Category Archives: Opeth

Opeth

Overview
Opeth released their debut album, “Orchid,” in 1995, and since that time, they have released 8 additional studio albums. Their 10^th studio album, “Heritage,” is due out in 2011. Opeth is often classified as merely a death metal band, and while death metal elements such as menacing guitar riffs, growling vocals, and drum blasts have remained a mainstay in their sound, calling them simply death metal is doing them a major disservice. In addition to the death metal elements of their style, they also incorporate clean vocals, acoustic guitar, classical piano, and atmospheric organ and synthesizer sections. Their trademark sound comes from their ability to switch back and forth between these elements seamlessly, which make their music extremely dynamic, progressive, and exciting.

Styles & Genres
progressive death metal/ progressive metal/ progressive rock/ progressive folk rock/ acoustic rock

Current Band Line-Up (2011)
Mikael Åkerfeldt – lead vocals, guitars (since 1990)
Martin Mendez – bass guitar (since 1997)
Martin “Axe” Axenrot – drums, percussion (since 2006)
Fredrik Åkesson – guitars, backing vocals (since 2007)
Joakim Svalberg – keyboards, synthesizer, backing vocals, percussion (since 2011)

Rate this album now! Scroll over the stars and click to rate.

(No reader ratings yet, be the first to rate!)

 Loading ...

Opeth Blackwater Park- 2001
RMR Album Rating- 8

Blackwater Park, Opeth’s 5^th studio album, marks the end of one chapter of their sound, and the start of another— one that merges the band’s death metal roots and progressive folk rock branches.

But, it is important to point out that Opeth was certainly not giving up death metal altogether for progressive folk rock, for the album’s epic closing title track is an Opethian death metal classic. (Click here to listen to Blackwater Park)

Blackwater Park is, However, their first album where their two (normally polarized styles) are in perfect harmony, so the songs ebb and flow seamlessly from fast and hard to slow and soft. Plus, the vocals flow from deep sinister growls to calm clean vocals, and these dynamic shifts keep each song incredibly interesting.

I also want to point out the album’s outstanding production, which was done by Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree. Blackwater Park marks the first collaboration between Opeth and Wilson. Without Wilson, I don’t think the merging of Opeth’s styles would have worked as well as it did.

Wilson also sings back-up on several of the tracks. His vocals are very similar to Åkerfeldt’s clean vocals, and Wilson and Åkerfeldt alternate vocal verses on several songs, creating a layered and textured sound. My favorite lyrical section of the album is their duet on “Bleak,” where they sing:

Devious movements in your eyes/ moved me from relief/ breath comes out white clouds with your lies/ and filters through me/ you’re close to the final word/ you’re staring right past me in dismay/ a liquid seeps from your chest/ and drains me away. (Click here to listen to Bleak)

For me, the verse is simply stunning, and it was the first section of the album that really resonated with me.

“Bleak” also starts my favorite run of songs on the album. “Bleak” is followed by “Harvest,” “The Drapery Falls,” and then “Dirge for November.” This string of four songs is completely flawless, and every song merges Opeth’s two styles perfectly.

“The Drapery Falls” is the centerpiece of the album. It has a great chorus of “Pull me down again/ and guide me into pain,” and a great climax that is sung in all clean vocals, but each lyrical line is sung over alternating sections of electric guitar and soft acoustic guitar. There are four lines of lyrics to this climatic verse, and here is the breakdown of the accompanying guitar style of each lyrical line…

Spiraling to the ground below (Acoustic)
Like Autumn leaves left in the wake to fade away (Acoustic/Electric)
Waking up to your sound again (Acoustic)
And lapse into the ways of misery (Acoustic/ Electric)

This collage of alternating heaviness and calmness is completely unique, and it is by far my favorite section of the album. (Click here to listen to The Drapery Falls)

Many fans call Blackwater Park Opeth’s coming of age album, and I completely agree. Opeth had always experimented with the aforementioned styles, but it wasn’t until this album that they completely mastered them all.

Rate this album now! Scroll over the stars and click to rate.

(1 reader ratings, average: 5.00 out of 5)

 Loading ...

Opeth Heritage- 2011
RMR Album Rating- 6 (Good)

I will offer some advice to Opeth fans before listening to Heritage. Think of it as a debut album from an entirely new band because it sounds nothing like any previous Opeth album.

