IN CAUDA VENENUM

These days there are literally a gazillion metal bands that come and go with even some of the bigger names which often blur into the massive number of albums that emerge every single month and then there are bands like OPETH, a band that has become so legendary that it actually creates quite a stir even over two decades after the band's debut with "Orchid." This Swedish band founded by lead vocalist / guitarist / songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt all the way back in 1989 has successfully straddled the fence between the disparate genera of death metal and progressive rock often blurring the distinctions. While fans on both sides of the fence have been routing for the band to take one path or the other, OPETH for the most part has successfully remained staunchly in hybrid mode at least until the last few albums.

While starting out as the former and taking the leap into the latter beginning with 2011's "Heritage," the group has successfully created some of the most lauded albums that decorate both the prog and metal top album lists and with the band's 14th studio album IN CAUDA VENENUM ("Poison Of The Tail"), OPETH shows no signs of slowing down and have crafted yet another album of intricate melodies teased into progressive sprawlers that are bathed in aspects of psychedelic rock, folk rock and progressive metal. Only the growly vocal death metal elements have been jettisoned as OPETH has decloaked any traces of its earliest aggressive tendencies and have instead seemingly adopted the permanent features of clean vocal styles and King Crimsonian style prog rock circa the "Red" area. And still going strong which started all the way back in the very beginning are those beautiful arpeggiated acoustic guitar segments are still riding high in the mix.

OPETH tried something new on IN CAUDA VENENUM, which was somewhat common with Italian prog bands of the 70s but not so for the Scandinavian scene. This album has been released twice both in English and the band's native Swedish. Despite the differences in language, the music is exactly the same and both albums clock in exactly at 67 minutes and 44 seconds. While the choice of language may appeal to some, for those like me who are less concerned about lyrics and much more into the compositional meat and potatoes, i personally don't care if a song is titled "Universal Truth" or "Ingen Sanning Är Allas." Having said that, Swedish is a beautiful language and although this review is based upon the English version of the album, i will inevitably want to absorb the majesty of an OPETH album in its native lingo. After all, Swedish is the language that sings and love him or hate him, there's no denying that Åkerfeldt is one singing MF and becomes more nuanced with his vox box as time goes one.

After releasing "Sorceress," the band received a lot of criticism for jettisoning too much metal and becoming just another retro prog band. Yeah, those metalheads can get really testy about things. Even on the prog side of the music world, they got shot down in some circles for not being original enough, by recycling 70s sounds and jumping on the bandwagon that seems to be all the rage today which may be fine for, let's say a band like Wobbler, but for metal superstars like OPETH? No way, just ain't cuttin' it. IN CAUDA VENENUM corrects that faux pas and adds some extra metal oomf to the mix once again however in many regards, this album is a lot like "Sorceress" in that its progressive elements are the main focus, the clean vocals shine in the forefront and the music is lushly orchestrated to create pleasing atmospheric counterpoints to the folk-tinged melodic developments. As far as the psychedelic rock aspects are concerned, IN CAUDA VENENUM is drenched in piano, Fender Rhodes 88, harpsichords, Moogs, mellotron and a Hammond CD to boot.

The metal almost seems like an afterthought that is there solely to add a bombastic contrast to an otherwise super chill album. So much for the band's original intent of becoming one of the most evil bands in the world. Now much closer to Pink Floyd than to Mayhem, OPETH seems to have nurtured this new path into the prog world quite well. IN CAUDA VENENUM is an amazingly consistent album that may be a much more metal-free zone than say albums like "Morningrise" or "Deliverance" but still manages to sneak in some ferocious guitar riffing and power chords amidst the proggy time signature rich passages as they tick off all the proper prog check lists.

Out of the newer OPETH albums that rely less on the metal aspects, IN CAUDA VENENUM is actually one of the most diverse of the lot so far expanding OPETH's sounds into new arenas (such as the jazzy "The Garroter") to the more familiar (which is most of the album.) One of the main tricks up Åkerfeldt's sleeves has always been those appropriately placed classical guitar segments which tastefully starts off the album intro on "Garden Of Earthly Delights." The twin guitar attacks of Åkerfeldt and Frederik Åkesson are still in action especially in the more metallic tracks like "Heart In Hand." There are new developments in OPETH's arsenal such as the overdubbed choir parts in "Dignity" and let's face it lots and i do mean LOTS of organ parts. Despite scouring the periodic table to add as many metal elements as possible, IN CAUDA VENENUM is firmly in progressive rock territory with just a touch of heavier bombast to hopefully entice the older crowds into the new OPETH show.

