Acoustic Opeth - Record Store Day 2013

A few days before Opeth and Katatonia’s show at the 15th annual New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, my wife informed me that we were going to check out Opeth’s acoustic set in honor of Record Store Day. The Newbury Comics store was packed with Opeth fans, clutching copies of Heritage and holding up phones, making videos destined for YouTube. It was truly awesome to see and hear them play through handful of classic songs, including a haunting version of “Demon of the Fall,” which they re-worked for this recent tour. The band stayed long enough for everyone to stop by for an autograph and handshake. 

Later that day, Opeth took the stage as the headliner at day 2 of the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. One of the things I love about seeing Opeth is that you never really know what they are going to play. The first Heritage tour was a cool mix of new stuff and acoustic songs, and the sets have become progressively more blended as Opeth perfects the art of weaving together songs from their deep catalogue.

With its distinctive opening riff and spacey prog feel, “The Devil's Orchard” is a great starting point. The audience still has no idea what to expect from these masters of genre bending. The pit at the Palladium came to life with “Ghost of Perdition” and “White Cluster,” both exemplifying Opeth's technical wizardry. Singer/guitarist, Mikael Akerfeldt’s growl is as devilish as ever, making the moments of clarity in clean vocal shine through. Pulling back on the sonic reigns, Opeth explored their more delicate sounds with Hope leaves and Atonement, before treating the fans to “Deliverance,” “Hessian Peel,” and “Haxprocess.”

There comes a point in every Opeth, as they break for lengthy guitar tuning breaks, when fans shout the names of songs they want to hear. The venerable favorite is a cry for one Opeth’s heaviest, “Demon of the Fall.” At this show, Opeth would give the fans what they demanded, but on their own terms. With haunting harmonies and adept interplay between each of the instrumental voices, the band brought their acoustic rendition of this song to the fans. Similar to the set performed earlier that day, but with richer tones, new life was given to this crowd favorite. With notes and vocals exposed in the acoustic setting, Opeth brilliantly executes one of their best live tracks.

“Demon of the Fall” would set up a spectacular one-two punch as Opeth closed out their career-spanning set (eight out of ten albums represented) with “Reverie/Harlequin Forest” and “Blackwater Park.” And while even Akerfeldt questioned the choice of Opeth to headline the Metal and Hardcore Festival, the Swedish quintet proved that they can perform delicate melodies alongside face-melting death metal (often in the same song) with unrivaled skill and intensity.

Video: Demon of the Fall (Acoustic)


Setlist (from setlist.fm)

Acoustic Set at Newbury Comics, Leominster, MA
1.    Credence
2.    Hope Leaves
3.    Atonement
4.    Häxprocess
5.    Demon of the Fall

New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, Worcester, MA
1.    The Devil's Orchard
2.    Ghost of Perdition
3.    White Cluster
4.    Hope Leaves
5.    Atonement
6.    Deliverance
7.    Hessian Peel
8.    Häxprocess
9.    Demon of the Fall
11. Reverie/Harlequin Forest
10. Blackwater Park

Looking ahead to 2013

Well, musically, 2012 had some good stuff (an attempt to make up for the rest of the year, perhaps). Here's hoping for a better 2013 and some good music, too:

DevilDriver
DevilDriver #6 is currently underway. The follow-up to Beast promises to be as punishing as ever. It's amazing these guys have time for new material given their relentless touring. I'm not complaining, having seen them a handful of time over the last couple if years. If the past is any indication, the next record will be blistering on CD and on stage - make way for the groove machine.

Black Sabbath
The first new Black Sabbath songs in years?! This is something every metal head has been waiting for. The grandfathers of doom, death, and progressive metal are set to return with a new album in 2013. All hail the kings!

Filter
Richard Patrick, founder and driving force behind Filter, as been doing things his way since the band's early days. Filter's last album was a return to form with the catchy riffs, soaring choruses, and dark lyrics that make this an enduring band. This new record, the follow-up to The Trouble With Angels, reminds the front man of Title of a Record and that is a very good thing.

Soilwork
Soilwork has been working on new material for their next album. With a recently released track, it's clear that the trademark guitar attack and vocalist Speed's gruff howl and melodic croon are in full effect. I've got a few of Soilwork's previous records, each with outstanding tracks, so the new record has a lot to prove and there is no doubt that they are up to the task.

