HERITAGE

Opeth's Heritage was being looked at by curious eyes back in the time of its release. Its announcement of a change in sound from the band's traditional metal to a more classic prog rock approach left some excited and some skeptical. Regardless of style, what we have here is a very boring album that should be approached with caution by everybody.

While I have heard a couple past Opeth albums, Heritage is really my first experience with the band. I can't speak much about the change in sound, but I can comment on what is present. The album is guitar led, achieving a folky sound usually and occasionally drifting into hard rock territory. There are no growls to be found, and the music never comes close to anything that could be called metal. Piano, organ, and occasional Mellotron and flute are used to fill out the sound, as well as the odd guitar solo, but most of the music is driven by guitar riffs and vocals.

Here is really the problem with Heritage. Each song plays around with two or three riffs and uses them to death to the point where I'm tired of them before the songs are even over. The vocals are fine but are never strong enough to carry the slow, boring tunes that play underneath. The more interesting parts of the music, like the short solos, are better, but can't save the songs they're within.

Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, the album gets its two best tracks out of the way right at the beginning: an absolutely beautiful classical piano piece, and a very exciting and dynamic hard prog song. After these two though, there's little to invigorate you until the end of the album, and by then, you've had to sit through so much tired music it's hardly worth it.

Opeth took a risk when they made this album, and it seems they've failed. I haven't seen any long-time fans loving this, and from an outside perspective, it's not a success either. Regardless if you're a newcomer or a fan, take caution when approaching Heritage because it seems like an album that is made for neither.