteristic of this approach. Ultra-heavy Doom-drones are interspersed with acoustic, symphonic, classical or operatic excerpts, as intro, intermezzo or outro, for a lengthy time, or just as a self-repeating paragraph within a chapter. Often the elements from these intermezzi reappear during the heavier parts; especially some specific keyboard melodies (performed by Jussi Harju) or (acoustic) guitar riffs are (intelligently) woven onto the bigger context.The ‘Metal’ part, which for sure is the better part on The Grand Wall, consists of all ingredients that made, and still make, this specific genre so typifying. Riff-wise (Valtteri Isometsä), it’s like a bulldozer unstoppably storming downwards on a hill. There is a lot of melody involved, yet the rhythm remains very powerful and pounding. In a great way, these riffs get joined by massive bass parts (by Olli-Pekka ‘Opie’ Rissanen), which are decently mixed into the final result. Both rhythm guitars and bass guitars are like a tandem, in a supplementary way accompanying each other to strengthen the heaviness that makes the basic structure of all compositions. And it goes perfectly well with the lead parts of the guitar, which are traditional too (read: melancholic and atmospheric), including a progressive twist occasionally. All this gets permanently coloured (or darkened) by a huge variation in keyboard performances. For a big part, these synth lines are like painting a floating soundscape on the background, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. But sometimes they are quite astral too in essence, then again somewhat psychedelic with a certain seventies vibe. Another conventional aspect is the drum performance (by newly recruited Tapio Hautalampi), who gives the whole quite an energetic push, especially when going little faster. No experimental drum patterns, no overload on breaks and hooks; the drum parts are supportive in a powerful manner. A last characteristic element is the voice of singer (and one of the founding members) Aleksi Martikainen. His grunt is deep, very deep, in the best funereal trend. It’s like a growl coming from the belly, being scraped in the throat before being spawned out. Once in a while, Aleksi sings clean too, and I like the few blackish-oriented venom-spitting screams as well.So, this is like a summary of ‘known’ aspects from the past (and the present). But as mentioned before, this does not necessarily need to be a disappointing or negative thing. When written and played the right way, the lack of originality, or the absence of renewing elements, might not bother. In Ordog’s case it must be accepted, for the song constructions, the execution, and the production, are solemn, dignified. Why changing a winning team, anyway. Okay, one might complain for some more bravery, or little less softness from time to time. But Ordog are not like a copycat, despite the predictability (which I do not mean in a pejoratively negative way), and they do come up with some very nice melancholic ballads. In conclusion I can honestly say that The Grand Wall is not supposed to by my all-time favourite Doom-Death release – at all. Yet still, to my (totally unimportant) opinion, I can recommend this epic release to everyone who appreciates the band’s former recordings, or to those who enjoy the (European) Atmospheric / Melancholic old-school-oriented Doom-Death scene. If you are such ‘fan’, you must give this band a try.Ivan Tibos.75/100

Original: Doom-Metal.com ( http://www.doom-metal.com/reviews.php?album=3045 )Ordog's latest full-length is an incredibly accomplished piece of Death/Doom work.Lapland is a part of the world strongly associated with this, the darkest time of the year. Ordog, hailing from Tornio in Lapland, have darker business in mind than festive cheer, however. They return on 21st November with a slab of finely crafted Death-Doom that they hope will provide a heavier, more melancholy alternative to those Doomsters already tiring of the annual overdose of musical atrocities we're forced to endure when venturing into public places. 'The Grand Wall' is dark and it's heavy, that much is clear from the outset. A deceptively mellow introduction to opener, 'The Doors to Red' quickly morphs from a clean, arpeggiated riff into a lumbering Doom colossus. Dramatic Gothic keyboard effects add atmosphere to the thumping Doom riff and growled vocals, while the brief mellow interludes in the song serve to heighten the crushing Death-Doom aggression. It's a statement of intent from Ordog that foretells the heavy journey ahead as the album progresses. After this promising start, things just get better and better. The mighty 'Sundered' is, frankly, a Doomtastic masterclass in malevolent, Trad Doom, and features this reviewer's riff of 2016; a bluesy, sludgy, slowed down beast of a riff that will move the most stationary of heads to bang like a privy door in a howling November storm. Musically, 'The Grand Wall' is an incredibly accomplished piece of work; Ordog have been plying their trade since 2005, 'The Grand Wall' being their fifth full length album, and it really shows. Ordog are a band at the top of their game. Every performance on this album is assured and devastatingly effective, demonstrating an impressive range. In addition to the skilfully executed Doom, there are elements of fearsome Death Metal, Funeral Doom and some subtle Gothic flourishes that add further depth to Ordog's sound. The superbly titled 'In the Looming Bitterness' at the midway point of the album provides its fastest, most visceral burst of Death-Doom bile; a savage, pounding monstrosity, driven by a remorselessly heavy riff and some throat-rippingly guttural vocals, before 'The Perfect Cut' delivers a more patient, atmospheric build up until unleashing an irresistible palm-muted riff and a powerful, lengthy solo that is probably the finest on the album. Title track, 'The Grand Wall' clocks in at just under 11 minutes and brings the album to a suitably epic conclusion. A brooding, malevolent bassline, mournful backing vocals and Gothic keyboard effects add a touch of 80s Darkwave before the Doom is cranked up to the maximum with singer Aleksi Martikainen's withering growl and another monstrous riff, before a change of pace as the last passage of the album fades with a melancholy dirge of Funeral Doom. It provides a fine end to a fine album, drawing together all the elements that worked so well throughout 'The Grand Wall' and combining them in one atmospheric finale. Ordog have delivered a Death-Doom treat that any Doom-metal.com reader would love to find in their Christmas stocking. Reviewer's rating: 8.5/10