Opeth - Deliverance
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Free Music Notes for Deliverance
Free Music Review: Your salvation.
Hit: 5 Stars
Another Opeth album, and again the pillars of progressive metal must inevitably quake in terrified awe. Luckily, most will remain safe since Opeth basically remains a niche within a niche. For the esurient progressive music fan not queasy with a hellish vocal, however, it is obvious that they are one of progressive metal's leading bands.Opeth's latest album continues to their brutal heavy passages with gorgeous acoustic interludes and a protean expanse of other flavors ranging from Scandinavian folk to jazz to 70s prog. Even though this is their sixth album, Mikael Åkerfeldt's bohemian preoccupation with creating progressive music remains as poignant as ever. While _Deliverance_ does call upon familiar elements from past albums, it likewise adds new assets to the Opethian palette -- especially the final song, "By the Pain I See in Others". After all, Opeth is nothing if not surprising.
Right now, I'm not sure how I would rate this relative to other Opeth works. Certain things are clear, however. For one thing, it the most complex musically. This makes it difficult to take in quickly, but Opeth was never musical fast-food anyway. With only six songs, all ten minutes or longer (not including a short instrumental), it is quite overwhelming to take in at first. The astonishing drumming, heaviness, and seemingly impenetrable song structures necessitate a lot of listening. Lyrically, Åkerfeldt has mined a very personal side which makes this the most emotional of Opeth's albums. The lyrics are gorgeous, haunting, darkly evocative. Ex. "Pacing further down | Familiar children's laughter | Dissonant and out of time | And their eyes are dead | Watching myself in a pool of water | Wearing the mask of a ghost | Smeared all across my skin | Rotten earth and insects." Creepy!
"Wreath" opens with a tempestuous fury unlike any previous Opeth song. An inferno of guitars pours on the attack, a gale of drums besieges the mix, and Åkerfeldt's chthonic growl waste no time getting into things. The towering sonic architecture of Opeth's compositions stands out for all 11 minutes of this fierce track, a menagerie of dark, crushing rhythms.
As this song demonstrates, the band is so surreally powerful due to the sheer density of their heavy assault, especially here, because this is their heaviest album by a fair margin. This disc is a big onslaught of sound. Opeth's thick wall-of-sound arrangements are not just distorted blobs of noise, however -- the instrumental interplay is elaborately constructed, rife with nuance and intricacy. Guitars are often used in a keyboard like way, creating waves of ambience over top a scorched-earth battlefield of guitars and drums and the hellfire vocals of Åkerfeldt.
"By the Pain I See in Others" is one of the most experimental Opeth song to date. Early on, the gelid growls washing over the acoustic guitar is an absolutely spellbinding and somewhat unnerving effect. Later, an eerie section evoking carnival music forms a haunting atmosphere. Awesome riffs are everywhere. And when it goes quiet at the end, keep listening...one of the most mysteriously beautiful Opeth moments brings the album to its end.
And in between, you have four other amazing songs: "Deliverance" is sure to be an Opethian classic, with awesome riffs from the outset, stirring ambiance, and beautiful soft sections; "A Fair Judgment", a pseudo-ballad with soaring guitars lines, melting pianos, ghostly bursts of atmosphere, gorgeous vocal harmonies (you can hear Steven Wilson's vocal influence big time); "For Absent Friends", a brief halcyon instrumental with a touch of jazz; and "Master's Apprentices", opening with an evil groove and proceeding through a terrain of rhythmic power and gorgeous soft passages typical of Opeth.
_Deliverance_ demonstrates clearly that Åkerfeldt is turning into a fine singer. While he summons forth his demonic growl from some nether realm, his singing voice must be called from the heavens. He is also a classic aesthete, with an ear for arrangement and chord selections that would humble the best.
_Deliverance_ showcases a band that continues to astonish and grow. _Deliverance_ makes previous albums -- while beautiful and amazing -- seem underdeveloped, in a way. In March 2003, Opeth will release the _Deliverance_'s "mellow" follow-up called _Damnation_. Until then, we can revel in what we have here -- yet another astonishing release from one of the most powerful forces in progressive metal. Opeth is a truly mythic experience, and _Deliverance_ is your salvation from traditional prog metal. Enjoy.
