Opeth is a band that seems to impress me with every one of their releases. As I got more into the band, I decided to check out some of their older stuff. I happened to pick up the band's debut, Orchid. Opeth sounded slightly different back then, but the style that the band had was the same. Some of my observations of this album were that Opeth had a little more of the black metal sound, and they also started most of their songs with soothing acoustic guitars and pianos. Whatever the case, Opeth were amazing.

OPETH WERE:

Mikael Akerfeldt: Vocals, Guitars
Johan De Farfalla: Bass, backing vocals
Anders Nordin: Drums & Percussion
Peter Lindgren: Guitars

Before I bought this album, I was told that their older stuff was better than their newer stuff. To me, I think it is all wonderful. Opeth are a very talented band, and they have a wide range of music. "In Mist She Was Standing" is the first track on the album, and when it begins, you will know that this Swedish band is awesome. It is not unusual for Opeth to have songs in the 10 minute range, and you may notice that as you look at the length of this track. Since their songs often are very lengthy, they fit in plenty of room for all of their talent. The intro of this song lasts for a long time, which may fool you into thinking that it is an instrumental. However, as Mikael performs a powerful growl, you will realize that it is not. Although Anders is no longer a member of Opeth, he is one heck of a drummer. You can also tell that he likes to use the double bass pedal a lot, as he does in this track.

"Silhouette" is for those who need to listen to something that will soothe them. The whole song is of Anders playing the piano, while there are eerie operatic voices in the background. There are some points where he begins to play the piano faster, but he then returns to the way he was playing. You may notice that on Orchid, a lot of the album is only music, and "Silhouette" is one of the songs where you can relax to the calm music.

"Forest of October" is one of the greatest tracks on this album for many reasons. It is astounding how Mikael quickly changes from doing black/death metal vocals to singing that will give you chill bumps. That shows how diverse this band is. This track shows many examples of that, as Mikael does fierce roars, then changes to singing and playing acoustic guitars. This is also one of the many Opeth songs that are very long. Trust me though, you will not want to skip through it. At the beginning, Mikael holds a long, powerful scream that changes the music into pure heaviness. All throughout the song, prepare to be surprised for something to unexpectedly explode into your ears, for the song changes from totally soft acoustic guitars to thrashing and heavy electric guitars very often. Just as you think this song is ends, it swiftly returns with deep growls of Mikael Akerfeldt. Mikael then roars:

"From the eternal sea I rose
Veiled in darkness on either shore
Lost my pride, lost its glow
For me the sun rose no more"

You are looking at the track listing for Orchid, then suddenly, you see something that is beyond belief. There is a track on this album that is only 1 minute and 11 seconds? "That cannot be!", you shout. Well, it is another instrumental. You know, just because these tracks don't have Mikael's brilliant vocals, that doesn't mean that you do not have to listen to them. At least you get to listen to Mikael show his wonderful skills on the acoustic guitar. There are no drums or anything like that in this track, and don't expect any surprising moments. There are only calm, acoustic guitars that will surely appeal to you.

"The Apostle in Triumph" begins with acoustic guitars as well, but it seems that they are getting louder. Of course, there is a catch as the acoustic guitars fade to silence and the electric guitars start to appear. For the first few minutes, you begin to think that this is yet another instrumental, for it has a long intro. As Mikael growls with much aggression, Anders starts to use the double bass pedal, and things speed up a little bit. However, if you know Opeth well enough, you would know that Opeth can change their sound in a split second. Mikael does a very impressive deep death metal growl, that works its way up to being a high pitched roar. There is a part of the song where it seems as if the violin is playing, and it has a catchy style. Johan assists Mikael by singing along with him faintly. Mikael then performs an awesome guitar solo that leads to some more roars, and brings the track to an end. If you make a purchase of the re-issued album, there will be a bonus track called "Into the Frost of Winter", that sounds like it is being performed live. It doesn't have that good quality, but hey, it is a bonus Opeth track, and of course that is not bad at all.


TRACK LISTING:

1. In Mist She was Standing
2. Under the Weeping Moon
3. Silhouette
4. Forest of October
5. The Twilight is my Robe
6. Requiem
7. The Apostle in Triumph

BONUS TRACK:

Into the Frost of Winter

MORE OPETH REVIEWS:

Ghost Reveries
Deliverance

Recommended: Yes