Orthodox’s controlled chaos hints at greater potential – review of “A Door Left Open”

We live in troubled times, so we might as well take advantage of this and put them into music, right? American band Orthodox might have thought the same, and this is why I’m here writing the review of their upcoming fourth album “A Door Left Open”, to be released on June 6th, 2025, via Century Media Records.

The album is a monolithic and detailed tale of discomfort, so much so that the band didn’t hold back when it came to delivering a quality product. The outcome comes close to attaining true brilliance, despite somehow being at moments a bit too cohesive and homogenous.

Most of the songs are linked by the album’s main metaphor, which is the unnerving sensation of coming home to see something radically altered. This feeling is subsequently passed on to us listeners, and if this was their goal, they succeeded! The production, mixing and mastering are well done, and the listening experience is very smooth. My favourite track has to be “One Less Body” with Brann Dailor of Mastodon: he provides an added layer of heaviness and might.

However, “A Door Left Open” offers a limited range of emotions. Although the technical mastery of the whole group is evident, some tracks prioritise intricacy above all else – which isn’t a negative note, but that’s not the only factor that we music consider while enjoying the record.

Orthodox has produced a powerful addition to their catalogue; the band is evolving without renouncing to their identity. “A Door Left Open” succeeds in creating the desired fear and demonstrates how versatile they can be. If I were you, I would give it a listen, just to witness how powerfully Orthodox will shake you!

Tracklist:

1. Can You Save Me?
2. Body Chalk
3. Dread Weight
4. Blend In With The Weak (feat. Matt McDougal)
5. Godless Grace
6. Keep Your Blessings
7. Sacred Place
8. Step Inside
9. One Less Body (feat. Brann Dailor)
10. Searching For A Pulse
11. Commit To Consequence (feat. Andrew Neufeld)
12. Will You Hate Me?