Free Music Review: Opeth
Hit: 5 Stars
Views on this album seem to be somewhat mixed. Lots seem to think this is a step down after Blackwater Park, some that this is a return to form after a relatively weak album. This is only my 2nd Opeth album, with the other being Blackwater Park, and while I feel that this is the better of the 2, both are excellent, and stand well on their own merits.Many reviewers have claimed that this album is less musically complex than Blackwater Park. I don't think I agree with them. Blackwater Park was probably the denser, more layered album, but Deliverance has greater variety and is more innovative. BWP didn't really have a terribly great variety within the styles that Opeth utilizes: The Death Metal parts were all fairly similar to all the other Death Metal parts, as were the acoustic folk parts. And, despite what others will have you believe, the layered, dual guitar parts of BWP are still found on this album, they're just tempered with some heavier, straight power-chord rhythm work, and some choppy, highly rhythmic, nearly percussive sounding guitars similar to those used by Fear Factory. Thus, Deliverance is a heavier album, which I like, though BWP is certainly far from light and poppy. Akerfeldt vocal work has improved, though it was very good before. His death growl have got more range than it had before, as do his clean vocals. The softer parts are also more varied, frequently with a more jazz like flow to some of them, and more varied tempos in general. This results in songs like the title track and The Pain I See In Others, both of which are far more ambitious than anything on BWP. So, in short, Deliverance has got more variety, variety is good.
Perhaps the single greatest most noticeable difference is the improved drumming. On BWP, the drumming was pushed way down in the mix, and frequently muffled sounding, along with just being merely adequate, run-of-the-mill drumwork. The drums on this album are much louder and clearer, with the technique being much improved as well, with more complex patterns and very good use of the kick drums. This results in much of Deliverance being much more rhythmic than BWP was, which I feel to be a good thing.
This album has 5 full songs on it, all of them between 10-14 minutes long. They are all excellent. The opener is Wreath. It starts out the heaviest of all of the tracks, with the pounding drums and blunter, more aggressive guitar work eventually giving way to smoother, though still heavy guitars. The lyrics, which are routinely excellent on all the Opeth I've heard, are especially notable on this track. They are the typical, fragmented, near stream of conciousness flow of image and emotion that Opeth is known for, but they are simply particularly vivid and disturbing here. Everyone who listens to Opeth needs to take the time to read the lyrics sheet, since the vocals are very, very hard to decipher w/o them, and those who don't learn them are really missing out. The title track follows, and is probably my second favorite full song on the cd. It's switches from the gentle to brutal with remarkable ease, and contains some of the more abrasive, pseudo-percussive guitar work on the album, particularly at the beginning and end. A Fair Judgement is a particularly interesting track, as it is the only one with no death vox in it, and is easily the lightest full track. It's got some very cool, melodic guitar solos and an extremely moody and evocative piano introduction. For Absent Friends is the brief, instrumental piece, that, as most say, isn't bad, but isn't terribly memorable either. Master's Apprentices is another traditional Opeth track, with a devastating death riff at the beginning, and particularly harsh growling followed by the mellow middle then returning to the harsher styling. It's perhaps the weakest full song, but it is still very good. By The Pain I See In Other, is probably my favorite track. It's the most innovative and distinctive song on either Opeth albums I own. It's highly unusual, with some crazy, evil carnival music in the middle and an unexpected pairing of a warlby sounding growl over some tense, up-beat acoustic guitars. All in all, it's very cool.
So, Opeth is good. Go buy Opeth.
Free Music Review: An incredible follow-up to Blackwater Park
Hit: 5 Stars
Just when you think a band can't possibly make a better record than the previous masterpiece they created, they come along with a follow-up which not only undeniably measures up to it flawlessly, but also surpasses it on many levels. This is exactly what Opeth have done with Deliverance, the much anticipated big brother of Blackwater Park, arguably the bands finest album until Deliverance showed up to give it a run for its money.Blackwater Park, predicted to be their heaviest, most "metal" sounding release throughout their career, ended up being quite mellow for long stretches of the album, making excellent use of acoustic guitar passages and the bands overall more melodic side, equally balancing the darkness with the light. Not so with Deliverance. The lush acoustic interludes and softer vocals take a backseat to the array of pummelling death metal riffs and demonic growls of Mikael Akerfeldt that made the band so well known early on in their career. And while I love Opeth's more mellow side, this album couldn't possibly have been done any better.
