Having already established a devoted, fully invested base on an international level for those in the know, German theatric goths Lord of the Lost seem poised to shatter heavy music's glass ceiling with their latest, OPVS NOIR Vol. 1. 

An intoxicating meld of atmospheric heft and immersive narrative, executed with truly cinematic scope, band architect and mastermind Chris Harms crafts a sensory experience that is oddly melancholy and purely mystifying. Constructing a soundtrack that resonates otherworldly, OPVS NOIR Vol. 1. channels the ominous whimsy of David Bowie in Labyrinth with the arena-sized force of their countrymen in Rammstein. 

Introduced as the first in a three-part sage, the ambitious undertaking of OPVS NOIR Vol. 1. harnesses the energy of isolation, despair and peril in a way that not only finds beauty in the bleak, but reinforces the human spirit and its unique resilience. The end result is an 11-track exploration of musical innovation executed with artistic grandeur - a truly immersive experience from start to finish. 

Expanding on the narrative at the heart of three-part epic, Lord of the Lost architect Chris Harms detailed a track-by-track, offering first-hand insight to the ingenuity of the album. Revealing glimpses into the collective psyche of the band, the ambitious scope of the three-part project and hints of whats yet to come, the testimony speaks to the craftsmanship that has made Lord of the Lost so beloved thus far- and primed to win over even more. 

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"Bazaar Bizarre"

Chris Harms - This song is a conscious decision against an album opener that’s light and easy on the ears. Instead, it offers a Hieronymus Bosch painting for the ears, a blindfolded rollercoaster ride, backward and head over heels, through the troll market of absurdities in the most remote, darkest corners of one’s own soul. If you’ve heard and felt “Bazaar Bizarre,” then you’ve already experienced the full emotional spectrum of what’s to come on OPVS NOIR Vol. 1, 2, and 3.

"My Sanctuary"

Harms - To catch your breath after the weight of the opener, “My Sanctuary” gently leads and seduces you into the more pleasant plateaus of our inner darkness. Sweet and comforting melancholy over an uplifting, uptempo musical bed - not without reason the album’s first single, a kind of gateway track to OPVS NOIR. The staircase to our inner depths, draped in black velvet. Our collective human instinct tends to associate the feeling of “darkness” with danger, fear and negativity. For many of us, myself included, however darkness is also a place of refuge, safety, calm, comfort and a source of strength.

"Light Can Only Shine In The Darkness" (featuring Within Temptation)

Harms - Just a few days after the final show of our joint tour with Iron Maiden in 2022, which also featured Within Temptation on that last day, I wrote “Light Can Only Shine In The Darkness” in an attempt to create a hybrid song between Within Temptation and Lord Of The Lost. I had met Sharon that day, as her dressing room was right next to mine. Her unique voice, so clear and angelic, yet powerful, combined with her unparalleled presence, was the fuel for this instant inspiration to write a song for her and me. The fact that she eventually felt so drawn to the song that she gifted us her voice for it feels like an unexplainable twist of fate. Because had this duet not happened, the song would never have seen the light of day.

"I Will Die In It"

Harms - I was fortunate enough to be born into an intact family, without poverty. I had a happy childhood, loving parents who have always supported me, to this day, and I grew up in a wealthy country. These are circumstances and privileges that only a very small amount of the children who have ever lived, are living, and will live, get to experience. I am aware of that. The central line "I was not born in love but I will die in it" is meant to give hope to those who had a harder start than I did. I am not preaching some illusory idea of "you can achieve anything if you just want it badly enough or if you just keep believing“ but I do want to offer a sense of motivation and strength to help make all of our lives better. And often, happiness begins not where we make ourselves happy, but where we bring happiness to others, to those close to us, to the people around us. Everyone deserves to die loved and loving.

"Moonstruck" (featuring Stimmgewalt)

Harms - Songwriting often starts with nothing more than a song title that fascinates you. I stumbled across the word “Moonstruck” in some old-fashioned poem, and it immediately felt like a goth version of “Thunderstruck.” It instantly had an iconic quality and begged for a soundtrack without many major chords, full of organ sounds and Danny Elfman weirdness. The finished demo then felt like the perfect ground for a choir, which we found in the amazing a cappella metal band Stimmgewalt. If Lord Of The Lost ever had to write a theme song for a new Harry Potter movie, it would probably sound like “Moonstruck.”

