Opeth - Damnation
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Free Music Notes for Damnation
Free Music Review: Amazing,touching,breathtaking music...
Hit: 5 Stars
I was intrigued by the Amazon samples enough to buy this thinking it couldn't be as good as the samples hinted...well, it was beyond my expectations. I've been waiting for a band to put together something like this.
I wanted to find some heavy music and was not familiar with Opeth at all. I was braced for cookie-monster vocals and growls which I admit turn off an old school metal fan like myself (Metallica,Megadeth,Slayer etc.;I'm not real happy with these bands' recent work, so I look elsewhere and try to be open-minded). I did hear some of this in the other Opeth samples, and yet I noticed in many reviews of other Opeth discs which mentioned "Damnation" in glowing terms, while noting it was very different. I became intrigued with the idea of a DM band doing acoustic numbers and their fans actually digging on it. From the moment this disc first hit my ears I realized it was very special indeed. Fron the sonic soundscapes, the musicianship, the song structures, and EXCELLENT vocal performances (glad he hasn't hurt his voice with all the growling).
I can't find any flaws with this, it is perfect. There's even a part near the end of "Hope Leave" where it sounds like a seaside sound wash, only to be revealed (after it's switched off) as an effect pedal's extranneous noise. It's the kind of thing that just magically happens when conditions are right and the stars align. No doubt that describes this entire masterpiece.
Free Music Review: "Summer is miles and miles away" ...
Hit: 5 Stars
What can I say ... somewhere in the middle of "Hope Leaves", I remembered having watery eyes ... I have listened to a lot of music from Norah Jones through Dream Theater to Pantera, but no music has ever struck such a strong emotional chord than this one 43-minute effort from a death metal band. The songs are generally about post-relationship sadness and depression. I believe that there is a certain beauty to the feeling of sadness that Opeth has captured in a highly emotional outpouring of melancholic guitars, mellotrons, amazing drums and the gorgeous voice of Mike Akerfeldt.
There is absolutely no moment in this record that sounds boring, "Hope Leaves" being the strongest point. The only moment that I was dissapointed was at the end of the last song when I longed for the sadness to continue ...
A lot of negative reviews for this album are based on comparisions to other prog. rock legends. Please folks, this is a unique piece of work that needs to be appreciated on its own. And, by the way, if Metal were to be about depression, sadness, gloom, melancholy, and negativity in general, then ladies and gentlemen ... this IS Metal.
PS: It really helps if you imagine yourself alone in a dark alpine forest in Sweden during peak-winter before beginning to listen to this album. (Or better yet, imagine yourself in the place that appears on the album cover of Opeth's Morningrise).
Free Music Review: The most beautiful album ever conceived
Hit: 5 Stars
This album, though it lacks the heaviness of the band's other material, is pefect. It captures every emotion and conveys them in musical form. Every song is wonderful (ok...so maybe "Closure" isn'y great) and the atmospheres are chilling.
Windowpane - 10/10 - Wonderful song with a grear vocal melody and the 2 best guitar solos on the album.
In My Time of Need - 10/10 - The chorus in this song is nothing short of breathtaking. I also like the way Mike sings in the verse.
Death Whispered a Lullaby - 7.5/10 - cool lyrics. Nice chorus. Not as good as some of the other songs, but still good.
Closure - 6.5/10 - The album's weak point, though that still puts it at pretty high standards with all other music.
Hope Leaves - 11/10 - I almost cried the first time i listened to this song. It is absolutely beautiful and sad. The short guitar solos chill you to the bone and the chorus leaves you in awe.
To Rid the Disease - 9/10 - A different sounding song. A little darker sounding. The highlight of this song is the chorus, though, which is where the song changes key. The guitar solo is great, too.
Ending Credits - 10/10 - a very short instrumental, but one of the most creative and greatest melodies ive ever heard.
Weakness - 8/10 - Not much of a song, but still leaves you with a weird feeling
Free Music Review: Opeth - Goes Melodic For A Fantastic Album
Hit: 5 Stars
Opeth are one of the most unique bands in progressive metal at the moment. They are incredible musicians and posses a lead singer who can not only take on the best "cookie monster" vocal growls, but also has a flawless melodic singing voice. The band uses this to full advantage on their releases and has gained a world wide following. "Damnation" is a bit of a departure for the band. It is somewhat considered to be their acoustic album (although electric instruments are to be found throughout the disc). There are no growling vocals to be found here, and the album probably has more in common with Pink Floyd or Porcupine Tree than it does death metal. This will be a huge turnoff to some, thus some of the negative reviews I have read from metal purists, but this album is very rewarding and might attract a different audience from Opeth's usual fans. The album is quite depressing with music and lyrics that create a somber mood. With titles like "In My Time Of Need", "Death Whispered A Lullaby", and "Hope Leaves" you can pretty much tell that this is not going to be an upbeat listen. As previously mentioned the vocals from Mikael Akrerfeldt are simply gorgeous and the music is all melodic and moody. This album was released with a companion disc "Deliverance" which is mostly metal oriented stuff. Personally I like "Damnation" a lot better, but opinions will vary on this.Free Music Review: Deliverance lies in Blackwater Park, Damnation's upon us!
Hit: 5 Stars
Where do I begin my review of Opeth's latest masterpiece, Damnation? 'Awaiting word on what's to come' might well be the best way to summarize my thoughts about this album. After releasing an album comprising mostly of heavy songs last November, Opeth graces us with a beautifuly crafted experimental album.The heaviest, most uptempo, part of the album certainly is the ending of track 4, 'Closure', a swirling crescendo of indian-inspired percussions and guitar riffing which ends abruptly as the soothing 'Hope Leaves' begins. This song is one of the high points of the album (there are 8 of them, meaning every single song), with melancholic vocals and beautifully crafted guitar riffs and bass lines as always.
I have played this album about 10 times since I got it yesterday, the day of its release, something I usually don't do since I own a considerable number of cds and I like to mix my daily listenings. This may be a hint that Damnation is a diamond in the rough, begging to be discovered and appreciated. Think I'll have to give a couple more spins in the days to come to realize it's full potential, because at first I was a little disapointed to see this effort falling short of the 'Still Day Beneath The Sun / Patterns In The Ivy II' mini cd, since 'Still Day Beneath The Sun' is in my opinion the most incredible song Opeth has penned.
There's Still Life in Opeth!