Right from the first few seconds of "Wreath", the opening track, you know you're in for one hell of a ride, as Martin Lopez delivers some of the fastest, most brutal drumming Opeth has ever used, piled upon the layers of groove-oriented rhythm guitars and Mikael's screams, which have only become more evil and guttural since albums like My Arms Your Hearse. This 11 minute assault on the eardrums was a great way to open the album, but the title track and "Master's Apprentices" are the ones which inevitably steal the show. The title track, a constant battle between the evil and the melodic and beautiful, rages from death metal to acoustic breakdowns to Tool-like choruses, and manages to hit everything in between, bringing together one of the finest composed songs this band has ever written, particularly the last few minutes, which invokes an unrelenting Meshuggah-styled guitar riff over a hypnotic lead and the wildest, most original drumming I have heard in any recent metal track.
"Master's Apprentices" and "By The Pain I See In Others", the two heaviest songs on the album next to "Wreath" are both lessons in songwriting and composition in their own right, the latter of which features some of Mikael's eeriest vocals over a sinister acoustic guitar riff, making for an unlikely but successful combination. Both tracks are unusually melodic for death metal and always leave a little room for the clean vocals to make small appearances, showing that while this album may be heavy, the band certainly haven't lost their taste for diversity.
However, just because the softer side of Opeth is waiting in the wings for the Damnation album to hit the public, that doesn't mean it doesn't sneak in periodically across the album. "A Fair Judgement", another of the best songs written by Opeth thusfar, lacks any of the crushing heaviness which made the rest of the album so great, relying on a light, classical piano piece to build into an emotional tidal wave of post-relationship depression which will make singers like Aaron Lewis and that guy from Korn regret ever sticking the word "musician" to themselves. Featuring expertly crafted acoustic pickings from Akerfeldt and fellow six stringer Peter Lindgren and the most blindingly fast, melodic solo on the album, "A Fair Judgement" is one of the Opeth songs destined to stand the test of time along with "For Absent Friends", the brief but moving acoustic passages which precedes the mayhem that is "Master's Apprentices".
If you're new to Opeth and not particularly into the death metal scene, you should definitely pick up My Arms Your Hearse or Blackwater Park before grabbing this to get an idea for what this band is all about. If you find yourself able to stomach the heaviness that prevails through much of their earlier records, definitely pick this up. Otherwise grab Damnation. Whether you like metal or not, no true fan of music can say these guys are doing anything wrong.
Free Music Review: Opeth puts out another great album
Hit: 5 Stars
Opeth has quickly become one of my favorite bands. They are one of the very few who can mix many styles of music and make it sound good, which is why I was a little discouraged from the rumors I heard about this release and Damnation (which is supposed to come out in march). They said that they would make a heavy album and a light album. The reason this disappointed me was because Opeth was never the band to split things up. They earned their reputation by combining the two. But, when I finally heard this, I was very relieved. Sure this is heavier than their other albums, but there are still many mellow passages and clean vocals. Trust me, no one is going to hear this and think it's not Opeth. This is still in classic Opeth style, there is just more emphesis on the heaviness this time around, which I actually like. They seem to do something new on each album, which is one of my favorite things about this band. They don't sit there and record the same album over and over. You can always expect something new from these guys. Anyway, I won't go on forever comparing it to their old stuff, i'll just talk about this album alone (so those of you who are new to the band know what ot expect). Opeth once again have created a masterpiece of an album by taking mellow acoustic passages and combining them with death metal. The band still has the best growl/clean vocal combination I've ever heard. Mikes growls are inhuman, some of the most demonic I've ever heard, and he has one of the best clean voices out there, and both types fit the music perfectly. Most of the clean voals are used during acoustic parts, but there are also some parts where there is clean singing over electric guitar. What I also like is that even at their most brutal, Opeth still remains pretty melodic. They write riffs that usually contain a perfect balance of brutality, melody, and catchiness, making every song memorable. Plus, for those of you who are musicians looking for instrumental talent, you'll find plenty of that in here too. The guitar work is amazing, especially how they take complex riffs and layer them. There are also plenty of cool guitar solos here. They play some fast typical metal solos, but normally at softer parts play slower jazzy solos. The drummer also shines on this album, displaying one of his best performances so far, and the bass is also good, as always. All the songs except the instrumental are over ten minutes long, but they somehow manage to keep your interest throughout the whole song. I can also