DELIVERANCE

Deliverance may be the least favourite offering by Opeth in the second classic Opeth era and I can see why - it is less remarkable, inventional than the previous 3 and next 2 albums. Nevertheless it keeps Opeth standards pretty high by setting Opeth marriage of progressive and death metal to the new technical level. All but one songs clock below the 10-minute mark which sounds very promising to any progger.

Vocals are pretty sophisticated, clean vocals are sparse but well sung whereas growling is powerful as however without setting any new milestones. Comparing to former Opeth releases, we have fewer acoustic moments and quite some aggressive sections but that would be more than compensated on the next "Damnation"

"Wreath" has a powerful uncompromising death-metal start but introduces elements of typical slow doomy metal with growling, sometimes even multiple vocal growling and we also have an instrumental heavy metal section with likeable solo. Growling in this song is at its most powerful on this album, sheer steel and power and we are even "blessed" with a high-pitched black metal growl.

"Deliverance" is a great hang-banging compositon with more progressive elements than "Wreath", the main progressive metal motive is strong. Acoustic passage followed by death-metal bass drum are perfectly opposite. Apart from evil riffs, the instrumental workout with the rhythm guitar, bass and drums are an often featured live classic - although I think that the song could be 1 minute shorter.

"A fair judgement" is unlike anything else Opeth did until know - doom and desperate while perfectly accessible and subdued. The middle section fits more to "Damnation" and takes inspiration from Pink Floyd as well as Porcupine Tree. Then we have an excellent emotional guitar solo and absolutely freaking 100% doom metal that Katatonia wouldn't mind having.

"For absent friends" brings all down to quiet earth, a pleasant two-guitar duett.

"Master's apprentices" is a less known track and is also less memorable but the evil riffing and growling make up for it. Poignant Mikael's melody make you feel cosy and moody. Before we get to brutal growling we have a heavy metal intermezzo.

"By the pain I see in others" features electronically adjusted growling and some of Opeth's heaviest death metal moments coupled with subdued mellow "growling". Watch out for a psychedelic Mellotron/synths 3/4 sound like pattern.

This album has a lot of beautiful and wild moments to offer and can't be missed by any open-minded progressive metal fan.