German genre-bending band LORD OF THE LOST have truly flooded us with great music this past year as they meticulously released the first two parts of their magnum opus – the excellent “Opvs Noir” trilogy. The time has now come for them to close this chapter as the final album in this series, obviously titled “Opvs Noir Vol. 3,” was released on April 10th, 2026, via Napalm Records.
It’s not an often occurrence that a band can produce and put out about seven albums’ worth of music in the course of roughly five years. Yet somehow LORD OF THE LOST did exactly that, so let’s recap. This decade started with the classical album “Swan Songs III” (and its symphonic version) in 2020 and continued with the magnificent double album that was “Judas” (and its instrumental and deluxe versions) in 2021. Then they veered into an ‘80s-inspired extravaganza for “Blood & Glitter” (and its instrumental and deluxe versions) in 2022, which they followed up with the covers album “Weapons of Mass Seduction” (and its deluxe version) in 2023 and a live album of their show at Waken, “Live at W.O.A,” in 2024. After which, they got back on track with what has now been their most ambitious project yet, the “Opvs Noir” albums and all their instrumental versions in 2025 and 2026. Oh, almost forgot about the live album “Live at Gothic meets Klassik 2023” released sometime in 2025. That is a lot of music, and personally, I am feeling a bit fatigued just keeping up with their insane release schedule.
Nonetheless, “Opvs Noir Vol. 3” hits all the marks and checks all the boxes, thus perfectly closing this trilogy. In true LORD OF THE LOST fashion, the album boasts some neat collaborations, emotional songs, as well as some heavier cuts and much more in between. Though not as cohesive as the other albums, “Vol. 3” still has its high points and, unfortunately, also some filler material. Released as singles, “I’m a Diamond” and “I Hate People” feel like the two sides of the same coin when it comes to music, ambiance, and, of course, lyrics. Whereas the collaboration with Alea of SALTATIO MORTIS, “I’m a Diamond,” is a super fun life affirming melodic anthem about how special and unique each of us are (“I shine all colours near and far”), the featuring with Wednesday 13, “I Hate People,” is a dark and groovy shopping list of all the things society does wrong when confronted with certain individuals who don’t conform to outdated social norms (ex: “I hate people being told who they love is a sin”).
LORD OF THE LOST have a real knack for balancing serious topics with less serious ones, but also for trivializing some important ones, and a number like the moody “My Funeral” is both as serious of a topic as you’d expect from them yet they somehow manage to make light of it (“Wear pink to my funeral” states the chorus) despite the crunchy guitars and thumping bass, and I think this approach is a key aspect of who they are as a band. At this point, a song titled “La Vie Est Hell,” sung partly in French, shouldn’t come as a surprise, yet this joint effort with Hannes Braun (KISSIN DYNAMITE) is as beautiful and uplifting as it is silly and sanguine. On the other hand, the heavy opening track, “Kill the Lights,” is a wonderful mixture of Gothic ambiance, industrial riffs, and symphonic elegance with just a dash of dark electronica to make it a standout while the emotional “When Did the Love Break?” is made even more intense, introspective, and pensive by Ambre Vourvahis’s delicate vocals.
Elsewhere, songs like “The Shadows Within,” “Square One,” or “Your Love Is Colder than Death” are right in their wheelhouse, showcasing just how versatile their sound really is; these particular tracks range from orchestral and grand to bouncy and catchy, all the way to Gothic and dramatic. Throughout this mash of styles, the vocals are the glue that ties everything together, and I really like the way in which Chris Harms adapts his voice to the demands of the songs, delivering once again a varied and versatile performance. He is particularly impressive on the closing track, “The Days of Our Lives,” a minimalistic and somber ballad with a dystopian undertone to it, as the strings and orchestral swells that should have accompanied such powerful lyrics are replaced by keys, percussion, and an overall gloomy ambiance.
With the trilogy thus concluded, there are only a couple of things left to say, chief among them being that LORD OF THE LOST are undoubtedly one of the most creative and hard-working bands around. And no, it’s not about quantity over quality here because what they have done with the multifaceted “Opvs Noir” is not only showcase how expansive and broad their sound is but how many shades of grey there are to play and experiment with when crafting songs. I really love that they don’t rely on a certain pattern (or a magic formula) when writing music, but unapologetically explore all areas that can be explored. In doing so, they masterfully avoid being pigeonholed into a certain genre while still maintaining a very recognizable sound, and that delicate balance is no small feat to achieve.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
- Kill The Lights
- I’m A Diamond (feat. Saltatio Mortis)
- My Funeral
- I Hate People (feat. Wednesday 13)
- The Shadows Within
- La Vie Est Hell (feat. Hannes Braun)
- Square One
- When Did the Love Break? (feat. Xandria)
- Your Love Is Colder Than Death
- Take Me Far Away (feat. Cats in Space)
- The Days of Our Lives
Lineup
Chris Harms – Vocals, Guitar
Pi Stoffers – Guitar
Benjamin “Benji” Mundigler – Guitar, Synths
Klaas Helmecke – Bass
Gerrit Heinemann – Piano, Synths, Percussion
Niklas Kahl – Drums
Label
Napalm Records