easily say that every song on the album is great. Wreath is a great opener, definetly one of the heaviest on the album. It is basically all growling, but there is a very small amount of clean vocals at the end. The title track is basically in classic Opeth style, alternating between growls and cleans, and electrics and acoustics. A fair judgement was something I wasn't expecting since this is supposed to be their heaviest album. It is an all clean vocal ballad-like song. I really like the jazzy guitar solos on this song. For absent friends is a peaceful little instrumental that gives you a break before returning to the heaviness with Master's apprentices, wich is about as heavy as wreath but with more clean vocals. By the pain I see in others is a very experimental song. It's not bad, it's just kind of a weird song. It's cool how they put the death vocals over the acoustic guitars. The only thing I don't really like is how at the end of most songs they just repeat the same riff over and over for a few minutes straight until the song fades out. To sum it all up, Opeth is one of the best bands around, and I think anyone who likes metal needs to give them a listen. They are one of those bands you just need to listen to yourself. Trying to explain them probably made them sound bad because there is so much going on, but trust me, they are one of the best and most unique bands out there. I highly recommend this album, and all of Opeth's other albums to anyone who likes talented, creative metal. Can't wait for damnation!Free Music Review: So good it should have a warning label
Hit: 5 Stars
Opeth have become sort of an underground metal legend in the past few years, and deservedly so. Although their sound clearly has roots in death metal, at the same time they're willing to go outside the genre and do something completely different. "Deliverance," like every Opeth album, has the guttural vocals and heavy guitars that are the hallmark of death metal, but there's a lot more going on here. Opeth use acoustic guitars and clean vocals extensively, and it works wonders. I can't think of any band I've heard that creates such emotionally and musically diverse albums, and Opeth have done it six times now. I'm not one of those fans that have gone ga-ga over everything Opeth has done, but any way you slice it this album is amazing. Although Opeth are obviously highly skilled musicians, this isn't the most complex or technical metal I've heard. I think Opeth's real appeal lies in their music's evocative power and in the element of melody that they bring to their sound. Opeth have a way of playing that manages to convey a lot of emotion, whether you can make out the lyrics or not. Sometimes the band rages, at other times they sound mournful and contemplative, but it's always obvious that they put a lot of feeling into what they do. And since Opeth are Swedish, they have tons of those catchy, melodic guitars that give that country's metal its distinctive flavor.
The eleven-minute opener "Wreath" is a fine example of just what makes Opeth such a great and unique band. Mikael Akerfeldt delivers his vocals in a rumbling, menacing death growl almost reminiscent of Cannibal Corpse's Chris Barnes, but with far more of a melodic sensibility. And like most of Opeth's songs, it has an epic feel that few extreme metal bands can conjure up. "Wreath" is followed by the even longer (thirteen and a half minutes) title track. "Deliverance" is definitely my favorite song on the disc, as well as the one that I feel best exemplifies what Opeth are all about. It starts out, much as "Wreath" does, with Akerfeldt's menacing death vocals, but then quickly switches to acoustic guitars and clean vocals. The song ends up being an emotional roller coaster, with myriad shifts in vocal and musical style (the song also has an extremely cool outro). That's what I like most about Opeth: they seem comitted to exploring a broad range of moods, both with their lyrics (which I'll admit I need to brush up on a bit) and their music.
Anyway, the next track, "A Fair Judgement," is another gem. I didn't really like it at first, but like many great songs, it needs a little time. The vocals are all sung, but that's not a problem at all. Akerfeldt's singing voice is extremely powerful and emotional, and the song expertly mixes acoustic and electric guitars, so it never gets boring. I'm not a huge fan of soft or slow music, but "A Fair Judgement" is just plain mesmerizing.
"A Fair Judgement" is followed by the brief acoustic interlude "For Absent Friends," but the album then makes a quick return to heaviness with "Master's Apprentices." This song is loaded with violent guitar work and some of Akerfeldt's scariest and most tortured-sounding vocals, but there's also a mellow acoustic section and a couple of terrific guitar leads. Needless to say, it rules. The album concludes with "By the Pain I See in Others." This song is in pretty much the same vein as the others, except it briefly includes some weird vocal effects that I don't recall ever having heard in an Opeth song before. Other than that, though, it's typical Opeth all the way.
Okay, it's come to my attention that this review may have run a tad bit long, but I think it's a testament to Opeth's abilities that they've made my keyboard run over this much. They're one of the few bands that I think have been able to develop a style that truly can't be imitated. And this album may be the best example yet of just how good they are. Keep 'em coming, guys.