Music reviews

Hey man,
I thought the album was awesome. At first when I heard wreath, I didn't know what to think, but when deliverance kicked in I knew It was going to rule. Anyway don't fret, because I'm sure their next album damnation will fill your craving for clean beutiful acoustic playing and singing. Mine too,of course. See you,
Rickie

Opeth has never failed to create some of the best and most brilliant metal on each of the band's six albums. Deliverance is no exception. However, I no longer feel the sense of awe that I experienced when first listening to Morningrise or Orchid. This is partly because Opeth is no longer new to me, but mainly because these latest albums are completely different music if compared to the first three. At the release of Still life, Opeth's fourth album, the band took a major turn stylistically. Of course the band is following its due course and I'm am not expecting, or neccessarily hoping, for a return to earlier sensibilities. I hate to say that they are moving into a more mainstream area of metal but there is some truth to that statement. I would also not say that that is a terrible thing but anyone who enjoys the latest from Opeth owes it to themself to check out the first three releases. You will never grow tired of that simpler, yet more groundbreaking and unique style that was a gift and saving grace to the world of metal. Opeth does not cease to be Opeth, and I would bet that anything they create now and in the future will be at the top of it's class, but there was something to earlier Opeth that is no longer there. It was a newness that was only matched in originality by early Black Sabbath.

The new Opeth is definitely different from the previous releases. The sound is more polished, and an overall change in production seems to have taken place. On Blackwater Park, the guitars played a slightly different role in the overall timbre of the band, and as some of the comments above suggest, this started giving them a different tone. True, the old, unrefined, raw Opeth sound is gone, as are the predominance of acoustic parts. However, the album overall is great. It seems a logical progression from the previous efforts. However, a few moments like the beginning of "Masters Apprentice" sounding exactly like a Domination-era Morbid Angel riff are a bit odd......but overall, it's a worthwile buy.

Does anybody knows if they used a drum mashine for the last 3 and a half minutes of track3 - Damnation?

Deliverance defenitly has a somewhat different sound to it. Then again... don't all of Opeths albums? But their earlier albums seem to me to carry alot more feeling, depth and creativity. And as for Deliverance being the heaviest album yet?... Some HEAVY rifs yes, but I get the feeling that Mikael Akerfeldt and the band wasn't as inspired when writing this piece of work... or simply just didn't put as much time into this album. I personally thought MAYH was hevier... it had a much more intense, brutal, raw, doomish & dispairing feel to it... yet still somehow beautifully melodic & soothing within its wrath & frenzy... a true masterpiece in my eyes. But don't get me wrong. I think Deliverance is a great album too, worthy of buying. And perhaps the only reason i like their other albums more is cuz they have grown on me from listening to them so many times over and over again. ... Looking forward to hearing more peoples oppinions.

QUOTED :"""Does anybody knows if they used a drum mashine for the last 3 and a half minutes of track3 - Damnation?

Posted by: Immortal3331/2 on November 30, 2002 02:23 PM """

NO. The Opeth Drummer is the best alive. Look into it.

They trigger a bass drum sample like most metal acts, but he's legit otherwise.

Best ever...I don't know...Martin mentions "El Negro" Hernandez as an influence. Check out the Calle 54 DVD and prepare to be blown away by some of the best drumming ever (beware: Latin Jazz, but fast and mindblowing)