PALE COMMUNION

Is Pale Communion the Best Opeth album? Well, i'm not too sure myself, but everytime I listen I can't help but think more and more that it is. The production is simply unbelievable. The Rhythm section on this album carries such a heavy punch at all times. It really feels like a extremely talented band playing together with plenty of breathing room, atmosphere, and raw energy. You can close your eyes and see vivid images based on the pure, dark proggy sound of this album. The opening track "Eternal Rains Will Come" is one of my all time favorite Opeth songs with its intense bombastic intro. Heavy organs and complex airy drums take us through this masterful display eventually leading into a softer stripped down section. There's just always so much going on to pick out at all times. I think this is the reason why it's been such a grower for me, it simply has so much replay value. The song develops into this flowing verse with beautiful mellotrons and guitar solos eventually bringing us to a headbanging ending. Cusp of Eternity is probably one of the more straightforward songs, but it has really great groove and generally evil sound to it. Topping this off in the later half is a really great, "jump on the couch and air guitar" solo. Moon Above Sun Below goes through several different sections and none of them have me looking at the clock waiting for the next one. There is a great contrast between heavy and soft which really reminds me of some of the older Opeth songs. The other thing I really like here is that the song isn't afraid to just strip down to near silence as it progresses. The first part of the song is what I consider to be the main "theme" of sorts with the actual "Moon Above Sun Below" chorus. The next acoustic section brings us into one of the most intense moments on the album. You hear that Pale Communion organ tone fade in and before you know it, the whole band is going full power. Things settle down for a bit bringing us into this real nasty doomy riff with these huge epic vocals layered on top. Elysian Woes is a great softer melodic song with these really crisp sounding guitars. I find with this song it's all about the atmosphere. Goblin is a super goovy, complex fusiony piece with a great attention to detail. The electric piano all over this song is brilliant, there's also this somewhat atonal guitar solo at the end I really dig. River, when I first heard this song I was really scratching my head. The first 3 minutes are the least Opeth sounding thing Opeth has ever made, but the ending absolutely knocked my socks off from first listen. Over time is became a highlight of the album for me. The ending is just 3 and a half minutes of pure intensity with these dueling guitars trading off these somewhat baroque esque lines. What really pushes it over the edge is the vocal performance at the end, it just hits. Voice of Treason is another highlight, its possibly the most detailed song on the album, but on top of that its just damn heavy. The chorus is super strong, but I love the jam that develops towards the middle bringing us into this real epic climax. The song does this really cool thing in the end just kinda fizzling out into this real minimalist electric piano and vocal conclusion. Faith in Others is the only song where I have a few gripes. The intro section is beautiful, but it is very reminiscent of King Crimsons "Starless." Really though, my main issue is that it kinda just abruptly stops for this softer piano section to take over that ultimately feels unnecessary. It is redeemed in the second half with this stunning display of pure beauty. The ending is just so emotional with such a feeling of dread and sorrow (which happens to also be one of Mikael Akerfeldts favorite words!) I really wish that that one piano section in the middle wasn't here though. It's really the only part of the album where I can say i'm not fully on board. Luckily it's redeemed with a worthy conclusion.

Pale Communion is an album I like more and more every time I listen to it. To the point where it might just be my favorite Opeth album with the likes of Ghost Reveries and Still Life by its side. It just has such a distinct sound and identity. I always wonder what the reaction would've been like if this was released after Watershed instead of Heritage. Today I give it a 9/10.