Music For Nations re-releases Blackwater Park, the fifth album (originally put out 20 years ago) by Swedish Metal band Opeth. Considered to be a pivotal moment in their career, this special presentation comes in a variety of formats: on heavyweight audiophile approved vinyl with a variety of deluxe finishes, gatefold sleeve with updated liner notes; a hardcase CD with booklet notes of never before seen memories from the band and content provided by the fanbase. The original record was produced by Steven Wilson, and seen as a turning point for the band from which they have never looked back...

This record may be 20 years old, but it’s as much a revelation now as it was back then. Death Metal and Progressive Rock; who’d believe this would work. Imagine the impact this would have made 20 years ago, because it still comes across as an inventive and ground-breaking experimental work today. 'The Leper Infinity' plunges us immediately into this unknown territory. It begins with a distant ambience creeping steadily closer until it abruptly kicks in the door with a burst of growled Death Metal and Progressive tendencies. This is heavy and melodic to hook the listener in straightaway. The format forever changes, but it’s a smooth transition. There is a nice guitar solo around the three minute mark of this ten minute opus. There are a few stop-start moments incorporated. Great guitar breaks – one of which gives a plaintive, retrospective feel. I must say this is a very clear mix, too. Little hooks are added to an existing theme. The truth is there is always something interesting going on to maintain the attention. It ends on sorrowful piano, of all things. This track – along with 'The Funeral Portrait' – best represents the new style of the band at this stage.

What about the other tracks, I hear you ask (yes, you at the back)? 'Bleak' features an Egyptian mini-tune which brings alive this mystical moderate but heavy piece. This has a more traditional structure and is quite different to the opener. It has a warm sound, but not the revelation of track 1. Very clever instrumentation is utilised to each track to assign its unique identity. 'Harvest' has a ringing guitar and clean vocals. It establishes a soothing Celtic feel. The guitar solo is a broken tune changing quickly with a chord progression. There are also reverb-effect distant vocals. 'The Drapery Falls' has a wide, cloaking sound that welcomes an off-kilter verse which sounds like it is sung through a pipeline. It is ghostly in some places and heavy in others. The guitar drives the piece to the halfway point where we welcome the return of growled vocals, which work very well on this album. 'Dirge For November' has a ballad beginning with acoustic guitar. A slam coming-together with the full band sound is heavy and melodic. I think this is one of the handful of Opeth tracks I have heard before. I do prefer the dark sound and growled vocals which this represents.

'The Funeral Portrait' is simple enough, but quite powerful as a song. One of the best on offer here. It has a nice repeated guitar sequence which sees the Death Metal sound back, albeit with some Prog changes. It’s a driving tune with surrounding atmospheres. Once again, I like the growled vocals which are much more representative of this sound than clean vocals. 'Patterns in the Ivy' is an acoustic guitar and piano instrumental filler between more significant tracks. 'Blackwater Park', the title track, is another interesting combination. It’s heavy and melodic, and incorporates some acoustic and a Spanish guitar fling which isn’t exploited enough. The main beat and growled vocals keep this grounded in Death Metal – even in the presence of many interventions. There is the added bonus of a live version of 'The Leper Infinity' to complete the new version of the album, and the band couldn’t have chosen a better track. I’ve enjoyed this album immensely. Long-time fans will undoubtedly snap this up.

9

Ty Power