MY ARMS, YOUR HEARSE

My Arms, Your Hearse. This was the album that put Opeth over the top and differentiated them from Melodic Death Metal. To be honest with you, when I downloaded their discography, this was actually the last album of theirs I listened to. I regret it, as it has become my absolute favorite of theirs.

Prologue really sets the mood for the darkness to come, starting off with a river flowing then with keyboards alone. The song really nails the death theme of the album. (9/10)

April Ethereal actually surprised me with the vocal opening. I thought it would've just let loose and attacked me. But it still did. I look at this song as the original idea for The Moor. They both have the same metal attack then slow flowing sections in them. Just this is the original and sounds so much better. I also love the ending lines and the guitar riff that accompanies it. Amazing song. (10/10)

When actually did have an effect on me. I was expecting a ballad after the brutal attack that was just laid out on my ears. But it goes right back into it, and in a very goo dway. It starts off very slow, then very very dark and heavy. Then it evens out with some progressive riffs and interesting drumming. Then the whole song breaks for a slower going section with acoustic guitars. A nice ballad section, is broken at the end by a very amazing clean vocal performance by Mikael Akerfeldt. Great song. (9/10)

Madrigal is a segue into The Amen Corner and a very good one at that. The guitar playing is wonderful. :D (10/10)

The Amen Corner is actually one of the songs that had me hooked in the first time I heard it. It's wonderfully progressive at the beginning. The guitar playing is very rhythmic and eloquent. The drumming is great too. But, the beginning doesn't do too much as the song doesn't go too far. It's a good song. Features some of the heaviest accents I've ever heard from Mikael Akerfeldt. There isss circlesss above the watersss. (8/10)

Demon of The Fall is AMAZING. It starts off with a heavy, addicting guitar riff and doesn't let up at all. The acoustic line in the middle really adds to the song. This song is just beyond words as to why it closes every Opeth show. You just have to hear it for yourself. Best song on the album. (10/10)

Credence, I think, really adds more to the story. It adds more to the tension. It's a nice break from the heavy sections that just preceded it. The guitar playing is great and the singing is better. (9/10)

Karma, my personal favorite off the album, starts off murderously, with an insanely heavy hitting riff, with dark growling vocals. Then the section breaks with the vocal opening from April Ethereal. Great move! The song goes on and off with the metal. Once it gets close to the 4 minute mark, it gets metal and dark for the better. The lyrics just strike me like an arrow hitting its target. No one welcomes Winter's Epilogue. The guitar lines that come after that hit me even harder. This is Opeth at their best. (10/10)

Epilogue, is a slower prog ballad, reminiscent of Ending Credits off of Damnation. Very nice emotional guitar playing. (10/10)

Overall this a landmark in Opeth music. They really rethought their sounds, as it's so different from Morningrise. The concepts too, with the last word of each song being the title of the next! The sotry is very original also.

TAKEN FROM WIKIPEDIA:

The album concerns a character who dies and becomes a ghost. The narrative on the ghost's existence revolves around the woman he loved. Frustration and suspicion make the character restless as he watches his loved one after his death, his soul in constant turmoil as he does not believe that she genuinely grieved his passing. Though his ghost's actual presence remains undetected, she feels a great sadness, and remains unwilling to accept his death.

The progression of the album can also be seen as linked to the progression of the seasons, the final song ending with winter, and leading back into the first song with the beginnings of spring.

Genius, no?