On a personal level, OPETH has never been a top band in my reality but i am amazed at how consistent the quality of the material is on every single album in its long never-ending canon and therefore they have my utmost respect and admiration. Åkerfeldt was born to bring to life catchy yet proggy tunes that while crafting the instant ear worms of pop music still have quite the catchiness factor even if it takes a few spins to sink in. Whether OPETH is in full death metal regalia or simply taking a siesta in organ drenched prog makes no difference to me personally. I find the Jekyll & Hyde peekaboo act to be amusing since the band so successfully masters both styles quite well and on IN CAUDA VENENUM, the band seems to find new ways of incorporating both aspects into a cohesive whole without deviating from the current trajectory of settling on the prog side of the equation.

IN CAUDA VENENUM will surely not win over those who ditched the band when "Heritage" declared the new OPETH was in town but it certainly won't disappoint those who have been digging the recent prog albums such as "Pale Communion" and "Sorceress." While taking cues from both, this one moves on into ever more diverse pastures and the great thing about OPETH is that it is a band that no matter what criticism is heaped upon it, is never afraid to just sally forth in whichever direction the musicians feel it right for them. While IN CAUDA VENENUM will receive ample amounts of hate from metalhead purists and equal amounts of love from retro-proggers, taken as a work of art, IN CAUDA VENENUM is a compelling album with rich seductive melodies and intricately crafted musical developments. Another excellent album in the OPETH camp.

As my esteemed colleague siLLy puPPy stated in his review of this same album, the OPETH sound has never been one to draw me into the fold of Opeth lovers (or haters, for that matter). I totally respect and admire Mikael Åkerfeldt's tremendous talent and commitment to progressive rock music--it's on a par with that of prolific stalwarts STEVE HACKETT, STEVEN WILSON, and ROINE STOLT. And I completely recognize the masterful performance skills of all musicians involved, I'm just not drawn back to any Opeth music--songs, albums, periods, or styles. It all washes over me--wows me while I listen, but then I'm done, I leave and move on.

"Heart in Hand" is the standout song for me. It's awesome! It kicks some ass and haunts me like the ear-candy of Terry Jacks or ABBA. I happen to like the Swedish version better because I can't understand a word the singer is singing which plays perfectly into my disability of only hearing voices as other contributors to the overall weave of music--as creators of threads of linear melody making, just like another instrument. (I cannot sing the entire lyric of any song--even my favorite songs from childhood--because I do not have a compartment in my brain for the comprehension of their meanings). Still, the heavy first half and the gorgeous sensitive second work for me! Some of the others feel/sound like other OXYGEN radio play bands or like Grunge era classics, Jimmy Page acoustic stuff. I also like the subtle intricacies throughout "Continuum."

The hard-drivin'/heavy vs. soft/delicate interplay is okay once or twice but in every song (sauf the opener)? Not even Pearl Jam can get away with that! There are no bad songs, not even any "bad" sections of songs--I even enjoy/smile at the forays into new and unusual musical styles Mikael has the band explore (á la GINO VANELLI-like "Garroter").

1. Garden Of Earthly Delights (3:29) (7.5/10) 2. Dignity (6:37) (8.75/10) 3. Heart In Hand (8:30) (19/20) 4. Next Of Kin (7:10) (12.75/15) 5. Lovelorn Crime (6:34) (8.25/10) 6. Charlatan (5:29) (8.5/10) 7. Universal Truth (7:22) (12.25/15) 8. The Garroter (6:44) (13/15) 9. Continuum (7:23) (13.5/15) 10. All Things Will Pass (8:31 (8.25/20)

All in all this album sounds like a more complicated, more mature form of early 1970s URIAH HEEP.

86.96 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection despite the Jeckyll and Hyde musical circles it leads one in. Try the Swedish version, it's great!

I respect Opeth very much! And I still believe they are one of the most important/innovative bands of the last 30 years. As the world sank with regrets over the group's changes since Heritage, I was curious to know where the band was going.

It turns out that the band... keeps going! After the great Pale Communion Opeth released a very weak album with Sorceress and I really didn't have much hope for the next album, but here they are with In Cauda Venenum!

First of all I need to get out of my head two little things that I noticed right away that are little easter eggs in the album (maybe there are more): The title of the album was obviouslyce mezzo-stolen from Italian Jacula's In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum. The album's opening track, Livets Tr'dg'rd, is a clear 'tribute' to the Swedish group 'lgarnas Tr'dg'rd. Being Mikael 'kerfeldt an avid 70s Prog collector this is no surprise. This makes me a little unquiet, I still don't know why.

