MY ARMS, YOUR HEARSE

Opeth's first masterpiece, on which they perfect the metal aspect of their sound. The opening to April Ethereal is one of the most titanic moments in music as a haunting and thoroughly unexpected high vocal harmony is brutally demolished by Martin Lopez' drumming and the huge guitar riffs. Akerfeldt's voice, angrier and scarier than previously, completes the assault and by the time of the colossal finish, it's clear that you're listening to death metal so superior you'll quite likely enjoy this even if you don't like death metal. And it's not all metal madness- the changes that occur during the epic When show Opeth's latent prog side.

The production, already greatly improved from Orchid to Morningrise, greatly improves again- with so much volume and noise, it would be very easy for things to become muddy and lost but here the sound is crisp all detail remains. And just listen to the impact of the opening thuds of The Amen Corner- now that's power.

Akerfeldt continues to develop as a vocalist- not only is his roar more effective but the album contains his first truely successful clean vocals in Credence, a far cry from the tentative clean vocals on the previous albums as Akerfeldt sings with clarity and emotion. And just when you think he'll never manage a mightier roar than the one he finished Black Rose Immortal with, he goes and closes Karma with an even more dazzling display of screaming as Opeth collectively whip up a riff that sounds like the final descent into hell.

The songs are shorter this time- there was a fair bit of wandering on Orchid, a bit less (but still some) on Morningrise, and practically none this time, making for a punchier, more memorable album that satisfies every time and I have no complaints about. Five stars.