Opeth - Heritage

Opeth is a band that hardly requires an introduction. It are one of the biggest names in mainstream Death and Progressive Metal, having put out countless masterpiece concept and live albums that have yet to disappoint fans across the world. Ever since the brutal and crushing 'Orchid' in 1995, Opeth has made quiet a name for itself, though what really gave fans their first exciting taste was 'Blackwater Park' from 2001; perhaps the most monumental offering ever granted with its perfect blend of churning death growls and jazzy, acoustic clean moments. Some have praised vocalist Mikael Akerfeldt as one of the best Death Metal vocalists of all time, considering he has participated in acts like Bloodbath, one of the better 'Death Metal' supergroups of the time. However, over the years fans knew that at some point- to avoid rehashing- Opeth would have to make a change. 'Ghost Reveries' was a great follow up to 'Blackwater...,' but then with their last effort 'Watershed,' some began to feel the staleness. Hopefully, fans will consider 'Heritage' a fresh start.

One would consider this a 'start' because it is very different from what Opeth has ever done before. For one, there are NO death vocals involved. No growls whatsoever. This, unfortunately, may turn some fans away altogether, but as most consider Mikael's clean vocals just as good, if not better, than his growls, they'll probably want to look into this anyway. This is not 'Damnation' part 2 (the 2003 effort that was completely acoustic and showed the softer side of Opeth); some considered that a bit of a too laid back album. Instead, 'Heritage' is just a directly Progressive Metal album that combines the flavors heard from 'Blackwater...' all the way to 'Watershed' for a rather calming, enjoyable experience that won't put anyone to sleep. Tracks like "Heritage" and "Marrow Of The Earth" are slower, featuring either completely acoustic guitar or piano to create beautiful instrumentals that cannot be ignored, not feel repetitive. The rest of the album is a bit of a roller coaster, jumping between soft, acoustic stringings to sudden louder, electrically tinged jazzy and speedy moments. Some like "Famine" feature dark, chugging guitar mixed with keyboards before fading out to just a few instrumental notes here and there and then exploding in again. The single "The Devil's Orchid" is perhaps the 'loudest' track of all, with the music sounding like it came from 'Ghost Reveries' with its heavier sections but lacking the death vocals. "The Lines In My Hand" are more drum focused with an upbeat tone and turn away from the more serious, sorrowful tracks that Opeth usually like to create on their more acoustic side. "Nepenthe" is a bit hard to hear save for when it explodes right in the middle, a nice surprise for those who might have been falling asleep about this point.

Overall, this may be a sign of the 'new' Opeth, or just another experiment so fans can have a break from the more 'Metal' side of the band. The great thing about 'Heritage' is that rather than having everyone rave about the vocals, the album is a lot more instrumental focused, letting players like Martin Axenrot (drums), Fredrik Akesson (guitar) and Per Wiberg (keyboards, piano) demonstrate their skill and be more appreciated for their efforts while not letting everyone decide if Mikael's vocal/ guitar work was the deal breaker of the album. As said before, the lack of Death Metal vocals are going to discourage some people, but overall the lyrical delivery is still strong with 'Heritage's' story and the music is not lacking. For those who felt 'Damnation' was too quiet, 'Heritage' will serve as Opeth's 'semi acoustic' masterpiece. Whether or not they will forsake the Death Metal elements altogether is unknown, but their Prog. elements are just as good.

  1. Heritage
  2. The Devil's Orchid
  3. I Feel The Dark
  4. Slither
  5. Nepenthe
  6. Haxprocess
  7. Famine
  8. The Lines In My Hand
  9. Folklore
  10. Marrow Of The Earth