Behemoth
Behemoth promises to return in 2013 with the best material and stage show yet - and that is saying something given their awesome tour this year. Lead singer Adam Darski released his autobiography this year and there's rumor of an English version in the near future.

Tool
Pioneers of American progressive metal in the 90s and early 00s Tool is roumored to be working on their 5th major release, the follow-up to 10,000 Days. It will interesting to hear what they have to offer the prog metal/rock genre and their die-hard fans.

Opeth & Katatonia at the Palladium, Worcester, MA

Opeth kicked of a tour on the eve of the release of their 10^th studio album with long-time friends and fellow Swedes, Katatonia at the Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts. Heritage is another chapter in Opeth's musical journey. For this 'observation' Mikael Akerfedt and company chose to dive deep into their prog rock roots. The sweet, classical-influenced opener, "Heritage" gives way to "The Devil's Orchard," which jumps out with gritty guitars and wild organs. Akerfedt's voice rings clear and desparate, backed by frenetic drums and a rollicking guitar accompaniment. Playing with familar song structure, "The Devil's Orchard" stops and starts, turns down low, and reaches out in a hundred directions before fading away. "Nepenthe" is at times soft and delicate as Akerfedt sings beautifully over jazz-tinged drums and bass. In "Haxprocess" the call and answer between Akerfedt and organ sets up an dangerously intricate play between syncopated rhythm and feverish acoustic guitar. Every song has been crafted with care. Each contains its strengths, subtlety, and technical ambition. You will love this record the moment you hear it because every moment is packed with grooves, catchy vocals, and unpredictable twists and turns. And yet, on every subsequent listen you'll discover something that wasn't there before. There's always another riff, bass lick, or organ squeal lurking just beyond your perception. Heritage is flush with intense musically, just like every Opeth album before it. It's technical and unabashedly exposed to the listener. There are no death growls or blast beats to hide under. Heritage is not prog, it's not death metal, it's simply Opeth.


On another note, it's worth getting the bonus tracks "Pyre" and "Face In The Snow."

Katatonia took the stage for an 11-song opening set. This is another band that I stumbled onto for no particular reason but was immediately drawn their dark, brooding style. Jonas Renske's haunting vocals are racked full of emotion, passion, and sorrow. Their set took songs from their most recent albums, Night Is The New Day and The Great Cold Distance. They also played songs from deeper in their catalog, stretching as far back as 1999's Tonight's Decision. It was a killer set and these 20-year veterans of heavy metal put on an excellent show. There was no fanfare or rockstar stage antics. Instead Katatonia let the music speak for itself. Hearing some personal favorites like July, My Twin, and Forsaker live (and in the front row) was utterly awesome.

Set List:
1. Forsaker
2. Liberation
3. Soil Song
4. Nephilim
5. My Twin
6. The Longest Year
7. Evidence
8. Chrome
9. For My Demons
10. July
11. Leaders

So, as if the Katatonia set wasn't enough fun, Opeth came out on stage and played a brilliant, inspired, and musically exhausting 2-hour set. They played songs from several many different releases including their latest, Heritage. This was a much different set than their typical festival shows. Keeping with the theme from Heritage, Opeth played an incredibly technical and challenging list of songs. They opened with "The Devil's Orchard" and "I Feel The Dark" (from Heritage), followed by "Face Of Melinda" and "Porcelain Heart." They demonstrated their musical prowess as they seemlessly blended new material with old. Face Of Melinda, a staple of Opeth concerts, is from 1999's Still Life. It sounds at home with "Porcelain Heart" (from Watershed) and the vibe from Heritage. 

The middle part of the show was performed acoustically by both Mikael Akerfedt and guitarist Fredrik Akesson. I've seen plenty of bands slow things down with an acoustic song here and there, but this performance was different. Opeth played through a handful of songs, with dual acoustic guitars playing in perfect harmony, backed by subtle organs and solid rhythm. They dove back to into their catalog, to play "Credence," from 1998's My Arms Your Hearse. They even played some very rare songs, including "The Throat of Winter" and "Patterns In The Ivy II."

