Quick question: Why would a band with the name Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, being Latin for The Order of The Rosary Baptist (Indicating that the band is well educated and very artistic), choose to name an album of their “Songs 4 Hate & Devotion” (Indicating that they aren’t all that smart)? I’m sure that if I were in a band, I’d ensure the album names were in keeping with my band’s name, no matter how pretentious they may sound.

Nitpicking aside, the album is certainly a thing to behold. Seemingly light but delivering jabs and hooks above its weight and still fairly nimble, the band have a sound similar to a solemn ceremony to an unknown deity, although Christian elements feature heavily “Where I Stand On The Holy Mountain And Pray” broods and ruminates over some tribal drumming (Old-school goth touch! Natch!). “A World Not So Beautiful (A Song 4 The Emperor)” swoons and swoops from its ebony tower looking down upon the landscape from its vaulted position in despair all with an atmosphere with the consistency of molten chocolate. “In My Little Black Dress” is deceptively delicate and dances like a Geisha performing to a crowd. “With Unspoken Pleasures (My Guardian Demon)” is rather upbeat, but then it’s hard to be depressed when you’re going to be bumping uglies. Yes, that’s what the song is about. What do you expect with a title like that?

“In Heaven Only Abstinence Remains” ruminates over the fact that everything that’s fun in life means you can’t look forward to a good afterlife, which is rather silly. “Do Angels Never Cry And Heaven Never Fall?” asks some stern questions while the drums bang hard like fists against walls. “Lucifer in Love” let’s the piano tinkle down the stairs romantically, like it’s just spotted a lover. “Serpent - Dagger - Lion – Man” hangs its head low out of what dangers may lurk, while “Long Knives And Little Men” is a smooth and relaxed song about a goth girl but unlike other songs about goth girls, this one doesn’t look down on its subject. “4 1 4 1” gets all Neo- Medieval on us with some bombastic sounds and “I M B E C I L E My Idiot Lover” is Goth gliding over a Metal bass. “If Christ Is The Answer Then What Is The Question?” is casual Acoustic Rock hidden among layers of Ethereal seriousness, synths and sounds, and the first disc is wrapped up with the solemn and despairing “A Song 4 Hate & Devotion”.

The second CD has only 4 tracks and these are mostly remixes I feel could have been put on a single rather then a second CD album and saved us a few bob. “A World Not So Beautiful (A Song 4 Fredrik)” is a slower electro mix that is not as epic or as intense as the album version but broods nonetheless. “The Imbecile & The Idiot Lover” is much more rounded, smoother euphoric then the original. “Another Song 4 Hate & Devotion” is reminiscent of early Diary of Dreams if they were to really strip things down and change the vocalist, which is very interesting in itself. “In High Heels Through Nights Of Broken Glass (Mmx)” is not a mix off the first album, but an original that gazes to the heavens while lying back over a bed that demonstrates the group’s mastery of simple songs layered over and over.

Overall, an album that tackles Christian issues with Goth weariness and so Ethereal it wouldn’t look a hair out of place on the Projekt label. Heavy like a luxurious desert covered in whipped cream and with the same potential to immobilise someone. Demanding, but it does pay off.