ITP V.011 REVIEW: OPETH: HERITAGE

BAND-OPETH (STOCKHOLM,SWEDEN) GENRE-PROGRESSIVE/DEATH METAL LABEL-ROADRUNNER RECORDS RELEASE DATE: 9/16/2011

PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG): WATERSHED (2008-ROADRUNNER RECORDS), GHOST REVERIES (2005-ROADRUNNER RECORDS), DAMNATION (2003-MUSIC FOR NATIONS), DELIVERANCE (2002-MUSIC FOR NATIONS), BLACK WATER PARK (2001-MUSIC FOR NATIONS), STILL LIFE (1999-PEACEVILLE RECORDS), MY ARMS YOUR HEARSE (1998-CANDLELIGHT RECORDS), MORNING RISE (1996-CANDLELIGHT RECORDS), ORCHID (1995-CANDLELIGHT RECORDS), APOSTLE IN TRIUMPH (DEMO-1994)

DVD's and COMPILATIONS: OPETH IN LIVE CONCERT AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL (DVD-2010-ROADRUNNER RECORDS), THE WOODEN BOX (BOXED SET COMPILATION OF ORCHID, MORNING RISE,
MY ARMS YOUR HEARSE-2010-ROADRUNNER RECORDS), THE ROUNDHOUSE TAPES (DVD-2008-PEACEVILLE RECORDS), THE CANDLELIGHT YEARS (BOXED SET COMPILATION OF ORCHID, MORNING RISE,MY ARMS YOUR HEARSE-2008-CANDLELIGHT RECORDS), THE ROUNDHOUSE TAPES (LIVE CD-2007-PEACEVILLE RECORDS), COLLECTOR'S EDITION SLIP CASE (2006-KOCH RECORDS), LAMENTATIONS: LIVE AT SHEPARDS BUSH EMPIRE (DVD-2003-KOCH RECORDS).
(*ALSO MANY SINGLES)



BEST RELEASE(S): STILL LIFE (1999), MORNINGRISE (1996), MY ARMS YOUR HEARSE (1998), BLACK WATER PARK (2001), DAMNATION (2003)

TRACK-LISTING: OPETH: HERITAGE:
01. Heritage 2:05
02. The Devil’s Orchard 6:39
03. I Feel the Dark 6:40
04. Slither 4:02
05. Nepenthe 5:39
06. Häxprocess 6:57
07. Famine 8:31
08. The Lines in My Hand 3:49
09. Folklore 8:19
10. Marrow of the Earth 4:18



ITP RATING: ***
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING: ***
PERFORMANCE: ***

Formed in 1988, Swedish progressive/death metal legends OPETH were founded by guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt and Anders Nordin. After many mutations, OPETH enlisted PETER LINDGREN as the bands lead guitarist and soon there after Martin Lopez (drums-debuted on the OPETH release MY ARMS YOUR HEARSE) and Martin Mendez (bass) joined the band.

OPETH inked a deal with CANDLELIGHT in 1996 as the band recorded their classic debut "Orchid" often described as "Forest Metal" as the band made a cult name for themselves with extensive songs seamlessly melding progressive/death metal with doom and acoustic passages. After OPETH unleashed the legendary "Morningrise", vocalist/guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt opted for the concept releases "My Arms, Your Hearse" (1998) and "Still Life" (1999) drawing a cult following.

In 2000, OPETH took their legendary career to a new level inking a deal with MUSIC FOR NATIONS/KOCH RECORDS and enlisting Porcupine Tree main man Steven Wilson to produce the 2001 epic release "Blackwater Park" to rave reviews.

With extensive material in both death metal and acoustic format, OPETH on a suggestion from a friend released DELIVERANCE (2002) and DAMNATION (2003), as the two releases were polar opposites, DELIVERANCE brutal and heavy, and DAMNATION performed acoustic with mellotrons and clean vocals. Both DAMNATION and DELIVERANCE were unrivaled in musical concept as the metal scene in awe praised and hailed OPETH as a classic and truly progressive band.

In 2005 and 2007, OPETH changed their classic lineup as drummer MARTIN LOPEZ left the band (2005) and lead guitarist PETER LINDGREN left the band (2007) to be replaced by MARTIN ("AXE") AXENROT (drums) and FREDERIK AKESSON (guitars). OPETH also added a keyboardist PER WILBERG whom was replaced by JOAKIM SVALBERG (2011).

Record label MUSIC FOR NATIONS folded leaving OPETH testing the waters of free agency as in 2005 the band opted for ROADRUNNER RECORDS and released a pair of quality progressive/death metal releases GHOST REVERIES (2005) and WATERSHED (2008).