In Cauda Venenum is a record that should please fans of the band's new phase. Despite the completely unnecessary introduction (an instrumental introduction only makes sense if it is linked to the concept of the album, it is not the case here, at all) the album brings variety, weight and also a little freshness to the band's sound. The fact that the album was composed in Swedish is extremely pleasant to my ears (yes, there is an English version, but Mikael himself in an interview said that for him the official album is in Swedish). There are several times when the weight takes over the songs, but there are parts with strings and many vintage keyboards.

The production of the record did not please me completely, the sound seems too compressed, there is the attempt, it seems, that everything has to sound vintage, but obviously recorded in digitail system. The drums suffer the most, a shame as Martin Axenrot did a fantastic job. But at the same time the insertion of voices and dialogues in Swedish throughout the album comes in quite well done.

Now, speaking about how long it is... 67 minutes! Needlessly long, at least 20 minutes longer than it should and this weighs on the end result: hearing fatigue.

Nevertheless, in the end, the Swedes delivered an exquisite work that requires some auditions to enjoy the album (I needed 4 and counting) and can easily reach the ears of the band's Prog period fans.

Mikael 'kerfeldt and his merry men are back with their new album, available in either Swedish or English, or in a set comprising both discs. Actually it was originally envisaged that it would only be available in Swedish, until it was decided that possibly those that didn't speak the language (i.e. most of the rest of the world) may be put off by not being able to understand the words. I don't think anyone really knows what to expect from Opeth and a new album anymore, as there is a refusal to conform to any preconceived ideas, and certainly they have moved a long way since David Isberg (vocals) and 'kerfeldt (guitars) joined forces to create the 'most evil band in the world.' Of course, Ishberg left only a few years after the band started, but these days keyboard player Joakim Svalberg is the most recent addition, joining in 2011, so there has been a great deal of stability in the ranks in recent years.

When I first heard 'Ghost Reveries' back in 2005 I couldn't stop raving about it as it was a revelation, but since then I have learned to let each Opeth album just drip into my brain and not have any set ideas about what it is supposed to sound like before listening to it intently and repeatedly. This time around we have a band who in some ways sound like a modern Deep Purple when they jam such as on 'Heart In Hand', yet at others they display their Floydian influences and at yet others are far more like Tangerine Dream. It is an album which is incredibly diverse, mature, and absolutely fascinating. The production is sublime, and the acoustic guitars really shine on this, while 'kerfeldt is singing better than ever. It is highly polished, but not so much that one loses sight of the real emotion and desire behind this dynamic approach. Sure, if one were to hear just this album and no other then Opeth would be clearly described as being a progressive rock band with just a few metallic tendencies, which is a long way from the death metal act they started out as. Some bands lose fans as they change, and that has certainly been the case of me personally with Marillion and some others, yet I find each Opeth release to be an interesting event and always joyous.

Highly accessible, diverse with loads of different influences, this is an album any rock fan should listen to with open ears before making any calls on whether they are going to like it. Forget the name Opeth on the front, and just give it a good listen, as this really is a very good release indeed.

In Cauda Venenum is a return to form by one of the most controversial progressive metal bands of recent years!

It's great to hear a sort of return to their most powerful roots in songs like Dignity or Heart in Hand, where we meet again an Opeth capable of creating evil and charming melodies, and where the growls are not so very missed like in Sorceress.

In terms of production, the album also stands out for its absolutely stunning sound, where each instrument sounds perfectly, highlighting above all the superb work of guitars and the layers of keyboards that give a precious retro sound, deeply rooted in the 70's.

So, despite being far from their best works, feeling sometimes overlong and tiring, In Cauda Venenum is in my opinion the best effort that Opeth has published since Watershed! This is the good way guys. Now, let's bring those growls back!

Best Tracks: Dignity (brutal start, but then loses some beat), Heart in Hand (while listening to it, I can't help but think it would be even better with throaty) Lovelorn Crime (has an absolutely mind-blowing guitar solo) and The Garroter (beautiful spanish guitars)

My Rating: ***

The cd issue I have contains both the Swedish and English sung albums so I spun the English one twice before switching to the Swedish one which I find more to my tastes. I'll still use the English song titles though. How about that art work! Travis Smith has outdone himself. He's worked with OPETH since the 90's and he and Mikael collaborate on it, sharing their ideas. I shared this art with some co-workers warning them that it was a scary picture. Showing them first the cover art and pointing the the pink strip at the bottom and saying that's a tongue. Two jumped back. Opening the gatefold they see this giant demon with his long tongue stuck out carrying the house containing these shadowy figures. One is King Diamond not sure about the rest. As far as the music goes this album has jumped into my top three OPETH records along with "Pale Communion" and "Damnation". They thank ANEKDOTEN for the kind use of their M400 mellotron and we get it on six of the ten tracks.

