DAMNATION

A welcome change sees the metal giants experimenting exclusively with the delicate sounds they only usually only dabble with, creating a melancholy delight featuring sweeping textures, acoustic instrumentals and soft vocals.

Shocking to fans of the band's heavy sound maybe, but more than likely to attract many more than it alienates. This was my first Opeth album, and had I not been hooked on Akerfeldt's smooth voice and the band's soft sound-- I would have never dared try their heavy. Thus, Damnation is something of a crossover release, and I highly recommend it to any coming from outside the metal sphere. It's sound is undeniably beautiful, and fans of any sort of melancholic music will find a lot to enjoy, especially in Mikael's emotive vocal deliveries. That being said, "Damnation" is not without its problems, and after comparing it to Opeth's heavy works I will say that it does not measure up to the level of craftsmanship seen therein. Still, few bands can make an album so different and still have it be this successful.

Songwriting: 3 Instrumental Performances: 3 Lyrics/Vocals: 3 Style/Emotion/Replay: 4