Opeth - Blackwater Park review
| Band: | Opeth |
| Album: | Blackwater Park |
| Style: | Extreme progressive metal |
| Release date: | March 2001 |
01. The Leper Affinity
02. Bleak [feat. Steven Wilson]
03. Harvest
04. The Drapery Falls
05. Dirge For November
06. The Funeral Portrait
07. Patterns In The Ivy
08. Blackwater Park
09. The Leper Affinity [live] [Legacy edition bonus]
[Limited edition bonus CD]
01. Still Day Beneath The Sun
02. Patterns In The Ivy II
[Legacy Edition bonus DVD]
+ 5.0 Audio Mix Of The Original Album
+ The Making Of Blackwater Park
Passion. That's what Blackwater Park is all about. Pure, unadulterated passion. Forget that Opeth display musical ability and know-how that is rivaled by few. Forget that the ending to The Leper Affinity goes from what can only be described as one of the greatest jam sessions ever, to a beautiful, yet melancholic pianistic epilogue. Forget that Harvest is one of the greatest acoustic songs ever written. Forget that Blackwater Park contains the perfect metal riff. Forget that Mikael Akerfeld quite possibly has the best voice in all of music. Forget that every moment of this album will make you stand in awe of what you're hearing. Why should you forget all that? Because none of it matters.
What matters is that Opeth's music connects with the listener on a level that no other band has ever obtained. Just what that level is can's be defined. It can only be felt. And the only way to feel it is to listen. And I do mean LISTEN. You shouldn's do so much as twiddle your thumbs during the play of this, or any other of their albums. You would only be hurting yourself. Their only rivals in this department would be the immortal classical composers, such as Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. But Opeth still beats them out.
I can's tell you how difficult it is for me to rate this at all. By doing so, I'm implying that Blackwater Park, and indeed all of Opeth's works, can be somehow compared with any other album by any other band. That is simply not true. I have given perfect 10's to bands that don's even register on the scale when compared to Opeth. The very fact that I'm pretending to be worthy enough to even discuss Opeth's music is an unforgivable sin. No amount of words in this, or any other, language can begin to describe the tapestry of emotions on this, or any of their albums. Opeth's creations transcend not only metal, but art itself. This is the language of the soul.
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Rating:
9.9
9.9
|
Rating: 9.9 |
There are few bands that dare to continuously expand their musical sphere with each release, expecting their fans to accept the changes - even fewer succeed. Mikael Åkerfeldt, song writer and front man of Opeth, has pushed Opeth to do so since the band's inception and perhaps it's this constant change, not giving the audience a chance to adjust to one particular niche, which keeps them from ending up like so many metal bands before them: repetitive and uninspired. 2001 was the year Opeth opened the floodgates of creativity and released what many believe to be their magnum opus, an album so hyped you might doubt its brilliance. I'm here to tell you not to doubt. This is Blackwater Park. Read more ›› |
Rating:
2.0
2.0
|
Rating: 2.0 |
This charade has gone on long enough. It's time someone gave this crappy album an honest assessment. Read more ›› |
Comments
Comments: 162
Visited by: 1085 users
| In_tallica Posts: 151 From: Sweden  |
Loading...
|
| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7261 From: USA  |
This is easily my favorite Opeth cd. Their songwriting capabilites got boosted up a notch or two.
Loading...
|
| Damnated Churchburner Posts: 4943 From: Romania  |
Written by In_tallica on 19.07.2006 at 03:27 No, it's very freakin good.
---- Blessed is he that murders Christ in himself and in his fellow men.  Written by TheBigRossowski on 10.02.2009 at 16:01
Loading...
|
| bangladesh Posts: 170 From: Portugal  |
We could say that is not so good compared to Orchid or Morningrise or Still Life but compared to other albuns from other bands i think that is very, very good 10/10
Loading...
|
| Talvi Posts: 825 From: Spain  |
Morningrise beats this album easily
---- My account on other musical pages: http://www.last.fm/user/Pozito/ http://rateyourmusic.com/~Talvi
Loading...
|
| dark awakening Posts: 574 From: Italy  |
This is a MASTERPIECE, I love this album!
---- Baptized in a lake of acid tears...
Loading...
|
| Slottet av Take Account deleted |
|
| IhsahnFan Account deleted |
|
| Muskot Account deleted |
|
| spirit_inblack harshhead Posts: 715 From: Canada  |
Really good album. Definitely deserves 10/10 and it is NOT overrated. Most metalheads think that it is overrated, but it lives up to the hype. Probably a top 20 album of all time for me.
Loading...
|
| Rupert Posts: 468 From: Canada  |
I agree that it is an amazing album, but I find that it lacks the emotion that seems so true on their other works. It just sounds like amazing music, which is a good thing, but makes it my least favourite Opeth album.
Loading...
|
| Mikkh Account deleted |
|
| Emperor IX Posts: 28 From: Australia  |
Definetly one of my favourite albums ever. I think My Arms Your Hearse is a very close second. I place them alongside albums like Emperors Anthems, Nightside, & IX Equilibrium, Katatonias Brave Murder Day, & Metallicas Ride The Lightning. I hate people that go out of there way just to disagree - Blackwater Park is a fucken good album. Period!
Loading...
|
| Bitch Boy Posts: 1353 From: Mexico  |
My favorite Opeth album. Really brilliant, very few albums deserve a 10 and this is maybe one of them.
Loading...
|
| Valentin B Iconoclast Posts: 10084 From: Czech Republic  |
this review is just bullshit...8-| how can akerfeldt possibly have the best voice in all music? how can opeth be better than bach, mozart or beethoven? come to think of it, i think this review is a joke.. seriously. "The very fact that I'm pretending to be worthy enough to even discuss Opeth's music is an unforgivable sin" wtf? then burn in hell for all i care. i didn't listen to the album yet, but all i'm saying is that this review is PURE CRAP
Loading...
|
| Lucas Mr. Noise Posts: 13427 From: The Netherlands  |
Which is quite a weird thing to say, I you have never heard the album. I am not saying I agree with the reviewer's opinion a 100%, but at least I heard the album..
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?  "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
Loading...
|
| Drizzling Blur Account deleted |
|
| Valentin B Iconoclast Posts: 10084 From: Czech Republic |
i listened to it, and the thing is, opeth try to mix in way to many ideas, like "how about we do this cool intro for a half a minute which builds up and builds up and then an acoustic interlude with clean vocals, then a piano section, then a heavy section, then a [etc] and squeeze it in 2 minutes?" and when you do this for an hour or so with time signatures a free jazz guy wouldn't understand, you get mindfucked pretty bad if you even try to learn all the riffs/solos etc. also, the riffs aren't all that heavy, and the solos kind of forgettable(not to mention the lyrics, the only thing i really remembered/understood was the end screaming for "blackwater park", what else than "blackwater park"  ), i think there's only a small amount of catchiness in here. overall it's definetely no st. anger but at this moment i can't rate it higher than 6...but i won't rate, because i will have to listen to the album again.
Loading...
|
| Lucas Mr. Noise Posts: 13427 From: The Netherlands |
Yeah, I think that is something you should do.  It might need a couple of more turns in your cd-player before you can really enjoy.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
Loading...
|
| Warman Erotic Stains Posts: 7695 From: Sweden  |
This is a perfect album, one of my favourites and certainly the best of Opeth! Words can't describe this album, it's a giant! 
---- 
Loading...
|
| Passenger Lost To Apathy Posts: 1464 From: Portugal  |
Obviously one of the best albums of all time 
---- You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bullshit and you know it ~ Mean Streets
Loading...
|
| Infurnace Posts: 948 From: The Netherlands  |
One of the best Progressive Death Metal albums ever made. I've listened to this album over and over again, and it doesn't bore me at all.
Loading...
|
| Syk myspace/bonerama Posts: 1504 From: New Zealand  |
cursed's right, this review is balls. What a sycophant. Pretty good album though... definitely better than Reveries
---- death ? thrash ? death/doom/prog ? Hail Zoldon! he's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays
Loading...
|
| Harmonic Account deleted |
Harmonic
Account deleted Written by Syk on 21.09.2007 at 12:36 After reading this review a few months ago, I decided to give Blackwater Park a try. And I was impressed, it truly is an exceptional album. Opeth delivers, no question about it. However, I never did have the orgasmic experience promised by this reviewer. Maybe he forgot to mention that he was STONED when he listened to it. Could that be the reason he wasn't moving any part of his body, not even his thumbs? First pot brownies, then settle down to some Opeth? But he DID convince me to buy the album, after all... 
Loading...
|
| Introspekrieg Totemic Lust Posts: 2747 From: USA  |
Opeth + THC = Good times  ^Pot brownies just put you to sleep Harmonic
Loading...
|
| Raziel X Posts: 117 From: Slovak Republic  |
No album of Opeth tries to be catchy, and none of them is catchy in primary sense of the word. None of their albums are instantly accessible, each one of them needs few (sometimes many) careful listens to really start appreciating it. And by appreciating I dont mean that you get used to it even if it is bad. By appreciating I mean that slowly, step by step, you uncover the patterns throughout the playtime of the album. For first few listens the listener can be pretty confused and or just thing these guys try to be fucking cool and that they are pretentious and play just to showcase their skill. After many spins, you get where they point... You start getting what it is really about... Btw if you have something about showcasing musicians´ skill, then listen to some simplistic metal bands  ...
Loading...
|
| damozzz Posts: 1 From: Australia |
|
| Harmonic Account deleted |
Harmonic
Account deleted Written by Introspekrieg on 03.12.2007 at 09:32 Yeah, I've heard some people have that problem with pot. I prefer to stay awake so as not to miss any of the fun. And why is it that fish are so damn fascinating when you're stoned? (Come to think of it, I haven't smoked up for 16 years now. Those were the days!) To get back on topic... I find that I'm starting to like Ghost Reveries even more than Blackwater Park, but I can't put my finger on why I like it better. Of course more people would choose Blackwater Park as a favourite, but is there anyone out there who prefers Ghost Reveries?
Loading...
|
| Talvi Posts: 825 From: Spain |
After so many time listening to Opeth, I realize this as their masterpiece.
---- My account on other musical pages: http://www.last.fm/user/Pozito/ http://rateyourmusic.com/~Talvi
Loading...
|
| Warman Erotic Stains Posts: 7695 From: Sweden |
I gotta get my hands on track number 9 and 10... :
----
Loading...
|
Hits total: 36150 | This month: 21