Band: Opeth
Genre: Progressive Death Metal
Discography: "Orchid" (1995), "Morningrise" (1996), "My
Arms, Your Hearse" (1998), "Still Life" (1999), "Blackwater Park" (2001),
"Deliverance" (2002), "Damnation" (2003), "Ghost Reveries" (2005), "Watershed"
(2008)
Opeth is
probably the best known metal band from Sweden. Their name is synonym of
excellence and they have built a huge fan base over their 13 years of
existence. The band is the brainchild of front-man Mikael Åkerfeldt, guitar
player, composer and lead vocalist; clearly a gifted musician and in my opinion
the best vocalist in metal to-date. He manages to perform great growling along
with clear vocals in an impressive display of talent.
Opeth plays
a complex, heavy yet melodic form of music. They mix elements of melodic death
metal with progressive metal ones and some other minor influences from other
genres such as jazz and psychedelic rock. The songs are often long (most of
them over 6 minutes) with passages of angry and heavy music that move towards
more tranquil moments. This dynamic is held up by a number of different
features including growls, clear vocals, distorted guitars, clean acoustic
guitars, piano interludes and intros, varied drumming and melodic soloing
amongst others. Opeth´s music is a difficult listen, especially because of the
amount of different melodies and guitar layers all over the place.
All their
albums are great, but my personal favourite is 1999´s "Still Life", an LP
perfect in all its aspects. It tells a tragic story of love in seven mind
blowing songs, including "Serenity Painted Death", my favourite of them as
well.
After some
major line up changes in 2007, they released their new album "Watershed" which I'm
finding not that interesting, and in fact the word that comes to mind is
"boring". I feel that way about it probably because I can not avoid comparing
it with their best releases. If you see it on its own, it is indeed a good
album, still complex and melodic, enhancing even more the progressive elements.
If you haven't
heard of this band I have two questions for you: where the fuck have you been? Fucking Mars!!!, and Why are you still reading?...Fucking go and start
downloading the music right away!!...
Download Opeth´s discography here
Song: "Moonlapse Vertigo" from "Still Life"
Kept warm by the light of the lantern
Lost sight of everything tonight
My presence blackens their pattern
A pock in the healthy and calm
Their scorn behind your back
My promise would put them down
No trace of reverance left
Immemorial fire in their eyes
I would persih at the given signal
At the slightest touch from my soul
Tainted prophet in flesh
For all the plagued and lost
Dripping sin
Decision in stalemate
Dare to feel death at hand
Surprised me with its voice
Through the forest came the morn
Across the leafy pathway
Their deeds smeared in blood
For all to behold
The council of the cross
Must have sensed my coming
The pest through the air
With despise for squalor
Lashing out at the poor
I turned away my eyes
In pallor escape from the end
Fading time to leave from here
And less to fulfill my task
She would be safe and firm
Nothing of this is in vain
Taken away from stifling grace
And saved from the past
