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Full Review | User Ratings (645) |
11 of 11 thought this review was well written
Since the old review has dissapeared, I have taken it upon myself to make another review for Opeth's Damnation.
Opeth is:
Mikael Akerfeldt - Vocals, Guitar
Peter Lindgren - Guitar
Martin Mendez - Bass Guitar
Martin Lopez - Drums
Steven Wilson*- Vocals, Mellotrons, and Keyboards
*Steven Wilson is not a regular band member
Well, where do I begin with Opeth? It's hard to describe everything about this band without going on for ages, but I'll do my best. This band has really made a mark on the modern metal scene with their constant ability to make amazing albums. Three of their albums (Still Life, Blackwater Park, and Deliverance) have been said by many to be masterpieces. For the most part, I would agree with that statement. Every member in the band shows their talent without making the songs boring (like Dream Theater).
Damnation and Deliverance were made to be a back-to-back double album force, much like System of a Down's Mezmerize and Hypnotize. Deliverance was made to be the heavier half of the two, while this album was to make up for the other one's lack of clean material by making only clean songs. This album only has one song with a distorted guitar in it, suprisingly. This is not what you would expect from your average metal band, but it's great that Opeth was willing to experiment with their sound and pull off another great album.
The songs are all clean tracks often loaded with lovely finger picked guitar riffs and crooning vocals. Mikael Akerfeldt has really improved vocally since their debut album, Orchid. I know many Opeth fans that used to complain about his older clean voice on past albums, but by now he has one of the best, if not the best clean voice that I've ever heard from a metal vocalist.
The rhythm section has always delivered a solid performance on past albums, and they certainly don't let up on this album just because the songs are slower. Lopez actually goes beyond what he normally does with his drumming and fills the albums with technical beats and some very fast fills. It's quite impressive and fun to listen to. Mendez also backs up the band with some very groovy bass lines and occasional fills that make the album that much better.
A tremendous asset to some of the Opeth albums is the fact that Steven Wilson has produced and plays in the album. In case you don't know who Steven Wilson is, he is the master behind the progressive band Porcupine Tree. His keyboard work certainly adds to the creepy and often depressing feel of the album, especially on songs like "In My Time of Need". You'll also be able to hear his enjoyable vocals from time to time. Wilson makes the album go from great to superb.
What I also really like about this album is that the band didn't just make another "normal" Opeth album. Their past works have balanced out heavy and clean to make some of modern metal's best songs, but this album strayed away from that. I like a band that experiments with new sounds because who wants to hear the same album eight times in a row? I know I don't.
Highlights:
In My Time Of Need
Hope Leaves
Weakness
Pros:
-- Tremendous clean songs
-- Improved clean vocals
-- A very tight rhythm section
-- Steven Wilson's additions to the band
-- Great production quality
Cons:
-- Die hard metal fans wouldn't like the fact that there isn't a heavy song on here.
Final Rating: 4.5/5
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| Recent reviews by this author | | |
Album Rating: 4
I love this album. Love it! Good review too.
Digging: TV on the Radio - Dear Science, | | | Album Rating: 4.5
I decided to not do my typical format this time just because reviewing albums started to become boring using that format.
Digging: Cynic - Traced In Air | | |
I'm not a metalhead, but when it comes to Opeth and Pantera, I'm a sucker for it. I liked your review, and it was easy to read. I also agree with you about dream theater. As much as i like Petrucci and Myung, DT is a complete prog wank fest.
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Retern to the format.
Your picture looks like Necromancer from Castlevainia. :
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
That's because it is the Necromancer from Castlevania!!! 
Did you not like my review?
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Castlevainia>>>>>>review.
But it was good anyway, just I <3 the format.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
God ****ing damn this ****, I was just about to review this.  **** this ****, I'm doing it anyway! 
Good work anyhoo. We seem to enjoy this album for identical reasons. I never saw what was so incredible about Closure.
This Message Edited On 01.22.06
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Sorry to burst your bubble there, I had no idea.
| | | Album Rating: 4
You can still review it...
| | | Album Rating: 4
What I always failed to see is the lack of clean material on Deliverance. There isn't as much as Still Life or Ghost Reveries, but still there's a considerable amount.
| | | Album Rating: 4
This format >>>>>>>> the old one.
This was the first album I bought by Opeth. Ironically, I was expecting something heavy as hell. At first, this really, really put me off, but it's grown on me immensely, and has become one of my favorite non-metal albums.
Hope Leaves, Windowpane, and To Rid The Disease are all brilliant.
| | | Album Rating: 4
I agree with Shattered Future about the format.
| | | Album Rating: 3
Great review. This is one of the few Opeth albums havn't heard yet. I should check it out.
Digging: Neun Welten - Valg EP | | | Album Rating: 4.5
To Cravinov13: If you haven't heard the album then why have you rated it?
To Shattered_Future: should I keep using this format?
| | | Album Rating: 3
Hehe ^_^;
I've heard In My Time Of Need, and parts of Closure, and I think that's enough to
come up with a rating. besides, my severe upsessive compulsivness forces me to
'rate one, rate them all'. I duno. I'm a loser that way.
This Message Edited On 01.22.06
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Castlevania was such a pimpin game.
I still don't own this album =/
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Well if you're an Opeth fan then this will certainly not dissapoint.
bwahahaha 666th post!!!! 
This Message Edited On 01.22.06
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
I think this album is overrated. And it's not because it doesn't have heavy parts.
I have to say, your review was very good.
| | | Album Rating: 4
Cravinov13, if you're actually obsessive-compulsive, then I think you'd know how to spell it.
This Message Edited On 01.22.06
| | | Album Rating: 4
Genius album.
Don't like Closure.
Like review.
Digging: The Ocean Collective - Precambrian | | | | Page 1 of 9 | Next > | >> |
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