DELIVERANCE

3.2 Stars

Deliverance doesn't bring anything new. They keep exploring what Steven Wilson could do with the band. AS a result, there are more mellotrons and pianos. Sadly, this album is a huge step down in sound quality. However, I think that this album showcases Martin Lopez at his best and how his drumming is so important to the sound of the band.

Wreath is the typical headbanging opener What is different from this song is that it is almost void of any acoustic breaks. The ending is good with a simple, yet effective melodic guitar riff and overdubbed growls. Still, this song is way too long and boring.

Deliverance is fortunately much better than Wreath. The soft/heavy parts are very well balanced. The soft parts are beautiful, depressing, and haunting, while the heavy parts are quite enjoyable. The last 3 minutes are mad! A repetitive guitar riff and complex syncopated drumming that sounds insane.

A Fair Judgement is a long song free of growls and is not as heavy as the other songs on the album. It is introduced with a repetitive piano theme which becomes the main theme of the song. Some of the melodies on this song are really impressive and for me this is the 2nd best song here.

For Absent Friends is another useless acoustic song like Requiem and Patterns of the Ivy. It doesn't develop, it is just a verse and a chorus playing twice. Very boring.

Master Apprentice lacks some of the dynamics that make Opeth. They play a generic metal section for over four minutes, then an overlong acoustic section which sounds quite uninspired, and ends with metal. Nevertheless, I admit I like the soft to heavy transition near the end of the piece and the first guitar riff in the end.

By The Pain I see in Others has some unique things: growling on an acoustic passage (with the growls being extremely edited in style), some circus-like atmosphere at one point, and the eerie haunting vocals at the end. The highlight of the song is an elegant electric guitar melody.

Highlights: Deliverance A Fair Judgement

Let Downs: For Absent Friends, Wreath, Master Apprentice

My Grade : C+

Good but not essential. The songs are longer than they should be and the album might be too heavy.

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