The Silent Water Unofficial site containing a biography, sound files and videos, interviews and pictures. http://opeth.bravepages.com

Opeth The official site of the band. http://www.opeth.com

OpethNet A fan site which inludes lyrics, news, and FAQ about the band. http://www.opethnet.com

Amazon offers Blackwater Park (Audio CD),01 March, 2001 List price $26.49 This is supposed to be Opeth's best album? / 1 First and foremost, this is not Death Metal. No matter what anybody else may say. Those who think so clearly know nothing of the genre. This is Progressive Rock with some occasional metal riffs and Death Metal-styled growls. End of story. Over the years, I have heard a lot of hype about this album. I've heard a lot of hype about Opeth in general. But what I really don't understand is... why? After listening to this album several times, I just can't bring myself to like anything about it. Sure, its got a lot of potential. It really could have been something great. But its... well, not. The songs themselves seem to be long for the sake of writing long songs, as if its some kind of necessity for Prog songs to be lengthy. Each song is comprised of several passages, but the passages don't really come together well at all. There's no transition; the songs just change abruptly from one thing to another. Lifeless, repetitive guitar work and bland Death growls almost randomly become acoustic interludes with bland melodic vocals. Speaking of vocals, the death growls don't really work well with the music, either. As has been mentioned before in other reviews, Opeth seems to like taking the "modern" approach to metal. But again, as previously stated, most of this isn't even metal. Its more like Prog Rock with what sounds to me like occasional Gothenburg guitar work. You know, those noodling melodic riffs that are present in several of these songs, such as The Leper Affinity. Then throw in those horrid death growls and there you have it: Instant modern "Metal". Sometimes the riffs are actually interesting, but throughout the songs and passages they are repeated far too often, and any chance the songs might have of becoming interesting is lost once the next passage starts (or the song ends, whichever the case may be). Getting back to song length, it seems that Opeth might be trying to go for that epic feel that is ever-present in the Prog world. Unfortunately, as stated before, the lack of transition between passages quickly eliminates any epic feeling to this album. If you want something epic, go buy an Ayreon album. Akerfeldt is actually one of the vocalists for the latest Ayreon album, The Human Equation. He actually does pretty well, in my opinion. So why not here? Most of the time you can't really tell what he's saying, so whatever concept he's trying to get across is lost in his incoherent singing. And when he's not doing death growls, his melodic singing is too uninteresting for one to notice what he's saying. And he doesn't really have any feeling or emotion to his voice, much like the music itself. (See: Rob Halford and Daniel Gildenlow (Pain of Salvation) for how to achieve emotion.) All in all, this album really could have been good. But Opeth seems to lack the ability to write coherent and interesting songs. (Dream Theater, anyone?) If you want some real Prog, listen to Ayreon (Or just about any Arjen Lucassen project, for that matter) or Pain of Salvation's "The Perfect Element Part I" and "Be" albums. Unless, of course, you've a thing for incoherent and uninteresting music. (Originally written for www.metal-archives.com) Song "The Apostle In Triumph" In solitude I wander... Through the vast enchanted forest The surrounding skies are one Torn apart by the phenomenon of lightning Rain is pouring down my (now) shivering shoulders In the rain my tears are forever lost The darkened oaks are my only shelter Red leaves are blown by the wind An ebony raven now catches my eyes Sitting in calmness Before spreading its black wings Reaching for the skies In this forest Where wolves cry their agony unto the moon My spirit is hidden In the form of wisdom Carved on a black stone The only way to follow Open your soul Redeem, I am immortal Blinded by a light My soul is held up high in glory I engulf the skies The apostle in triumph Through the eternal flame I travel As the rain keeps falling...

Tracks Of Creation: Issue 2 Volume 2: Review of Opeth Opeth. My Arms, Your Hearse. (c)(p)1998 Candelight. Review by Richard Stuart. Opeth has always stood out in the melodic death metal crowd as being something ... http://disemia.com/creation/issue_2_4/reviews/opeth.html

OPETH Still Life reviews and MP3 OPETH Still Life reviews and MP3. ... OPETH Still Life review (your text here, 75+ words suggested). Words counter Rating : ... http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_CD.asp?cd_id=5797

Opeth - Deliverance (2002)- RUTHLESS REVIEWS Opeth might as well have just called their latest release, Deliverance, "We're So Fucking Good ... Were you wearing pants when you wrote this review: No ... http://ruthlessreviews.com/opethdeliverance.html

Opeth: Ghost Reveries - PopMatters Music Review Opeth, Ghost Reveries (Roadrunner), review by Adrien Begrand -- If you're going to buy one metal album this year, make it this one. If you're a metal fan, ... http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/o/opeth-ghostreveries.shtml

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