Damnation - Opeth

Damnation is the seventh album from progressive metal band Opeth. It surprisingly showcases the bands lighter side and was their first album to reach the Billboard Top 200, "Windowpane" being the album's single. Damnation is an outstanding, yet not drastic contrast from Opeth's roots in Scandinavian death metal. It successfully fuses aspects of blues, folk, rock and jazz through its clean and controlled vocal stylings, brilliantly composed classical guitar pieces and outstanding keyboard effects. It really shows the bands flexibility. Opeth really shine here, despite putting aside their usual blast beats, heavy growling vocals and ...  Read the complete review

'Damnation' is the companion album to the harsh, moribund affair that was its predecessor 'Deliverence', with the band's idea being to create two albums that contrasted the heavier and lighter sides of Opeth between them. As a result, 'Damnation' is unique in the band's discography in that there are no blast-beats, death metal growls, or dirgey, distortion-heavy riffs anywhere to be found. Instead, the album is given over entirely to melancholy and reflective soft prog rock. Its an incredibly mellow listen, mixing sad semi-acoustic cords with subdued, bluesy basslines and gentle, mid-paced drums full of cymbal splashes. There are subtle, soaring synths present throughout ...  Read the complete review