Band:	Orpheus Omega
Album:	So It Begins...
Style:	Melodic death metal
Release date:	July 2009

01. So It Begins...
02. The Hypocrisy
03. Common Enemy
04. Minds Betrayal
05. Creed of Ulfilas
06. A Thousand Times

Style: Melodic Death Metal
Country: Australia
Label: Unsigned
Length: 21:31
Recorded: 2009

Line-up:
Chris Themelco - guitars, vocals
Joao Concalves - guitars, vocals
Sasha Braganca - keyboards
Adam "Milky" Adams - bass, vocals
Matt Themelco - drums


If you've never heard of this Australian Melodic Death Metal band Orpheus (especially if you're someone who doesn't come from the Southern Land) I don't blame you as they're a rather young one (I'm not just referring to the band member's ages). They formed in 2008 and have just released this one, aptly titled EP So It Begins... They mention being influenced by At The Gates, In Flames and Dark Tranquillity and so on but from what I can tell they are (at times) somewhat unique (or maybe diverse) with their distant take on blending the extreme and melodic sides of metal.

So It Begins... starts with a symphonic/piano track, and if that wasn't enough build-up, the second track "The Hypocrisy" begins with a fast marching drums-matching-guitars opening. This is broken with the shout of "Let's Go" and the EP launches. Reasonably convincingly we're brought into some pretty heavy and raw guitars, gruff shouting growls and overlapping keyboard sounds. If you don't mind twinkling keyboard strokes through your Melodic Death Metal then you'll enjoy this track I believe.

Orpheus does change things up from here in this So It Begins... EP, for the next couple of songs sound more like some Finnish Extreme Power Metal made its way in. The solo-esque with matching keyboards beginning to "Common Enemy" sound like something that Children Of Bodom would come up with (and the chorus for that matter).

The listener is kept guessing as the final third of the EP is more of a thundering heavier affair with better solos and that raw sounding guitar. The keyboard work still influences the heavier music but is more of a background instrument again (the slow piano strokes in the rumbling sections of "A Thousand Times" are rather good).

Overall So It Begins... has some interesting moments and a few that we've all heard before. The execution is pretty good considering most of the band has self-taught themselves their respective instruments. Orpheus will be supporting Amon Amarth on their upcoming Australian tour so maybe the band is moving up in the world. Since this EP is perhaps only a sampler we'll really have to wait for the release of a full length album to be able to judge the band properly. But from what I've heard here I'm willing, when the time comes, to do just that.