With barely a breather between songs, the 2-hour show closed with songs both new and old. Opeth sounded amazing from every vantage point in the venue. From the front of stage to the risers in the back of the small theater. It is truly rare to witness such musicianship, especially in the increasingly dilute metal genre. Instead of delivering technically intense music, many bands do all they can throw up a wall of sound, masking imperfections and insecurity. Fortunately, bands like Opeth, show us that metal can still play.

I know what you're thinking... Opeth didn't play their heavy stuff? No death metal vocals? If you've got a complaint then you've missed the point. And that's a topic for another blog. Mikael Akerfedt declared, at the beginning of the show, "We're going to play some new stuff tonight. I hate it when my favorite bands play new stuff, I just want to hear to the old stuff." Thank you, Opeth, for playing one of the best shows I have ever seen.

Opeth - Devil's Orchard

Set List:
1. The Devil's Orchard
2. I Feel The Dark
3. Face Of Melinda
4. Porcelain Heart
5. Nepenthe
6. Throat Of Winter
7. Credence
8. Patterns In The Ivy II
9. Slither
10. A Fair Judgement
11. Hex Omega
12. Folklore

30 Days Song Challenge: Week 4

Final post of the 30 Days Song Challenge...

day 22 - a song that you listen to when you’re sad
“The Freshmen” – The Verve Pipe. When I’m feeling sad, I turn to songs that I share similar emotions with.  It’s comforting to find something that you can relate to when you’re upset. A lot of music makes you realize that everyone has ups and downs and the important thing is to find a way to rise above all of that. If I’m looking for something to cheer me up instead, I usually turn to Widespread Panic or The Doors.

day 23 - a song that you want to play at your wedding

“Nothing Else Matters” – Metallica. Our first dance. We also played Widespread Panic, The Turtles, Guns ‘n Roses, and Frank Sinatra.

day 24 - a song that you want to play at your funeral

“Big Truck” – Coal Chamber -- Coal Chamber was one of the very first metal bands that drew me into the genre. So, it’s fitting that my birth into metal should also be played at my funeral. A staple song in any Coal Chamber set, Big Truck churns over the audience. It’s a big-rig of fist-pounding metal crammed down your throat. And as Dez says, “Ain’t no grave gonna hold my body!”

day 25 - a song that makes you laugh

“Goddamn Trigger” – Serj Tankian. This quirky track from Imperfect Harmonies offers Serj’s biting commentary on society’s inconceivable gluttony. “I have 38 rifles and a bunch of handguns and ammunition / 8 grenades, in case of scuffles…/ it’s my constitutional right/ to arm bears… We are disgusting overweight obese fucks/ A shot rang, animals scatter, bovine hormone growth chewy candy.” The music is over-the-top, swaggering along like a drunken carnival. There is a greater message in all of it, which is not so funny. As usual, Serj draws us in with his musical games only to slap us with reality.


day 26 - a song that you can play on an instrument

“24 Préludes, Op. 28, No. 4 in E Minor: Largo” - Frédéric Chopin. I can play this and I own a version played by Alexandre Tharaud. This gentle Chopin prelude swells to an emotional climax before fading away. It’s written in E minor, one of my favorite of the minor keys. In Classical music, I find that minor keys evoke more emotion through dissonance and dark tension; a distinct parallel with metal music.

day 27 - a song that you wish you could play

“Light My Fire” – The Doors. I used to be able to play the main organ melody from “Light My Fire,” but it’s been many years. I started playin classical piano, but soon discovered The Doors and Ray Manzarek’s infectious keyboard/organ playing. I’ve been hooked ever since. I love metal, but The Doors will probably always be my absolute favorite band. To be honest, I can’t just leave it at one song… Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade Of Pale,”  the organ solo in Opeth’s “Lotus Eater,” Widespread Panic’s “Travelin’ Man”… the list goes on.

day 28 - a song that makes you feel guilty

I don’t feel guilty about anything I listen to. Sure, there are songs or bands that I’ve grown out of, but it doesn’t mean I’m ashamed or embarrassed. Just have a look through my iTunes or phone. I’ve got nothing to hide. Did I have some questionable choices back in the day? We all make mistakes… not me, other people…

day 29 - a song from your childhood

“Pretty Woman” – Roy Orbison. We’re all influenced by the music our parents listen to. You spend the first 16 years of your life riding around in a car with them, listening to whatever radio station or cassette tape they wanted to. By the time I was 10, I’d memorized the hits from Roy Orbison, Charlie Daniels, Blood Sweat & Tears, Johnny Rivers, and many more.

day 30 - your favorite song at this time last year

“North” – Widespread Panic. They released this album in the summer of last year. Around this time is when we went to see them in Boston. It was a perfect summer night on the waters of Boston Harbor. The stellar set list included “North,” “Bear’s Gone Fishing,” and “Lawyers Guns and Money.”  The album, Dirty Side Down, was a return to their laid-back, bluesy style, capping off 25 years of music.

Hope you enjoyed! Up next week: In Flames' Sounds Of A Playground Fading.

30 Days Song Challenge: Week 3

day 15 - a song that describes you

“Am I I” – Dark Tranquillity. This is a song that looks inwardly, questioning the roles and purpose one has in this world. It’s not so much that I’m a constantly conflicted person. I just wondering what I all means as I struggle to find my place.

day 16 - a song that you used to love but now hate

“It’s Been Awhile” – Staind. I’ve lost all feeling for Staind’s radio-engineered brand of depressing rock. I first discovered one of their songs on a sampler CD and bought Dysfunction. It was dark and heavy, that style of so-called nu-metal that bands were developing. And I followed Staind’s sound to the radio, but after a while the sounds became stale.

day 17 - a song that you hear often on the radio

The what now? Radio...? Sorry, I try to listen to the radio once and while. Honestly, it doesn’t do anything for me. There’s no metal on the radio, especially in New England. I don’t mind listening to good classic rock station, but they tend to play the same hit songs. I’m pretty sure bands like Pink Floyd, Rush, Black Sabbath, etc wrote more than 3 or 4 songs. Fortunately, satellite radio offers a lot more choices and provides a place for music that isn’t on the Billboard Top 10.

day 18 - a song that you wish you heard on the radio

“Black Soul Choir” – DevilDriver. Possibly one of more catchy tracks from DevilDriver, this 16 Horsepower cover stomps and swaggers to Dez Farfara’s throat wrenching snarl. You can’t help bouncing your head along to the sinister groove. Honestly, I’d just like to hear any DevilDriver on the radio… a guy’s allowed to dream, right?

day 19 - a song from your favorite album

“Judith” – A Perfect Circle. A tenacious track from 1999’s Mer De Noms about the perils of blind faith and the justification of your own beliefs. The song captures the dirty angst in guitarist Billy Howerdel’s slide guitar and the raw emotion of singer Maynard James Keenan. This stands out as one of their best tracks and offers a perfect counterpoint to the melancholy despair of tracks like “3 Libras” and “Brena.”

day 20 - a song that you listen to when you’re angry

“Boom!” – System Of A Down. This song always ramps me up. The perfect thing to listen to when you’re already pissed off. This song is about the flagrant injustices forced on the people of this earth by those few who hold all the power. The video was filmed during a day of peace marches around the world. The message here is simple – we demand peace!

day 21 - a song that you listen to when you’re happy

“Holographic Universe” – Scar Symmetry. When you’re happy and you know it listen to Swedish death metal. I love the prog elements in Scar Symmetry’s ferocious sound, especially the 9+ minute “Holographic Universe” with its death growls, rapid thrash riffs, and spacey synths.

A Perfect Circle's "Judith":



Next week is the last week for the 30 Days Song Challenge.

Amorphis - The Beginning Of Times

This past week, Finnish metal icons, Amorhpis released their 10^th studio album, The Beginning Of Times. This new record follows success of 2009’s Skyforger and marks more than 20 years of their brand of progressive heavy metal. Following the tradition of storytelling in their previous releases, this album takes the listener on the journey of Väinämöinen, an important and powerful God in Finnish mythology. It’s believed that Väinämöinen was a shaman and creator of the world.

“Battle For Light” opens the albums with a graceful piano and orchestra background, soon followed by singer Tomi Joutsen’s grand vocal style. The theatrical styling continues, punctuated with heavy riffs and intense growls. This song sets the stage for the entire record, showing that Amorphis is comfortable drawing from all the musical styles that they’ve amassed over the years. Lending backing vocals on several songs, is Netta Dahlberg, who elegantly accompanies Joutsen’s clean and growling styles. You can hear her on “Mermaid,” a song that tears along, bristling with energy supplied by tight riffs and plenty of synth runs. This song reminds me of “The Sky Is Mine,” from Skyforger.

The first single and video was “You I Need.” Released just prior to the rest of the album, this track gave us all a taste of what to expect from Amorphis. Heavily rooted in their Joutsen-era material and set in apocalyptic scenery, this demonstrates Amorphis pushing forward while delivering the epic prog-tinged metal that we’ve come to enjoy over the years.

The middle of the album continues through incredible storytelling. This is also the kind of record that requires the listener to sit down with the lyrics to absorb the story. Songs like “Three Words” and “Soothsayer” are standout tracks. The latter tune also features vocalist Netta Dahlberg more prominently. The duet with Joutsen is perfect as the song ends.

The Beginning Of Times finishes as strong as it started. The complex and varied “Crack In A Stone” is one of my favorites on the album. It begins subtly enough, blooming into a dense, powerful song until charging full bore in sheer chaos. “The Beginning Of Time” and “Heart’s Song” (bonus track) build on the musical themes established throughout. The use of flutes and keyboards alongside double-bass and death growls keeps each song interesting. There’s something new to find with every listen. This is clearly a band at the top of their game. Amorphis continues to write elaborately heavy and technical metal and The Beginning Of Times stand outs as another amazing chapter.

Have you heard the new Amorphis? Let me know what you think. Check out my last post about Amorhphis: http://greenchamberstudio.blogspot.com/2011/04/amorphis-forging-land.html

Listen To This - May 22, 2011

The weather here in the Northeast has been horrible. I haven’t seen the sun in weeks. With the fog rolling in off the ocean each night, I feel like I’m in a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movie; just without the excitement… or the rum. So, this week I needed some music that could keep me going through the dark and dreary days of this endless monsoon.

Black Label Society – Order Of The Black

You may know Black Label Society from the radio single Stillborn, which featured Ozzy and is also found on Guitar Hero. In fact, you can battle against BLS leader, Zakk Wylde in the game as well. I saw Zakk Wylde on Ozzfest years back when he was playing two sets each night – one set fronting BLS and the other playing with Ozzy. His relentless attitude comes through in Black Label Society’s 2010 release, Order Of The Black. The album is chockfull of the head-banging, fist pumping, whiskey-fueled metal mayhem that we’ve come to expect from BLS. Songs like the opener, “Crazy Horse” and “Parade Of The Dead,” feature heavy drums, tight guitar, and Zakk Wylde’s signature wail. Just as with albums like Mafia, the rampage slows down every couple of tracks with a sweeping ballad, such as “Darkest Days” and “Time Waits For No One.” My favorite track is “Godspeed Hellbound,” which hooks you in and drives with ferocity reminiscent of “Stillborn” or “Suicide Messiah.” The album closes with a third ballad, lulling you into submission before the brutality starts all over again.

Opeth – Lamentations (DVD)

Thanks to Netflix, I never need to leave the house, even for music. I sat down this week to watch Opeth’s live concert DVD, Lamentation (2003). In the concert, Opeth plays two sets. The first set draws on their softer songs, taken mostly from the Damnation album. If you want to experience a badass death metal band opening itself up to elegant vocals, sweeping dynamics, and intricate passages, you must watch this show. You also get a sense of the band’s humble personality. Front man, Mikael Akerfeldt interacts with the crowd, remarking that there are a lot more people watching than he’d expected. You almost get a sense that he, and the rest of the band, are just average guys, playing music, and hoping that others enjoy it. Keep in mind that by this time, Opeth had been around for 13 years! The second set picks up with their heavier, prog-laden death metal (mostly from Deliverance). Both Akerfeldt's growls and clean vocals meld perfectly with blast beats, synth keyboards, and frantic riffing. I seriously recommend watching, especially on a rainy day. Start from the beginning and see where the journey leads

Listen To This - May 15, 2011

What are you listening to? Here’s what keep me going this week:

Serj Tankian – Imperfect Harmonies/Imperfect Remixes

Serj’s second solo album and 4-song remix showcase his brilliantly quirky musical side. While not as metal (or even as rock) as his first album, Elect The Dead , this one is full of electronic sounds, catchy choruses, and poignant lyrics. I find myself listening to “Gate 21” on repeat. The ablum version uses mostly piano to accompany Serj’s emotional lyrics. The remixed rock version steps up the tempo and Tom Morello (Audioslave, Rage Against The Machine) adds his signature punchy guitar work. Other highlights include the dance-beat laden “Borders Are…” and the ballad “Wings Of Summer.” Serj sings “Yes, It’s Genocide” entirely in Armenia, refers specifically to the Armenia genocide of 1915 for which Turkey has not yet formally recognized. This is album is a musical journey and Serj is a brilliant guide.

Scar Symmetry – Holographic Universe

Scar Symmetry is a new band to me. I just got one of their more recent albums, Holographic Universe. It’s what I expect and love from Swedish melodic death metal. There’s plenty of heaviness mixed with soaring choruses, and high-energy vocals. I’d say that Scar Symmetry has a bit of prog to their sound as well. There’s just enough Dream Theatre influence to differentiate them from other bands without going over the top. I’ve heard that Scar Symmetry is getting a new singer, so I’m interested to see how their sound evolves. For now, Holographic Universe delivers the metal you need.

News and Tours:

There are rumors about a new music from A Perfect Circle. In the fall, APC played several shows, back-to-back, in a handful of cities. Each night they played one of their three albums start to finish. This summer’s tour is more extensive and highly anticipated. When A Perfect Circle emerged in the late 90’s they were one of the original ‘Super Groups,’ comprising members from several already famous bands (Tool, Smashing Pumpkins, and Josh Freese, who plays drums for everyone). The term super group seems ridiculous since bands constantly trade members or form other groups. Whatever you call them, I hope A Perfect Circle continues on.

Acrassicauda has embarked on their first us tour. Acrassicauda is an Iraqi thrash metal band. After leaving Iraq (where metal can get you killed) they're spreading their punishing sound across the US. Aggressive, technical, and lyrically intense (not surprisingly), their 4 song EP Only The Dead See The End Of War is dark and awesome. You must check out this band!

DevilDriver is out on tour with Danzig in support of their 5^th studio album, Beast. I’ve been following lead singer Dez Farfara on Twitter and the shows have been met with awesome fan feedback. I’m looking forward to seeing them in July! Check out my review of Beast: http://greenchamberstudio.blogspot.com/2011/02/evolution-of-beast.html

System Of A Down have started their reunion tour. I’m glad to see them back. I don’t know if there will be any new music coming soon, but at the very least I’d like them to come to the East Coast!

Valet Parn is a metal band from Greece. Check out their album. They’re on tour with long-time Greek death metalers, Septic Flesh (who also just released a new album, their seventh).

Opeth - Morningrise

“When we both walk the shadows/ It will set ablaze and vanish/ Black rose immortal” Opeth, Black Rose Immortal.

With engaging hooks, a myriad of textures, and plenty of brutal passages, Morningrise, the second album by Sweden metal gods, Opeth stands as monument to progressive metal. Released around 1996-97, this is the middle album of the so-called Candlelight Years. While you will find heavier songs on Blackwater Park and more accessible songs on Damnation and Watershed, Morningrise stands out as a complete work; one which dives deep into the catalogs of progressive metal. None of the songs are under 10 minutes, taking the listener on a 66-minute odyssey. With a foundation in death metal forged on their debut, Orchid, Opeth expands into prog territory as they mix acoustic guitar passages and elements of jazz with heavy guitars and singer Mikael Akerfeldt’s signature growl.

The album begins with “Advent”, which is also performed on 2010’s In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. The track gets off to a galloping start before settling into a heavy groove, highlighted by guitar harmonics and punchy bass lines. Weaving back and forth from driving guitars to ethereal acoustic passages, “Advent” eventually returns to earlier death metal themes.  

“The Night And The Silent Water” begins with doom-style distortion guitars, laced with acoustic flourishes. Akerfeldt’s pained voice strains against scratchy guitars before collapsing against delicate acoustic harmonics. The band explores the subtly soft textures and sounds and then disappears completely. From the ashes of this momentary pause, Opeth awakens; tension builds and explodes into a wall of sound, stabbing time changes, and deathly vocals before transitioning into the hypnotic “Nectar.”

Just as on “The Night…” the guitars sound dirty and rough on the 10-minute “Nectar.” Their abrasiveness gives way to polished acoustic guitars, much in the same way as Akerfeldt’s throaty bellow contrasts with his cleaner side. As these competing styles wrestle, they take pieces of each other until the lines between sections blur into obscurity. Opeth successfully manages to build layers sound and texture without overburdening the listener.

The preceding 30 minutes leads up to one of my favorite of all Opeth songs. Spanning 20 minutes and every genre metal has dared touch, “Black Rose Immortal,” (which is also an awesome title on its own) is the pinnacle of Opeth’s perfection on Morningrise. True metal hooks, clear bass riffs (seriously, you can actually hear the bass, instead of it be relegated to messy depths of the mix), and intense vocals make this a standout metal song. The starts and stops at first feel like a new song until you recognize a theme from three sections ago. And while some long, twisting songs (a theme itself in prog rock) can struggle to hold your attention, Black Rose Immortal, not only keeps you listening but rewards your commitment with the final track, “To Bid You Farewell.”

Credited as the first Opeth song devoid of death metal growls, “To Bid You Farewell” is a beautiful ending to Morningrise; acting as the bookend and antithesis to the opening “Advent,” you’re greeted with acoustic melodies reminiscent of Spanish ballads. Akerfeldt’s voice is hollow and distant, contrasting with the silky (and clean) electric guitars. Snare drum clicks and delicate ride cymbals keep time, acting as your tour guide on this eclectic trip.

It’s one of those albums that you don’t want to end. And when it’s all over, if you still have the strength, you’ll turn back to track 1 and start the journey all over again. So, what are you listening to?

Where will the journey take us? Tune in next week!

Amorphis: Forging the Land

The Finnish death metal band, Amorphis, owns a complex and storied history. In a career that spans two decades, the early years show a band intent on exploration and stretching the boundaries of the metal genre. Known for complex stories from their native mythology (drawing on epic Finnish poetry) and combining death metal, synth elements, and folk influences, Amorphis has produced some of the best progressive heavy metal over the last twenty years.

Over the last six years, they have continued churning out expansive compositions set to elaborate themes of native mythology, demonstrating that these titans of progressive heavy metal are not letting up. After vocalist Pasi Koskinen departed in 2004, the band hired Tomi Joutsen to take the reins. This is the Amorphis that I’m familiar with, specifically from 2006’s Eclipse and 2009’s Skyforger.

Singer Jousten delivers soaring vocals mixed with bellowing screams and deathly growls. Snake-like keyboard runs enhance the raging guitar work, driving percussion and synth flourishes. Touches of delicate piano with muted distorted guitar, like in “House of Sleep” from Eclipse, provide the foundation for Jousten’s dense vocals before tearing into scorching choruses. The result is an immensely lush and full sound. Continually changing textures and ambient effects shape Eclipse into a powerful album. There is something different to discover with each listen.

Skyforger begins with bright piano and heavy guitars on the 6-minute “Sampo.” “Silver Bride” rocks just as hard with both guitars and keyboards backing Jousten’s theatrical vocals. Death growls returns with a grand synth accompaniment on “Majestic Beast.” The unlikely pairing is complimented with tight, arpeggiated guitars, double-bass drumming and clean vocals. The title track follows the grand lyrical themes forged on the preceding tracks: “This here is my place, it my work/ I was made the maker of the sky.” Elaborate compositions are distilled down to digestible song lengths. There are no 10 or 15-minute suites as you find in some progressive metal. Instead, Amorphis uses the entire album as the canvas for their stories, providing the casual listener with enough hooks to draw them into the grander vision.

Amorphis is preparing to release their 10^th studio album, The Beginning of Times, in May. The first single, You I Need, can be heard on their Facebook page. They released a compilation of material from their earlier albums in 2010, making this the first new album since Skyforger. Judging by the new song and the track-by-track preview (also on Facebook and Youtube), this new one will be just has heavy, technical, and epic as everything we have come to expect and desire from Amorphis. This is rock. This is life. What are you listening to?

Sky Is Mine (Live)

House Of Sleep

Looking for more? http://amorphis.net/ ; www.facebook.com/amorphis

Let me know what you think and what else you want to hear. Thanks!