ORCHID

I write this as a huge fan of both black and death metal music so those of you turned off by either of those styles may want to pass by this review. With that said, fans of Opeth's recent "observations" may want to stay clear from their debut album as well as its follow up Morningrise as neither feature the polished "clean" vocal sound that later albums exhibit.

Orchid is a dark album laced with Death Metal vocals and an abundance of guitar harmonies complimented with thundering bass lines and fast drumming. The lyrics are poetic but ambiguous enough to allow you to interpret them any way your imagination sees fit. I admit to not often being captivated by the lyricism in most music but with Opeth's early outings the exception is rewarding. The words read like poetry behind a medieval sound scape of absolute Black Metal inspired mayhem. To me, Opeth perfectly blend the transcendent beauty of nature with the harshness that is reality all at once. There are no ballads or overly personal croons that exist on this record and the only odes and serenades are those that pay homage to the changing of seasons and folklore.

If you are a fan of long, brooding songs peppered with heavy singing and, at times, groovy, psychedelic instrumental passages Orchid is for you.

My only complaint is the production error that incorrectly places the end portion of "Requiem" to the beginning of "The Apostle in Triumph." This mistake is minimal and to no fault of the band, as far as I know. However, I find it tampers with the overall feel of the album a tiny bit and as a result effects my score. Also, I feel as though the placement of some songs could have been done in a more thoughtful way to create a more interesting flow as a whole.

Orchid: In the Mist She Was Standing - 10/10 Under the Weeping Moon - 10/10 Silhouette - 10/10 Forest of October - 10/10 The Twilight is my Robe - 10/10 Requiem - 8/10 The Apostle in Triumph - 8/10