Opeth - Deliverance
2002 - Music For Nations
Opeth need no introduction, they seem to cross through the different genres of metal with ease. Trying to pigeonhole their sound and style seems pointless. However I have thought of them as extreme progressive metal ever since I saw those same words on a sticker that adorned the Morningrise album a few years ago.
Which brings us to Deliverance, Opeths 6th album overall and the follow up to the mighty Blackwater Park, which brought the band quite a few new fans and sales were well beyond expectations. Opeth had announced that they were recording 2 albums at the same time, this the first being the more brutal and the latter ('Damnation') on the mellower side. Apparently the band's label, MFN, were non too keen on this idea at the start, but Opeth were determined to go ahead with the ambitious project that they cut a deal, suggesting that these 2 releases only count as one in their contract.
With this in mind, I had expected Deliverance to be full on brutal Opeth, My Arms Your Hearse style, I was pleasantly surprised to find its more of the previous 2 albums, all be it mixed in with some of the abrasive manner of the aforementioned MAYH. Add this that the influence of Porcupine Trees Steve Wilson brings and you have a relatively old dog learning a few new tricks.
Just 6 songs, although 5 are in excess of 10 mins, with only the respite of the instrumental, For Absent Friends offering a short interlude between the epic songs.
Opener Wreath kicks of with some fierce double bass drums and a very heavy riff, Seven and a half minutes in we even hear some djembe/doumbek (African hand drums), just one of many things that makes and keeps Opeth music so unique and interesting. Towards the end we can hear Wilsons influence with some harmony vocals.
Its Mikael Akerfeldt vocals throughout the album that are the biggest revelation for me, his range has improved so greatly that he surely has one the most versatile voices in metal. Whether it be his soft clean singing, which has improved greatly or his deep growls, even those have more range, with even some black metal like shrieks thrown in for good measure, here and there.
The title track itself, is 13:35 of pure Opeth, brutal opening that leads into some 70s Pink Floyd type vibe, with Akerfeldts soft voice gently over the top. Alternating between what sounds not unlike some mids 70s Rush guitars.
To my ears at least Porcupine Tree have always been very Pink Floyd influence and it seems that Opeth too are now under that spell, just little things throughout tend to remind me of a certain vibe that Floyds early 70s work had.
The rest of the album holds a few surprises, whether it is the jazzy guitars, or the harmony vocals, its the Opeth we know and love with many new elements.
Opeth are not content to repeat themselves, with Blackwater park selling four times more than of its predecessor, Still Life, expectations of Deliverance are high.
Whether Deliverance is any better or worse than any of the bands previous 5 albums, right now I dont know; Opeths music takes many hours to fully digest and even then, theres more to be found on repeated listening. Lets just say it's the Opeth we know and love and of a quality that we have come to expect.
2002 - Music For Nations
Opeth need no introduction, they seem to cross through the different genres of metal with ease. Trying to pigeonhole their sound and style seems pointless. However I have thought of them as extreme progressive metal ever since I saw those same words on a sticker that adorned the Morningrise album a few years ago.
Which brings us to Deliverance, Opeths 6th album overall and the follow up to the mighty Blackwater Park, which brought the band quite a few new fans and sales were well beyond expectations. Opeth had announced that they were recording 2 albums at the same time, this the first being the more brutal and the latter ('Damnation') on the mellower side. Apparently the band's label, MFN, were non too keen on this idea at the start, but Opeth were determined to go ahead with the ambitious project that they cut a deal, suggesting that these 2 releases only count as one in their contract.
With this in mind, I had expected Deliverance to be full on brutal Opeth, My Arms Your Hearse style, I was pleasantly surprised to find its more of the previous 2 albums, all be it mixed in with some of the abrasive manner of the aforementioned MAYH. Add this that the influence of Porcupine Trees Steve Wilson brings and you have a relatively old dog learning a few new tricks.
Just 6 songs, although 5 are in excess of 10 mins, with only the respite of the instrumental, For Absent Friends offering a short interlude between the epic songs.
Opener Wreath kicks of with some fierce double bass drums and a very heavy riff, Seven and a half minutes in we even hear some djembe/doumbek (African hand drums), just one of many things that makes and keeps Opeth music so unique and interesting. Towards the end we can hear Wilsons influence with some harmony vocals.
Its Mikael Akerfeldt vocals throughout the album that are the biggest revelation for me, his range has improved so greatly that he surely has one the most versatile voices in metal. Whether it be his soft clean singing, which has improved greatly or his deep growls, even those have more range, with even some black metal like shrieks thrown in for good measure, here and there.
The title track itself, is 13:35 of pure Opeth, brutal opening that leads into some 70s Pink Floyd type vibe, with Akerfeldts soft voice gently over the top. Alternating between what sounds not unlike some mids 70s Rush guitars.
To my ears at least Porcupine Tree have always been very Pink Floyd influence and it seems that Opeth too are now under that spell, just little things throughout tend to remind me of a certain vibe that Floyds early 70s work had.
The rest of the album holds a few surprises, whether it is the jazzy guitars, or the harmony vocals, its the Opeth we know and love with many new elements.
Opeth are not content to repeat themselves, with Blackwater park selling four times more than of its predecessor, Still Life, expectations of Deliverance are high.
Whether Deliverance is any better or worse than any of the bands previous 5 albums, right now I dont know; Opeths music takes many hours to fully digest and even then, theres more to be found on repeated listening. Lets just say it's the Opeth we know and love and of a quality that we have come to expect.