"Damage" (featuring Whiplasher Bernadotte)

Harms - I like song titles that are initially misleading, that hide a deeper and darker underworld than one might expect at first glance. That kind of unexpected three-dimensionality lies beneath “Damage,” which at first sounds like a bold, obvious word choice for a song by a heavy band. But this is not about power, destruction, or reckless wildness. It’s about what we, as human beings, do to ourselves throughout our lives, the pain and the damage we inflict on our own souls, often indirectly, by causing pain to others. And unless we are completely without empathy, that pain inevitably reflects back onto our own soul, although often with a delay. To give this inner dialogue the vocal variety it needed, there could not have been a better duet partner than Whiplasher Bernadotte from Deathstars. On top of that, a duet with Whiplasher had been on my bucket list for nearly 20 years now.

"Ghosts" (featuring Tina Guo)

Harms - Yes, I also play the cello, and have been doing so since I was five years old. But there are worlds between my playing and the sheer madness and genius, and the incomparable skill set of Tina Guo and me. When you play worldwide for Hans Zimmer, it’s no accident. Playing a kind of trio here with Tina and me on cello, plus my vocals, in a song that shifts somewhere between baroque, metal, and film soundtrack, was simply magical both in the studio and during the video shoot. I’m really looking forward to welcoming Tina on our stage someday!

"Lords Of Fyre" (featuring Feuerschwanz)

Harms - It felt like a challenge beforehand to create a song that is 100% Lord Of The Lost and also 100% Feuerschwanz. Musically, it was about baking a cake that combines medieval and folkloric elements with darkness and industrial on the shared cake base called "metal." Lyrically, there had to be a tightrope walk somewhere that connects our worlds. Not so easy when we talk more about our inner lives while Feuerschwanz go into battle with dragons. But in reality, it was no challenge at all, just an incredible amount of fun. Everything came together very naturally and effortlessly. Both bands are each represented 100% in every way, and the "Lords Of Fyre" celebrated here convey an energetic yet familiar sense of unity, a "we-feeling", for the fans of both bands.

"The Things We Do For Love"

Harms - Jaimie Lannister is responsible for this song title. It must have been about the fifth time I was watching Game of Thrones when this line just stuck with me like a hook. And you don’t have to have seen the series to guess that it’s not all about rainbows and unicorns and a perfect, sweet world when they talk about what we, humans, do for love. Love makes us stronger than our bodies seem physically capable of, love lets us endure what would otherwise break us mentally, but love can also make us crueler than we ever suspected about ourselves. Humanity has already experienced entire wars that would never have happened without the things we do for love. Love makes us grow beyond ourselves, both in positive and negative ways. Nothing holds more power over us or influences us more deeply in the things we do for love.

"The Sadness In Everything" (featuring Anna Maria Rose)

Harms - I could talk about the song itself now, but something else is far more important here. Many artists try to include as many guest features as possible in their music, ideally with much more well known artists, for name dropping, more reach, and more shared monthly listeners on Spotify. Features have increasingly become business tools rather than opportunities for genuine musical encounters. To give ourselves the chance to look beyond our own horizon and create unexpected musical encounters, we put out a call to find guest singers for one of our songs. Within a short time, we received more than a thousand emails with applications. And among many truly great voices and interesting personalities, one person stood out in particular: the incredibly talented Anna Maria Rose from the British newcomer band Tales Of Time, whose voice now appears alongside mine on “The Sadness In Everything.” Pure magic in the shape of sound waves.

"Dreams Are Never Alone"

Harms - Maybe in a few years I will have the will and the strength to speak openly about the thoughts hinted at in “Dreams Are Never Alone.” Right now, that is not the case. What I can say, though, is this: this song is by far the most personal one I have ever written, even though all the words are wrapped in beautiful imagery. Those who listen closely might sense how much is hidden within it, and how much is being held back. The silver lining is this: no matter how alone or abandoned we may feel at times, our dreams will always offer a chance to escape.

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OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 from Lord of the Lost is now available via Napalm Records. Get the album - HERE

Lord of the Lost continue their relentless touring schedule for the remainder of 2025 and into the new year. The band will make festival appearances and embark on thier North American co-headlining tour with The Birthday Massacre aqnd special guest Wednesday 13. See the complete list of dates and cities below.