Loch Vostok – Opus Ferox – The Great Escape

Loch Vostok – Opus Ferox
The Great Escape
Vicisolum Productions
June 25^th, 2021
Playing time: 56:15

Swedish progressive metal outfit Loch Vostok have been around since the year 2000. Spawned from the fractured mind of Teddy Möller, Loch Vostok is where anything goes. Where cheese meets grind. Where speed meets groove. The unholy child of Emperor and Tears for Fears, the bastard cousin of King Diamond and King’s X.

The press text reads well. If I had not seen the Swedes live before, I would say “exaggerated beyond measure”. But here the sound of the band is described quite well. The band named itself after a subglacial lake under the ice sheet of Antarctica, Lake Vostok (Russian: Loch Vostok). From the founding members, two are still in the current lineup. Guitarist and singer Teddy Möller and guitarist Niklas Kupper. With “Opus Ferox – The Great Escape” the eighth studio album is now in the starting blocks.

Melodic start, before the ride really takes off in “The Freedom Paradox”. Jonas Radehorn, the new man on the Clear Vocals makes a good figure and defies the riff thunderstorm. But Teddy Möller does not completely renounce. The growls on the album continue to come from him. And this interplay works well. What I liked live already quite well, the skillful mixture of Progressive and Melodic Power Metal continues then also with “Enter The Resistance”. And the growls now also sound more like Melodic Death than Thrash. An extremely interesting melange. “Disillusion” is then a bit more Progressive Metal. But also here the melodies dominate before abrupt rhythm changes. The song was released as a single. And a video clip was shot for it. A highlight for me is “When The Wolves Have Eaten Everything”, which was also released as a single. In places you can sing along after a few plays. The guitar solos are outstanding. The instrument seems to sing along here. “Generation Fail” is a bit more of a trash song. Hectic drumming and partly dominating growls provide for it. “Seize The Night” is almost Pop-Metal. Some may consider this song as unnecessary. But to me it shows what repertoire the musicians have. So why not? The title song “The Great Escape” stomps majestically. And sounds hymn-like over long parts. Another tip to play. Interesting that the bonus track “Black Neon Manifesto” is by far the longest song on the album. A truly epic progressive masterpiece. For me, this is the best song on the album. Why this is probably only included on a physical CD is not clear to me.

“Opus Ferox – The Great Escape” is an extremely successful album. The new man at the microphone has passed his baptism of fire with flying colors.Although Loch Vostok indulge in progressive metal, the melodies dominate for the most part.  Clearly fans of many genres are addressed here.  

Loch Vostok – When The Wolves Have Eaten Everything: https://youtu.be/B22znJS16lM

Lineup:

Jonas Radehorn – Lead Vocals
Teddy Möller – Guitars, Vocals
Niklas Kupper – Guitars
Patrik Janson – Bass
Lawrence Dinamarca – Drums

Track list:

• The Freedom Paradox
• Enter the Resistance
• The Glorious Clusterfuck
• Disillusion
• Galacticide
• When the Wolves Have Eaten Everything
• Generation Fail
• Seize the Night
• The Great Escape
• Save You
• Black Neon Manifesto (Bonus track)