Talk about mellotron how about the opener "Garden Of Earthly Delights" where we get these heavenly choirs before electronics join in around 1 1/2 minutes. Church bells a minute later so we know we're doomed especially when we start to hear footsteps. A child's voice ends it before we get crushed with "Dignity". Sounds like a song title. Hey that opener is a top five. Mellotron on this second track and some vocal melodies. Nice guitar solo then a calm. It kicks back in heavily but how about that symphonic calm, so beautiful then it's heavy again after 5 minutes. The song ends with a sample of multiple people laughing hysterically.

I like "Heart In Hand" for it's energy and how about that screaming guitar. Just a beast but then the last couple of minutes feature this beautiful calm with reserved vocals. "Next Of Kin" sort of plods along but it sounds really cool late with those strings produced and arranged by Dave Stewart but written by Akerfeldt. "Lovelorn Crime" is one I really connect with and a top five. Quite moving at times with plenty of piano. It does kick in dramatically as contrasts continue. How good is this 2 minutes in. Come on!

"Charlatan" is a top five as well for the mellotron and power. Lots of depth here and energy. Love the nasty keys too. Some samples of people saying things and I love that chorus. Another top five is "Universal Truth" and man this might be my second favourite after the opener. Just the contrasts alone blow me away. The only section on the whole album that I'm not big on is the opening on "Continuum" but this is a song that gets better as it plays out. The closer is my final top five and what a song! "All Things Will Pass" has it all, the mellotron the great sounding heavy sections, trippy stuff, and man so uplifting after 6 1/2 minutes, I think I have something in my eye.

Congrats Mikael and the band for still bringing it. Without question one of my favourites from 2019. This is the album where Akerfeldt's favourite band CAMEL gets the most nods in my opinion. They really are a Heavy Prog band now.

Following a triptych of albums which largely abandoned metal (but for a few momentary outbursts here and there) in favour of a retro-progressive rock approach, Opeth's In Cauda Venenum at first seems like it's going to continue that approach. However, to my ears it seems like there's substantially more modern touches here - some quieter passages reminiscent of those on Opeth's earliest albums, some loud passages that put me in mind of late-period Arcturus, if given a bit more of a rock direction in place of their black metal roots.

Once again, Mikael 'kerfeldt's vocals - which I thought was often the least interesting aspect of their earlier material - have really come ahead in leaps and bounds. The album was actually released in two versions, one with English vocals and one with Swedish, though I'd say he now sounds more comfortable singing in English than ever.

If you are pining for Opeth's extreme metal days, and only regard them as interesting for the death metal side of their sound, then this won't win you back - but nor would any album since at least as far back as Watershed. If, on the other hand, you appreciate what they've been doing from Heritage onwards, this is another excellent evolution of that approach, which I feel has only been getting better and better on subsequent releases.

"In Cauda Venenum" is the 13th full-length studio album by Swedish progressive rock/metal actOpeth. The album was released through Moderbolaget Records in September 2019. It´s the successor to "Sorceress" from September 2016 and features the exact same quintet lineup who recorded the predecessor. "In Cauda Venenum" was released in three different versions. One double album version featuring the album in a Swedish language version and an English language version (on two discs), and two seperate one-album versions featuring the Swedish language version and the English language version. The instrumental part of the music is the same on all releases/versions, only the lyrics and the language are different.

Stylistically the material on "In Cauda Venenum" is in the heavy progressive rock style with folk leanings that Opeth have played since "Heritage" (2011). It´s dymamic music featuring both louder heavy parts, epic progressive parts, but also mellow acoustic parts. There is an omnipresence of vintage keyboards/synths/organ, along with equally organic sounding bass, guitars, and vocals. It´s arguably 70s influenced progressive rock, but the early 90s Swedish progressive rock revival scene and artists like Landberk and Anekdoten are also valid references. Opeth compose solid and relatively memorable material, but they don´t exactly invent the wheel here. Most of the elements, timbres, and atmospheres have been heard and experienced before on preceding progressive rock releases by other artists.

"In Cauda Venenum" features a detailed, powerful, and well sounding production, which suits the material well, and although the material could have prospered from more original compositional ideas, the high quality musicianship and Mikael Åkerfeldt easily recognisable voice and passionate delivery save the day, even when the material doesn´t shine. The idea to sing in their native language is a good one, and the Swedish language version is a nice new element, which provides the album with a needed touch of something unique. Other Swedish progressive rock artists have sung in the Swedish language, but for Opeth it´s a first on a full release, and it makes "In Cauda Venenum" stand out in their discography. So upon conclusion "In Cauda Venenum" is a good quality release by Opeth and it should please fans of heavy progressive rock featuring a melancholic atmosphere. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives)