BLACKWATER PARK

A masterpiece? By prog standards, yes. By Opeth standards, no. This is one of the most overrated Opeth releases, along with Ghost Reveries. Don't worry too much though, this album has many great moments, and some of the most moving stuff Opeth has ever wrote, however, there is also some not so great sections which I will discuss.

The Leper Affinity - The best track on the album. This is a song I would point to if I were to describe what Opeth is about. Brilliant riff structures and dynamics.

Bleak - An overrated song. Starts out very interesting, but has a horrible middle section. To me, Steven Wilson's vocals ruin the song. Opeth picks it up at the end and provides a great ending however, with one of their better riffs, a dissonant march that builds tension in the music.

Harvest - One of the simplest Opeth songs, Harvest is average. Most of the songs on Damnation are much more interesting. A nice relaxing song however for those not fans of the "death metal" aspects.

The Drapery Falls - Oh boy. Well, this song has many strong points, but it also has some very bad structure to it, in the way that it is almost like a palindrome. However, the song also contains Opeth's most interesting and intriguing riff in the middle, the so-called "Russian Riff" which basically is one of the coolest sounding things you are likely to hear. Unfortunately, most of the rest of the song is average by Opeth standards and very overrated.

Dirge for November - One of the most underrated Opeth songs. Brilliant acoustic taste, along with wonderful clean vocals opens the song. A heavy middle section that many will not like, but personally I enjoy it. A wonderful acoustic ending.

Funeral Portrait - The "poppiest" riff Opeth has ever wrote is the main theme in the song. This is very much a riff you might see in a typical mainstream band. An interesting song with some progressive moments, but not all there.

Patterns/Blackwater - I always listen to these songs together. Patterns is more or less "filler", however it's very enjoyable. Blackwater Park has no clean vocals, but has a myriad of riffs and soundscapes that are extremely fun and very powerful and moving. This song is much better live than it is on the album, but Opeth have always been a very competent live band.

Patterns 2 - I am adding this because it is something I think all prog fans would enjoy. Some Opeth fans wish it would have been on the original CD, and some thing it ranks among one of the top5 songs they ever wrote. It is indeed a very good song and probably one of Opeths finer "clean" songs, with brilliant guitar and vocal lines.

Overall this album is great, however I do not enjoy every part of this album, like I would on MAYH, Morningrise, or the masterpiece that is Still Life. Better than many of my other 4 stars, still excellent and strongly reccommended.