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Opeth - Still Life CD (album) cover

STILL LIFE

Opeth

 

Tech/Extreme Prog Metal

4.29 | 1832 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Buze
3 stars Still Life is an album that is much closer to the Death Metal than the Prog Metal. Since this is not the place to discuss the issue, let's talk about the album. But Progressive has to mean something and in this album, I do not find that much Progressive parts.

One thing is obvious : you will hear the extremes. Soft melodies and power metal music. But rating it 5 stars is over rated.

In The Moor, a very long build up, every part of the song is predictable. The basic melody is always the same for 11 minutes. Power parts switch with soft acoustic parts in a very basic scheme. The Death growls does not bring anything to the music, in a Progressive point of view. But I admit it has something to do with the hole experience.

Godhead's lament represent more the Progressive Metal genre with some good prog riffs and a kickin' Metal start. The drum is doing a great job in that one. But again, I would listen to the musicians instead of the growls. Some parts played by one guitar make me remember the first Anekdoten album.

Benighted is a very good musical song, altough the basic structure is redundent. Some good guitar exploration.

Moonlapse seems to be the same song as Godhead's lament. Nothing new or suprising, which is an important part of any Progressive material. Same guitars, same drums, same growls.

And so on.

Overall, there's a good blend of acoustic and electric. The guitars sound great and still soft to the ears (not over midhighs). The micking is good, but not exceptional. Techniques used are common, like doubling the electric guitars for a Metal effect, but are well done. Drums sounds always the same everywhere and the cavern reverb is too much in more acoustic dominant parts.

This album is given a three stars for his good contribution to that genre. But if you are coming from other progressive genres, consider the Metal takes over the Progressive.

Buze | 3/5 |

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