“Opvs Noir Vol. 3” is one of those albums that doesn’t quite reveal itself on the first encounter. At first it feels like familiar territory for Lord of the Lost: the brooding atmosphere, the polished darkness, the steady pulse of Chris Harms’ voice guiding everything forward. But somewhere along the way, usually after a few listens, the record begins to shift. Melodies that seemed unremarkable at first start looping in your head, and the album’s constantly changing character begins to make sense. It’s a slow burn, but one that rewards patience.

What sets this final chapter of the trilogy apart is how boldly the band leans into its collaborations. Instead of treating guest appearances as decorative accents, Harms and company allow each artist to reshape the songs from the inside out. The result is an album that moves through different moods and textures with surprising ease, as if each track opens a door into a slightly different version of the Lord of the Lost universe.

Alea of Saltatio Mortis pulls “I’m A Diamond” into a medieval‑tinged world that feels strangely natural, as though the band has always had a minstrel spirit hiding beneath the electronics and distortion. Wednesday 13 drags “I Hate People” into a grimy punk alleyway, giving it a sneer that sticks with you longer than you expect. Ambre Vourvahis of Xandria lifts “When Did the Love Break?” into something almost operatic, her voice weaving around Harms’ in a way that makes the song feel larger than itself. And Damien Edwards softens “Take Me Far Away” with a gentle, melodic glow that lingers long after the track fades.

But the moment where the album truly comes alive, the point where everything clicks for me, is “La Vie Est Hell“. Hannes Braun doesn’t just appear on the track; he transforms it. The song becomes a theatrical, swaggering, dark‑cabaret spectacle, full of flamboyant energy without ever losing its emotional core. It’s catchy, dramatic, and effortlessly stylish, the kind of track that pulls you back into the album even when you think you’ve heard enough. For me, it’s the heartbeat of the record, the place where the collaboration concept reaches its fullest potential.

What ties all these shifting styles together is the band’s confidence. Lord of the Lost aren’t reinventing themselves here as they don’t need to. But they’re clearly enjoying the freedom to stretch, to let other voices bend their sound in unexpected directions. The production is rich without suffocating the songs, the atmosphere dark but never monotonous, and the pacing loose enough to let the album breathe.

“Opvs Noir Vol. 3” may not hit with immediate force, but it settles in quietly and stays with you. The hooks grow sharper with each listen, the textures reveal themselves in layers, and the collaborations give the record a sense of movement that keeps it from ever feeling static. As a conclusion to the trilogy, it feels fitting: confident, varied, and full of small surprises.

A strong, memorable closer.

Score: 7/10
Label: Napalm Records
Release Date: April 10th, 2026
Reviewer: Michael

Tracklisting:

1. Kill The Lights
2. I’m A Diamond (feat. Saltatio Mortis)
3. My Funeral
4. I Hate People (feat. Wednesday 13)
5. The Shadows Within
6. La Vie Est Hell (feat. Hannes Braun)
7. Square One
8. When Did The Love Break? (feat. Xandria)
9. Your Love Is Colder Than Death
10. Take Me Far Away (feat. Cats In Space)
11. The Days Of Our Lives