Every year at this time I take a
couple of days off to watch football on US Thanksgiving and recharge my
batteries for the home stretch leading up to Christmas.
With an enjoyable day of football now
behind me I now need to feed the spirit, so I’m going to write this music
review and then I’m going to work on my book.
To all those people at work right
now who are filling in for me so I can do these things, a heartfelt thank you.
Disc 1075 is…Blackwater Park
Artist: Opeth
Year of Release: 2001
What’s up with the Cover? Many years ago I was into this
collectible card game called “Magic: The Gathering” which featured a bunch of evil-looking
swamps you could use to power your spells. This cover would be a perfect fit
for one of those swamp drawings.
As with
their 1999 album “Still Life” (reviewed back at Disc 1040) Opeth has
hidden some shadowy human figures in the picture. Creepy…
Also,
great font for the band name. Even without a foreboding swamp, that band logo
would look cool.
How I Came To Know It: My friend Kelly had this album
years ago and played it for me, but I didn’t buy it back then. Recently I was
digging through Opeth’s discography and I discovered it again, liked it a bit
more and so…here it is.
How It Stacks Up: I have four Opeth albums. Of those albums, I
put “Blackwater Park” second or third best. To leave room for “Ghost Reveries” I’ll
say third. Hey – it’s tough to skate first.
Ratings: 3 stars but almost 4
Progressive
metal is not for everyone. Hell, it isn’t even always for me, but “Blackwater
Park” is such a good example of it that it is hard not to like.
As is
the case on a lot of their albums from this period, “Blackwater Park” is an
artful blend of two styles There are pounding black metal riffs, with lead
singer Mikael Akerfeldt barking out in the guttural throat singing style common
to the genre, mixed with lighter symphonic mood elements, coupled with Akerfeldt
switching it up to an airy atmospheric melodic singing. In this later style he
is reminiscent of Tool’s Maynard James Keenan.
While “Blackwater
Park” isn’t as consistently amazing as “Still Life” there is still plenty to
like. The record knows when to pound away relentlessly and get your energy up. Then,
just when you’re starting to feel a bit frantic, it brings you back down with
an echoing bit of standalone piano.
This is
intricate music, and requires a good deal of skill from all the players.
Despite intricate song constructions and a feverish pace, everything sounds
tight and crisp, allowing your ear to roam around a little and hear the songs
from different perspectives.
I
started out trying to hear the lyrics, but most of the time I got swept up in
the guitar riffs and let my thoughts wander. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately
and the layered song construction was therapeutic. I can see why troubled kids
are drawn to this stuff; at least the smart ones.
Somewhere
between my second and third listens I started tuning in to the bass lines,
which on a lot of metal just travel below the guitar melody and give it oomph
at the bottom end. Not so on “Blackwater Park” where the bass has its own
journey, lifting and falling deep in the mix and providing a foil to the guitar
line that is often different, but always complementary.
The bass
line was a lot easier to pick out when walking. When I was riding the bus, the
low rumble of the engine got in the way of me hearing the songs in their full
glory. It made me realize why people like to turn this kind of music up. You
gotta hear it from top to bottom or you’re not really hearing it.
The
songs on “Blackwater Park” tend to be drawn-out affairs. There are only eight
songs but the record is over 67 minutes long. Despite this the record doesn’t
drag and the songs, though long, have sufficient complexity that you want them
to go on for eight or ten minutes so the musical themes feel fully explored.
In terms
of what the songs are about, as I noted above it was hard to follow along, even
though the lyrics are in English. Because it’s been a rough November, the song “Dirge for November” appealed to me just
because of the title. Also, its “wet leaves and cold hard rain” vibe was just
right for a wallow while I walked. However, when I looked up the lyrics in the
liners notes, I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what was happening. Something
bad, but Opeth aren’t terribly specific. It’s a mood piece for when you’re in a
mood.
“The Funeral Portrait” is the crowd
pleaser on the record, with powerful power riffs that would be at home on an
early Metallica album, and a groove that demands a mosh pit. It also has some
pretty cool moments from drummer Martin Lopez.
While I
preferred “Still Life” overall, there is a lot to be said for “Blackwater Park”
being the gateway album into this band. The riffs are accessible, the record
has good energy throughout and these boys can play.
Best
tracks: Bleak,
The Funeral Portrait, Blackwater Park
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