Having taken their oppressive
black metal symphonies to their furious zenith with their third effort,
My Arms, Your Hearse, Sweden's
Opeth began deconstructing their sound on 1999's brilliant
Still Life. A logical next step in their evolution, the album finds the band re-examining their unlikely fusion of
progressive rock and
black metal to highlight the former while staying in touch with the latter. The result is a formidable splicing of harsh, often jagged guitar riffs with graceful melodies, and the increasing use of
Mikael Akerfeldt's "clean" vocals (alternated with his ever-present death growl). This tactic only serves to spotlight the quality of
Akerfeldt's lyrics (a rarity in extreme
metal circles) and, in the tradition of prior efforts,
Still Life is a full-fledged concept album, which, without going into unnecessary details, centers around a tale of unrequited love for a character called
Melinda (a discreet reference to
Mercyful Fate's early-'80s classic
Melissa, perhaps?). Also new to the mix are a wealth of more dynamic, almost groove-oriented riffs (see
"Godhead's Lament" and
"Serenity Painted Death") which break away from the Wall of Sound overtures of the past. On the other hand, outstanding, multifaceted epics like
"The Moor," "Moonlapse Vertigo," and
"White Cluster" carry on in the proud
Opeth tradition. The all-acoustic
"Benighted" is the album's only one-dimensional track (and a beauty it is, too), while the awesome
"Face of Melinda" represents a new career high with its quietly building atmosphere and powerful finale. Ultimately, this is another star turn for the group, and the fact that they somehow managed to outdo themselves with their next work,
Blackwater Park, is a testament to
Opeth's greatness. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia
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