OPETH are a truly one of the most unique extreme metal bands of this generation, combining progressive/death and doom metal with beautiful folk and acoustic interludes and progressive rock influences. OPETH's Mikael Akerfeldt (guitar/vocals) is perhaps extreme metals best and most versatile vocalist employing acute death and gorgeous clean vocal harmonies.

Here we have a very different release as OPETH unleash "Heritage" an experiment within OPETH's influences, progressive rock (no growls)....

OPETH's "HERITAGE" kicks off with the title track (intro), a piano instrumental, sad, bleak, melancholy, and interesting.

OPETH's "The Devil’s Orchard" features an organic progressive rock jam out featuring prog rock riffs, a sprinkling of 60's keyboards and Mikael Akerfeldt soaring clean vocals, "God is Dead". Flashback to the 60's, but the song is awesome with some good prog rock riffage, DEEP PURPLE influences and a shredding guitar solo.

OPETH's "I Feel the Dark", evokes an absolutely beautiful acoustic Spanish/guitar, epic in the songs beauty with Akerfeldt's emotive clean vocals. A rather awkward soft to heavy, interlude/transition (2:46) ruins the vibe of the song until a few welcome acoustic interludes (3:48) and an interchange of heavy soft textures. Nice flute.

OPETH's "Slither" brings a progressive rock almost stoner vibe, performed fast with conviction, as OPETH leave behind a fingerprint of obvious KING CRIMSON, DEEP PURPLE influences.

OPETH's "Nepenthe", crawls in with a jazzy feel as the song emotes nothing but an aimless, 60's rip off prog rock jam out, mostly instrumental, with no direction, the song goes nowhere. However, jam bands might ponder OPETH's "Nepenthe".

OPETH's "Häxprocess" enters with an acoustic intro, PINK FLOYD influenced noodling, bleak in tone until the song kicks in (2:19) with Mike's emotive and gorgeous vocals.
OPETH's "Häxprocess" fails where many of the bands previous releases succeeded: OPETH's "Häxprocess" (4:56) tends to indulge in aimless noodling, on many of OPETH's previous releases the band would shine on gorgeous acoustic interludes, extending songs and taking listeners on an epic musical journey of melancholic bliss.
OPETH's "Häxprocess" could be edited to 4:50 and I'm guessing I wouldn't miss a thing.

OPETH's "Famine" clocks in as HERITAGE's longest track (8:31)as the song enters with bizzare African drumming, and an awkward transition into a bleak piano, and a guitar riff (2:45) into the heart of the song. OPETH's "Famine" evokes akward transitions there fore in-cohesive songwriting and needless lame, noodling and jamming. OPETH's "Famine" (5:33) revives it's footing, for a spooky atmosphere, sensual, with again a great vocal performance via vocalist/rhythm guitarist Akerfeldt.

OPETH's "The Lines in My Hand" is HERITAGE's most cohesive track with an indelible prog rock, 60's, psychedelic vibe featuring quality spanish guitar, slowly melding into pro rock intensity.

OPETH's "Folklore" has all the right elements for an epic OPETH tune, progressive rock, acoustic and piano interludes, but the song is ill conceived and lacks cohesive songwriting, as all the passages are cut and pasted and misplaced.

OPETH's "HERITAGE" closes with the instrumental "Marrow of the Earth", a bleak, slow downer, ending this in-cohesive, experimental journey.

OPETH's "Heritage" is a psychedelic experiment with in the bands roots of progressive rock (CAMEL, BLACK SABBATH, DEEP PURPLE) featuring only clean vocals, no brutal death metal, and good organic production.

The musical concept of OPETH stripping down it's music bare of the progressive/death metal intensity doesn't bother me as I always have and always will adore the emotive and beautifully written OPETH release DAMNATION.

However, post 2002, OPETH fell into formula of brutal death, big vocal harmonies, predictable acoustic interludes, as only a keyboard player added something new to the OPETH arsenal.

Soaking in a smokey retro, psychedelic atmosphere, OPETH's "Heritage" is a boring mess, full of awkward, in-cohesive transitions making for dull songwriting. Trying to pack a KO in one song, the tunes can be edited to the less is more approach.

Instead of OPETH melding progressive rock influences into their own original sound, the band is becoming a clone of those influences without any sense of musical direction, featuring nothing but wavering jam outs, aimless in songwriting, emoting no impact.

Back in the day, and in it's righteous, cohesive place, those psychedelic keyboard jams and beautiful acoustic interludes made me stand in awe of OPETH as if I were staring at a gorgeous painting emoting the most melancholy atmospheres, provoking an intimate love affair with an intriguing musical concept.

Let's hope OPETH's "Heritage" is just a one off progressive rock experiment as hopefully OPETH's best material isn't behind them. OPETH at their best evoke "brootalful" music, beyond the boundaries of extremity with more courage and originality than any extreme metal band in history.

ITP RATING: ***
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING: ***
PERFORMANCE: ***




Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-