Blackwater Park

I always thought that Opeth were this kind of death metal band, that deals with complex concepts and occasionally throws in the mix a couple of prog influences to spice things up. Until I listened to Blackwater Park in full for the first time. The music was well written, but on the other hand I couldn't enjoy it to the full. This album has everything that is needed in order to be a killer effort and yet it doesn't reach that status. The beginning was very promising and highly enjoyable, and I really liked 'Harvest', but still some moments just don't click for me. If anything, Blackwater Park is amazingly produced for sure, and it features some great ideas. But the listener can easily get lost in them, I mean that the flow of music is not as good as it should be. Before culminating in my favorite final song, there are several songs from which I literally cannot recall a single riff. 'Bleak' is not like that, I'm talking about the songs right after 'Harvest'.

The album however remains worthy of many listens, since there are some great things happening in those worthy songs. There are grooves, acoustic fillers and just straightforward death metal. Opeth for the first time, showed that they weren't satisfied with being merely a death metal band, but all those progressive influences are just too much for me. On the other hand the execution is perfect. All band members were capable of delivering the goods, each on his own instrument and Mikael's vocals are incredible, both harsh and clean. Steven Wilson's participation is probably one of the pros, since the man knows how to mix an album and his backing vocals sound great next to Mikael's (especially in 'The Leper Affinity').

So what is the problem exactly? For me, an album is great when there is a lot of feeling put in it. For me emotion is more important than technical mastery, and in Blackwater Park, I only get that impression in those three tracks that stood out for me. It's not that every other track is depraved of feeling or anything like that, but after a while, the outcome sounds somewhat stagnant. Blackwater Park is not as good as I expected it to be, but that doesn't mean it's not good at all. I mostly enjoy it, and I'll be surely returning to it but it won't become one of my most treasured albums. Maybe what puts me off the most is its length; 67 minutes of death metal are always welcome but this style is just not rewarding.

I'm not sure if Opeth continued like that. I was never eager to explore their whole discography, probably due to their approach to death metal (and later, progressive rock). However I strongly believe that everyone should give this album at least one listen. This is a threshold, a crossroad where Opeth had to pick a direction, even if the death metal element was present in their next releases as well. I don't know if they chose the right path but for this I can be sure; Blackwater Park isn't even remotely bad or mediocre. Maybe this review makes it seem that I hate it but it's not like that. I like it, just not as much as I initially thought I would. I should probably listen to Still Life, I've heard that it's their peak. But again Blackwater Park can easily stand on its own feet and at leas not disappoint. Solid effort.

Favorite tracks: 'The Leper Affinity', 'Harvest', 'Blackwater Park'.

70/100.