MY ARMS, YOUR HEARSE

The main problem I have with this record is that the songs are very similar between them: April Ethereal, When, Karma... The songs of this album have a composition and structure very similar between them, what makes this album some dull and boring sometimes. It's a bit repetitive for me, and talking of a band like Opeth that's a sort of letdown.

In addition, the sound of the drums is bad, same with the bass. It's obvious that Mikael isn't an experimented bassist, because he plays the bass guitar in that record, and it sounds very low and with a lame sound. Same with the acoustic parts, too dark and sometimes strangely uninspired.

Nevertheless, I don't consider this a bad album at all, because although it's repetitiveness and lackluster production, songs like the great Demon Of The Fall and Creedence are pretty good, same with the Prologue and Epilogue. In addition, here we can see an anticipation of Still Life, in some guitar riffs and the fantastic choirs like the song When.

Conclusion: I think this is a transition album, and although that's not necessarily a bad thing in this case the result was an album which is far from being a highlight in Opeth's discography. They suffered the lack of a bassist and a weak production.

Nevertheless, the record has great moments and it's an obligated stop for technical death metal lovers or Opeth's fans.

Best Tracks: Demon of the Fall, When, Creedence.

My rating: ***1/2, rounded down to three stars.

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