Opeth - Ghost Reveries

Written by Silvia Deurwaarder Wednesday, 14 September 2005 21:09

Bandame: Opeth
Title: Ghost Reveries
Genre: Progressive/ death metal
Release date: September 2005
Record company/label: Roadrunner Records

Introduction

Opeth has always been a band that broke with their own ways of making music. They were always new, fresh and that sometimes make them scary. Nobody knew what they could expect from this new album. With this record they are more metal than before but also more melodic. More catchy, but on the other hand also difficult to understand. It is a band with a lot of contrasts. That is what makes Opeth unique. They don’t have to prove anything: they are just themselves and that make this record very attractive to metal fans.

Line –up

Martin Mendez – Bass
Peter Lindgren – Guitar
Per Wiberg – Mellotrons, Organs, Grand&Electric Pianos
Martin Lopez – Drums and Percussion
Mikael Åkerfeldt – All vocals, Guitar and additional Mellotron

Website

www.opeth.com/

Song Review

1. Ghost of Perdition (10:29)
Without warning the grunts of Mikael set in, together with some heavy but melodic guitars and a catchy riff. Suddenly the warm deep clean vocals are there. Mikael sounds more melancholic here. That together with the guitar parts makes me shiver. The lyrics are not nececarry here: you let the vocals and the atmosphere lead you. This song is the perfect opening of the record. All the quality comes together.

2. The Baying of the Hounds (10:41)
The song title reminds me of the ‘Hound of the Baskervilles’ (the famous story of Sherlock Holmes). The spokey guitar lines and deep grunts are creating the good atmosphere. This is not as open as the first song. This is the more deathmetal sound of Opeth: dark and ominous. Suddenly there is the catchy middlepart with polyphonic vocals. A long guitar part brings back the peace. It flows from mood to mood. The piano parts are more than on the records in front of the mix: fragile and sometimes with a jazzy sound. Opeth is still a master in the technical details on many instruments.

3. Beneath the Mire (7:57)
Be not mislead by the catchy intro of this song. It is epic and experimental in the typical Opeth way: they dare to explore new things. The growling grunts of Mikael are in beautiful contrast with the low guitarlines. Aggressive but sometimes also fragile when he uses his own voice. Amazing is it to hear that every detail is consided. Those Swedes guys bring progmetal to a higher level. It is too much to name al the switches in this song. From the high guitarlines to the dry drumparts, keybord parts and arrangements. When you have a sensitive ear you will discover it all, but it needs his time.

4. Antonement (6:28)
The intro with the electric guitar reminds me a bit of Pink Floyd. Together with the arrangements the song grows. It is almost a bit Asian:when you close your eyes you see sand and a camel lonely in the dessert. Smoothly the fluits and acoustic guitars are mixed with a jazzy piano sound. Then suddenly the guitar theme from the beginning comes back.

5. Reverie/Harlequin Forest (11:39)
Melancholic voice together with some technical drums and some ‘straight–into-your-face’ guitar lines. More raw but still with the same sence of detail, mood changes and melody. The old school deathmetal sound also returns. The sudden changes makes the listener curious about the end. Halfway down the song Mikael is more sensitive: drawning you into the dark feeling of the song. The song surrounds you and takes you away.

6. Hours of Wealth (5:20)
Acoustic guitars, orchestral arrangements: a peacefull moment. The song is cristal clear, only the voice of Mikael: naked, fragile and strong. Per Wiberg is a very respectfull musician with his diversity and sometimes a modest sound. The atmosphere is sometimes even psygedelic.

7. The Grand Conjuration ( 10:21)
What a different song, it brings you down to earth again. It is the first single of the album and without any doubt there is everything in it which makes it so typically Opeth. Invluences from ‘Damnation.’ Many tempo changes, complex guitar lines are all there.
Mikael says about it: ,,In the beginning the song was totally different and very technical. I didn’t felt right after we rehearsed it. So I went home and scrapped the whole technical side and did a more dark sounding song." (Source:Roadrunner Records)

8. Isolation Years (3:51)
The most epic song of the record. Mikael says about it: ,,We’ve been making long songs since the first album, so I find it much harder to write a short song that I like.” With the dreamy sound the song is in high contrast with the previous one, but the circle is round.

Extra's

None, promo version

Cover Picture

Technical Summary

Total playing time: 1:06:45
Total songs: 9

Conclusion

This album grabs you, brings you to different levels in the music. It is an eyeopener: metal can be so much more then you sometimes think. All those contrasts, different influences, but above all the voice of Mikael Åkerfeldt. Every song has its own character and whether you like it or not, Opeth again managed to be different. To make a record with some long songs again and there is something in it for everyone: metal or not. The record needs to grow, but you will discover more and more details in it. That makes it such high quality: even after twenty times it suprises you. The different moods on the records bring you more to other levels: from aggressive to melancholic and peaceful. ‘Ghost Reveries’ will stay in your head and pursue you!

Rating

Music 10
Sound 10
Extra’s -
Total 10