Swedish bands....There are many of them out today, in this music world. However, only few are good. Opeth are one of the few, and they are an indeed extremely dexterous band. From acoustic guitars and balmy vocals to thrashing guitars and extreme vocals, this band has it all. They can appeal to a large audience, for they have songs suitable for anyone.

"Alright, Alright, but who the crap is OPETH?"

Mikael Akerfeldt: Vocals, guitars
Peter Lindgren: Guitars
Martin Mendez: Bass
Martin Lopez: Drums & percussion



If you have glanced at the track listings for Deliverance before, you may have realized that there are only six songs. Nevertheless, those six songs have about an average length of ten minutes. This is not unusual for Opeth though, for their other albums implicate that feature as well. One of the best elements of Opeth is the fact that they have songs felicitous for everybody. Although Opeth are more on the heavy side, they fit in plenty of room for soothing, melodic music as well.

The album opener, "Wreath", has a rapid intro, in which Martin kicks it off with his impeccable drumming, followed by bulldozing vocals from the one and only Mikael Akerfeldt. Approximately halfway through the song, Peter astonishes you with a stunning guitar solo. Mikael can growl low, high, or knock your socks off with his magnificent voice. However, "Wreath" is one that you will not find any clean vocals in, which is not a problem for many Opeth fans, including me.

With no unnecessary space in between the songs, the self titled track "Deliverance" begins with Martin's double bass drums erupting into your ears, which is once again promptly followed by Mikael's booming growls. The song slows down when silence occurs, and the music returns with a softer note, in which Mikael decides to sing with clean vocals for a period of time. The heaviness returns as Mikael shifts back to his deep roars. Every so often, he alternates between the clean and extreme vocal style. Being the second longest track on the album, it is one of the greatest, so do not skip through it if you wish to experience the perfection of it.

"A Fair Judgement" is toned down quite a bit, consisting of no growls or roars, only gentle vocals from Mikael. The song begins with the piano playing quietly, and you soon encounter Mikael's soft, calm voice singing, "Losing sleep / in too deep / Fading sun / What have I done?". This song sounds as if it would lure you to sleep any minute, for the music is very relaxing. A marvelous guitar solo is waiting for you later in the song. The track fades away into silence as the soft, two minute instrumental, "For Absent Friends" begins.

"Master's Apprentices" is the best track on the album, beginning with an extremely heavy guitar riff that will surely get people banging their heads the hardest they can. Mikael growls for the first few minutes on the song, but soon he enlightens you with his clean vocals. Another guitar solo astounds you in the last few minutes of the track. Mikael roars, "There is a voice calling for me...There is a light coming down on me...There is a doubt that is clearing...There is a day that is dawning...".

The closing track on the album, "By the Pain I See in Others", includes a roar at the beginning that will prepare you for what you are about to hear. The music slows down for a brief moment, but it speeds up as Mikael growls, "Rise to submission / I'm still beneath in the soil". The song, just like almost every song on this album, has it's heavy moments and it's soft moments. At the ninth minute of the song, a guitar riff becomes silence, and the track ends with some words in a language other than English.

If you are into anything from the softer side of rock to death metal, you will doubtlessly not regret purchasing this brilliant album by Opeth.

TRACK LISTING:
1. Wreath
2. Deliverance
3. A Fair Judgement
4. For Absent Friends
5. Master's Apprentices
6. By the Pain I See in Others

MORE OPETH REVIEWS:

Orchid
Ghost Reveries

Recommended: Yes