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Opeth - Blackwater Park (2000 - Music For Nations)

Blackwater Park

Music passes through our ears as every second goes by, be it a CD or just the sounds of the world. None the less the music is there and infecting our brain, soul and spirit. Through all musical mayhem there's one band that really took hold of my musical knowledge and puzzled it into place, walked me in the right direction, that band was 'Opeth'.
The album Blackwater Park is without a doubt one of the best things I've had in my body and theirs no injection, inhalation or digestion needed, it's completely pure. Owing almost as much to classical music as to "extreme" metal. Opeth are very special indeed. To call Opeth "Death/Black/Doom/Metal. etc." is to completely miss the point and wrongly pigeon hole them. There's billions of emotions in this music, much more so than you would expect from this type of release. Just listen to the introduction and closing of "The Drapery Falls" or the piano outro of "The Leper Affinity" and see what memories come creeping into your skull. 'Blackwater park' has contrasts of heavy and mellow material which combines to form a symphony of excellent music.
Almost every song is around 10 minutes long (or more!) but they don't drag and bore, like many people believe a metal song of such length would do. Stand out track is 'Blackwater Park' which closes the album, a truly beautiful track that astounds throughout it's 12 minute length.
Do yourself a favour. Buy this album at the first available opportunity. And prepare for wondrous things...wondrous things the mind can't comprehend unless completely sober. In all honesty you'd have to be a fucking nazi not to like this album, Hitler himself would have this in his collection if he were alive today, although that fascist would never deserve the pleasure of this album, He's too much of a cunt -- yet he did rule the world for 12 years and four months, and get away with it.
Anyway "Blackwater Park" in and of itself takes you on a very bleak emotional journey, and by the time the album –ending title track finishes things up, you really feel like you have been through a gutwrenching personal catharsis.
Reviewed By - Danny Packer

Slay The Masses Score...8.5/10

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Opeth - Still Life (Peaceville)

Still Life

I think this was the first Opeth opus to encompass thier 'newer' sound. A cleaner and more epic atmosphere is forged on 'Still Life' as opposed to the dark moody atmosphere on say 'Morningrise' and 'Orchid'.
The album opens with 'The Moor'. This is in my opinion one of the best Opeth songs. It fades in with a haunting melody repeating over and as it establishes itself in your mind it slowly grips your whole body. You can imagine the mist creeping over the moor and a wonderful folk-inspired acoustic riff floats above the mist. When the guitars come in and they build up for the opening vocals, it is a beautifully crafted opening progression and then the main riff rips through the fog and Mike screams as if to save his life. This, like most Opeth songs, is very passionate.
This album is definitely cleaner than previous efforts, but still has that patented 'creepiness' hovering around each song. We are serenaded with more and more beautiful and beefy riffs as the story unfolds. As usual with Opeth there are a couple more relaxed songs, on this album being 'Benighted' and 'Face Of Melinda'. You can only listen with awe as the latter progresses with majesty and grace and finishes with a riff that could melt your soul. You also notice that the lyrics change tone to match that of the music around it. A rather angry riff on 'Serenity Painted Death' is accompanied by the line 'Each and everyone would die at my hand, choking in warm pools of blood'. But then on 'Face Of Melinda' Mike sings 'My promise is made but my heart is thine'.
When it comes to Opeth I recommend all their work, as it is all fucking excellent, but Still Life might be a good starting place if you are new to the band.
Reviewed By - Hail Erebus

Slay The Masses Score...9/10

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