Opeth

Not since the release of Tiamat's groundbreaking masterpiece,Wildhoney, in 1994 has the extreme metal scene witnessed such an overwhelming show of fan enthusiasm and uniform critical praise as that which was bestowed upon Blackwater Park, the astounding fifth effort from Sweden's Opeth. Of course, the album's impact has yet to be tested by time and the scale of its influence, and few would argue its very obvious stylistic debt to Wildhoney itself, but such conjecture shouldn't detract from Blackwater Park's well-deserved acclaim. Rarely does a band manage to break new ground without losing touch with its roots, but Opeth remain steadfastly committed to their black metal origins, which they regularly unleashed in all its savage fury throughout the album. A work of breathtaking creative breadth, Blackwater Park (named after an obscure German progressive rock outfit from the '70s) keeps with Opeth tradition by shattering the foundations of conventional songwriting and transcending the limits of black metal with its progressive rock aspirations. The difference between this effort and prior offerings lies not only in the remarkably high songwriting standards achieved by main man Mikael Akerfeldt, but also in the first-time involvement of Porcupine Tree leader Steve Wilson, whose contributions as producer lend an unprecedented fluidity in the way the band presents their inventive arrangements. Divided not so much into songs as "movements" (as the band likes to call them), tracks start and finish in seemingly arbitrary fashion and traverse a wide musical terrain including, but not limited to, acoustic guitar and solo piano passages, ambient soundscapes, stoner rock grooves, and Eastern-tinged melodies (the vocals also run the gamut from bowel-churning grunts to melodies of chilling beauty). With all this in mind, pointing out exceptional tracks is mostly an exercise in futility, but in the spirit of first-time listeners, these are urged to start out with the Arabian-flavored riffs of "Bleak," the memorable chorus of "The Drapery Falls," the surprisingly gentle intro of "Dirge for November," and, finally, the all-encompassing title track. Then, with patience, the rest of the album's grand scheme will be revealed. [The 2002 reissue appended a second disc featuring the video for "Harvest" and two bonus tracks: "Still Day Beneath the Sun" and "Patterns in the Ivy II."] ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide