Lamentations (Blackwater Park - Opeth)

Name: Frankingsteins

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Product:	Blackwater Park - Opeth
Date:	02/09/04 (610 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Perfect quality musicianship, Enjoyable and enthralling, A little depressing

Disadvantages: Too extreme for some, Not for every occasion, A little depressing

I first came across Opeth when my friend, a fan of extreme metal bands such as Cradle of Filth, bought Blackwater Park on impulse because he thought the cover looked nice. That was four years ago, and this doom metal classic still surprised me today with its complexity and genuine lasting quality. And it’s true, the cover is very nice.


BAND OF DOOM

Opeth is:

Mikael Åekerfeldt – vocals, guitar
Peter Lindgren – guitars
Martin Mendez – bass
Martin Lopez - drums

I’ve never been too fond of classifying different varieties of metal, especially as it always leaves me confused as to what I actually enjoy, but I consider Opeth to be the pinnacle of the doom metal style: doom, essentially an off-shoot of death metal with more gothic influences, is characterised by long, slow, epic songs of a bleak tone, occasionally overflowing into something harder and heavier. Liverpool’s Anathema were textbook doom band until they somehow became a Radiohead clone.

Blackwater Park is commonly seen as Opeth’s most accessible album, although it’s not exactly a watered down introduction. The shortest non-instrumental track is six minutes in length, while the opening and closing instalments both exceed the ten minute mark. This is music to get lost in, as long as you enjoy the volume. Incredible guitars, bass, drums and keyboards range from blistering death riffs to melodic acoustic numbers, while Åekerfeldt’s vocals are similarly diverse, alternating between a deep guttural roar and clean singing.


BLACKWATER PARK


1. The Leper Affinity (10:22)
2. Bleak (9:15)
3. Harvest (6:00)
4. The Drapery Falls (10:58)
5. Dirge For November (7:52)
6. The Funeral Portrait (8:43)
7. Patterns in the Ivy (1:52)
8. Blackwater Park (12:05)

The first part of the album is also the heaviest and most progressive, both THE LEPER AFFINITY and BLEAK being based on heavy guitar riffs that nevertheless retain the slow, melancholy atmosphere. A piano section in track one keeps things interesting, while Bleak (perhaps a more appropriate title for some of the later songs) essentially comprises two songs: a slightly faster death metal offering with some excellent Egyptian-sounding riffs and a slower second half complete with hypnotic clean vocals.

With HARVEST, Opeth showcase the extent of their diversity. This is a six minute semi-ballad using only acoustic instruments, but this lack of additional influences does not result in a loss of the atmosphere. Åekerfeldt’s vocals are at their best here, and this would perfectly suit any mood of happiness or sorrow. THE DRAPERY FALLS is my favourite song on the album, the perfect combination of all the styles throughout its ten minute length, with some of the most impressive guitars and a memorable chorus. The slow pace and melodic instruments still evoke the same feelings of sadness, but this doesn’t overpower the enjoyment of the music.

The next song however, DIRGE FOR NOVEMBER, is the ultimate in bleak metal: a comatose opening leads into a heavier riff that somehow sounds full of regret and sorrow. There have been plenty of discussions around my friend’s house over what songs one should avoid if contemplating suicide, and this is undoubtedly top of the list – still excellent, but a little too intense for every occasion. Seemingly appreciating the depression overkill of the last track, Opeth then unleash the fun THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT. Don’t be fooled by the title; in comparison to the previous forty minutes, this is very enjoyable and uplifting, despite featuring a slow acoustic section and the usual vocal style. It’s all down to the leading riff, reminiscent of Cradle of Filth’s happier moments.

Following the beautiful melody of PATTERNS IN THE IVY, a sequel to which can reportedly be found on the rare bonus tracks version of this album, comes the slightly disappointing title track. BLACKWATER PARK is similar to the bulk of the album, but a little too similar to retain its identity in my memory without an aural reminder, which is a shame as I have no trouble remembering the other tracks. Some interesting progressive guitar sections keep things fairly enjoyable, but by the time this song has begun, Opeth would have to provide something very special to keep my interest. Unfortunately, they haven’t quite managed it this time.


VERDICT


This is an incredible album, and a fulfilling listening experience, although certainly not for everyone. The tone rarely elevates above the reasonably-satisfied-with-my-life level, and it does dip a little too far into the depths of despair on a couple of occasions, but this only serves to demonstrate the power of this oft-overlooked band. Some tracks are less memorable than others, but this is still excellent value for money, coming in at over seventy minutes in total. Opeth’s previous albums take some of these features to even further extremes, the classic track ‘Black Rose Immortal’ coming in at over twenty five minutes in length, and as such this would appear to be Opeth’s most accessible (for them) record.

Fans of gloomy death metal from the likes of Dark Tranquillity should technically enjoy Opeth’s music as much as Nirvana fans. It’s the same emotions and messages, but the music’s a whole lot heavier and much more enjoyable. A modern metal classic.

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