However, Opeth gave us fair warning of this change. Opeth has been around for almost 20-years, and they have grown more progressive with each of the 9 albums leading up to Heritage (their 10^th studio release), which for me was a good thing. Starting with Blackwater Park, I thought their releases were getting better and better as they grew more progressive. I think they peaked with Ghost Reveries and plateaued with Watershed, so I think Åkerfeldt felt like it was time for a major change, and he stated in many interviews that Heritage would be a complete departure from Opeth’s past sound. But, even with this fair warning, I don’t think I was prepared for how different the album would actually be. I was expecting and really hoping for another Ghost Reveries or Watershed without growls, as Åkerfeldt had stated on many occasions that the album would feature only clean vocals. Well, Heritage has nothing in common with either of those albums. So as I stated, my best advice is to treat Heritage as a debut album from a new band and erase any preconceived notions of what Opeth should sound like. If can you do that, it will certainly open your mind to the album’s sound and improve your listening experience.

So, with all that being said, what does Heritage sound like?

First, and as mentioned, there are no growls, and Åkerfeldt sings in all clean vocals, which I knew before the album was released, and I like this change. However, I will say that I had come to enjoy Åkerfeldt’s growls on their previous records and the juxtaposition of his growls and clean vocals made for very heavy, yet very calming music at the same time, and I really enjoyed that dynamic of Opeth’s first 9 albums.

In terms of instrumentation, the signature drum blasts from Martin Mende are almost completely gone (with a few exceptions) and are replaced with very jazzy drumming. Then, there’s the issue of Åkerfeldt’s guitar playing. I always thought Åkerfeldt’s metal guitar tone was extremely unique and almost inimitable. Unfortunately, on Heritage, his trademark guitar sound has been mostly traded in for an acoustic/ folky guitar sound, which he has always played and incorporated on past records, but it has never been his primary guitar tone. I will point out that there are still some heavy guitar parts to this album, but they definitely take a back seat to other styles of playing. So, the lack of growls, the jazzy drumming, and the folky guitar are absolutely major changes, but the biggest change for me (and the most disappointing) is the almost complete disappearance of their seamless time signature and pacing changes. Unlike any other band, Opeth were the kings at flawlessly alternating back and forth seamlessly between heavy and soft moments, fast and slow moments, and metal and clam moments, and that component of their music is almost completely absent on Heritage.

In terms of songs, there are 10-tracks on the official release. The album’s first track is a soft piano instrumental interlude, and the final track is also an instrumental piece. The 8-tracks that fall in between the opener and closer really all run together, and there are very few songs or moments that really stand out. I will say that this album is better while you are playing it, but it has very few memorable sections, and there are almost no hooks; therefore, it doesn’t stick with you when it’s not playing, which for me is really the measure of a great album— one that I want to keep returning to for more listens.

There are some highlights, though. “I Feel the Dark” has a nice folky progressive build up, and then at about the three-minute mark, the song transitions to a heavy guitar sequence; however, this transition is not seamless, and it almost sounds forced. This doesn’t make the song bad, and it is one of the best tracks on the record, but it’s certainly not groundbreaking either. “Slither” also stands out, as it is easily the heaviest and fastest song on the album. The rest of the record is overly lethargic, so the speed of “Slither” offers a nice change of pace.

Click here to listen to I Feel the Dark
Click here to listen to Slither

The real centerpiece of the album is “Famine.” It starts off with a strange combination of random sounds all mixed together; then it slows down to a very soft piano section, which is followed by Åkerfeldt’s best vocal section of the album:

I can’t see your face/ And I can’t breathe your air/ So I wonder why I get cold inside/ When I hear your name

These lyrics are delivered at an overtly slow and calm pace, and the effect is incredibly moving. Then there is a dramatic pace change and one of the few drum blasts on the album, which is layered over very heavy guitar work from Åkerfeldt. The song concludes with great flute work, which gives it an interesting Jethro Tull feel, and this part of the song sounds like it would fit perfectly on Jethro Tull’s Aqualung. On a side note, Åkerfeldt actually contacted Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull to see if he would play the flute parts, but Anderson never responded; nonetheless, the flute parts are a great addition to the song, and “Famine” is easily the best song on the album. (Click here to listen to Famine)

I had really high hopes for this album, but it just didn’t live up to my expectation, and even if I take my own advice and treat it as a debut album from a new band, it still isn’t top shelf work. Personally, I am fine with Opeth changing direction, and I love that they have headed so deep into the progressive rock realm, but they are just not excelling in this new style yet.

Rate this album now! Scroll over the stars and click to rate.

(1 reader ratings, average: 5.00 out of 5)

 Loading ...