BLACKWATER PARK

The album starts off with The Lepper Affinity, which, is the funkiest title name I've ever seen. The song takes a while to hook you in, unless you're a metalhead. When it does however, you can't let go. Some extremely interesting arrangements and very great drumming keep you listening. This is a great epic song, surely you make you wanting more. (9/10)

Bleak, starts off immediately and makes you want to never stop listening. The acoustic guitars fit perfectly and the guitar riffing is immense. I love the growling too, it really hits the darkness aspect of the album. This is a well written song and the jazz section in the middle is very soothing. This song is great. (9/10)

Harvest, is a little break from the almost 20 minutes of metal. It does a great job at relaxing you. The lyrics are a little fuzzy, I couldn't figure them out the first few times I heard them. The song itself is great, but it tends to cycle within itself. (8/10)

The Drapery Falls, the best song on the album and usually every Opeth fan's favorite songs. No wonder why also, it starts off very eloquently and relaxing, but with a metal edge. This song isn't just straight thrashing, it's a perfectly well written mix of both. I can never stop listening to it. The telephone vocals fit very well and the chorus is amazing. The progressive metal section after the second chorus is great. I could go on about how great the sections are, but I'm just gonna stop now. (10/10)

Dirge For November, starts off quietly, with a lone acoustic guitarist singing. Then the it becomes a little jazz ballad. THEN, that becomes an annoying thrash circle that never ends, basically ruinging the song for me. The chord changes were nice, but it's just seven minutes straight of that, which bugs me. The ending is actually very nice however, being slow little Pat Metheny-esque sounding jazz riff. (7.5/10)

The Funeral Portrait, starts off with the 12 string steel acoustics in your ear. It becomes another thrash fest, but a good one. This song actually goes somewhere. The growling especially caught my ear. It sounds like Mikael was really exerting himself for this song, and I liked that. The middle section instrumental with the drums pounding the beat in and out was very interesting. This song is much better after what just preceded it. (9/10)

Patterns In The Ivy. A one minute instrumental, being completely pointless and random. I think they should have put Still Day Beneath The Sun instead of this song. That's how I have it setup in my playlist. (4/10)

Blackwater Park, is the epic epic, melodic death metal song of this album. It takes the album out with a bang. It's a great song, but there isn't too much prog element in it. Still a great song, Martin Lopez's double bass endurance amazes me. Being a drummer, there is no way I could play that double bass pedal riff for five minutes straight. It's even longer live! (8.5/10)

A great album, mainly its what got me into Opeth, when I heard Bleak. Amazing music, but falls somewhat short of the Magnum Opus category. I love the album art, it's very compelling.

Share this OPETH review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to Treasure
• Report this review (#174175)
• Buy OPETH music online with PA partners
• Show all OPETH MP3/Stream
• Go to OPETH page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Blackwater Park page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for OPETH related discussions