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Opeth - Pale Communion



7.7 | 890 votes |
Release date: 20 August 2014
Style: Progressive rock

Owners:

593 have it
100 want it


01. Eternal Rains Will Come
02. Cusp Of Eternity
03. Moon Above, Sun Below
04. Elysian Woes
05. Goblin
06. River
07. Voice Of Treason
08. Faith In Others
09. Solitude [Black Sabbath cover] [live] [special edition bonus]
10. Var Kommer Barnen In [Hansson De Wolfe United cover] [live] [special edition bonus]
11. Atonement [live] [Japanese bonus]
12. Demon Of The Fall [live] [Japanese bonus]

Featured in "Getting Into: Opeth"

Additional info
Recorded at Rockfield Studios, Monmouthshire, Wales, Junkmail Studios, Stockholm, Sweden, No Mans Land Studios, Hemel Hempstead, UK and Angel Studios, London, UK.
Produced by Mikael Akerfeldt.
Co-production by Opeth and Tom Dalgety.
Mixed by Steven Wilson and Mikael Akerfeldt.
Engineered by Tom Dalgety.
Mastered by Pascal Byrne.

"Solitude" - Recorded live at Stockholm Sodra Teatern in April 2012.
"Var Kommer Barnen In" - Recorded live at Stockholm Sodra Teatern in April 2012.

All Lyrics Written by Mikael Akerfeldt.

Artwork designed by Travis Smith.
Artwork concept by Mikael Åkerfeldt.

Staff review by
R'Vannith
Rating:
N/A
Opeth have softened their sound. This is old news, and this is also an old sound. Pale Communion is their sophomore in a retrograde and vintage style of progressive rock, yet it remains poised with their distinctive craftsmanship. The question arises as to whether this record builds upon the band's efforts in Heritage. It does.

Read more ››
published 20.08.2014 | Comments (61)

Guest review by
WayTooManyCDs
Rating:
8.7
My favorite band is Opeth; I was on the bandwagon around the days of My Arms, Your Hearse and have never jumped off. When it comes to an album like Pale Communion there is an important question I've had to ask myself: do I like Opeth because they're a metal band or do I like Opeth because of the way they play their music? Is it the heavy death metal growls that make them so great or the overall vibe they create with their experimentation? In the end, I find it is the latter that is true for me in both cases.

Read more ››
published 31.05.2016 | Comments (6)

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Comments page 7 / 7

Comments: 204   Visited by: 1984 users
03.12.2014 - 16:49
Rating: 8
raveneffect

So after listening to it around 30 times straight when it was leaked, I've bought the CD, listened to it a few more times and left it to rest for a while. Yesterday I've picked it up again to see if it stood and indeed it does. I still think the "Goblin" track is, by far, the worst and doesn't add anything to PC. Also, still think it's WAY too simillar to Steve Wilson's The Raven (...) but I guess they're both going through this Retro Prog inspirational trip and I'm assuming working together strenghtens that feeling.

Solid 8 still, overall
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03.12.2014 - 17:42
Rating: 6
Unhealer
Eclecticist
Written by raveneffect on 03.12.2014 at 16:49

I guess they're both going through this Retro Prog inspirational trip and I'm assuming working together strenghtens that feeling.


Couldn't help being reminded of this:
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03.12.2014 - 19:01
Rating: 8
raveneffect

Cool humour but they sound nothing near King Crimson. but hey
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05.01.2015 - 10:38
Rating: 10
PanzerPriest

Underrated album in my opinion. Great progressive tunes, great atmosphire, great concept. That is the progressive album of Opeth I was expecting for.
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22.03.2015 - 20:00
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by raveneffect on 03.12.2014 at 19:01

Cool humour but they sound nothing near King Crimson. but hey


I agree

I am trying to finish it but I can not, 1th time I didn't listen it folly (maybe I did, cant remember) seems it wont be time
I will delete this and prev one from my PC IMO
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Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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29.03.2015 - 08:42
Rating: 1
Slade_19

Incredibly dull.
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20.04.2015 - 05:55
Rating: 9
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
Not only do I rarely find albums to be growers, never before have I experienced the like with one of Opeth's. In a perverse way, I wanted this album to fall short of my expectations. Taking every opportunity to criticize the album, I convinced myself that Opeth had failed. Fortunately, I think time allowed me to set aside the bias and enjoy the true nature of the album.
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24.04.2015 - 05:18
Rating: 9
akvan

Written by angel. on 10.09.2014 at 14:39

As an Opeth fan for a long time I had really hard time to make my mind about my vote, it's not as bad as their previous shit but it's not really that good either, it's totally new Opeth which I can't relate to.

Sry but u were never a fan then because it is opeth ! from 1990 till now
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Think about it . Every generation gets some new frontier to tackle . Einstein got relativity , The Nasa cowboys got the moon . All the easy stuff is taken , Artificial consciousness is the next frontier !
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30.04.2015 - 15:49
Rating: 9
akvan

Written by deadone on 24.04.2015 at 05:35

Written by akvan on 24.04.2015 at 05:18

Sry but u were never a fan then because it is opeth ! from 1990 till now


You're still a fan of a band just even if you don't like some of their output.

NO , people used to say they like (or love) something or someone , but they really do not catch the spirit of that thing or person , the most loved one thing in this world is yourself , cause you really understand and feel yourself , and if you really wanna love sth , u need to have the same experience , i know my words seem strange , but i think being a fan of an artist is like falling in love , some spiritual understanding and when it happens u would love everything comes from that spirit
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Think about it . Every generation gets some new frontier to tackle . Einstein got relativity , The Nasa cowboys got the moon . All the easy stuff is taken , Artificial consciousness is the next frontier !
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01.05.2015 - 13:44
Rating: 8
Ace Frawley
The Spaceman
Written by Guest on 30.04.2015 at 16:27

'Sry but u were never a fan then '. I don't think you have a right to tell others whether they're fans of a band or not.

On another note, i'm seeing these guys again in 3 days. If they're setlist follows their most recent ones then it might be even better than their last gig. The Moor, Windowpane and Lotus Eater are among my favourites from them

Probable setlist:
Eternal Rains Will Come
Cusp of Eternity
The Drapery Falls
The Moor
Advent
Elysian Woes
Windowpane
The Devil's Orchard
April Ethereal
The Lotus Eater
The Grand Conjuration
Encore: Deliverance


Yep, I'll be there at the Enmore Theatre too (seen them the past couple of times at this venue). I approve of that set list. Should be a good show.
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The sun shines over The Fool...
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01.05.2015 - 14:03
Zap
Guest
Written by Guest on 30.04.2015 at 16:27

Probable setlist

Ah, poop, when I saw them it was pretty much this but with Bleak instead of The Drapery Falls. And the latter is my favorite Opeth song, probably, maybe. Bleak was fantastic live though.
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01.05.2015 - 15:06
Zap
Guest
Written by Guest on 01.05.2015 at 14:55

Hmm having Bleak would make the setlist even better for me! Wish they'd dump Advent for The Night and the Silent Water and replace Deliverance since i've heard that one already.

Oh totally agreed on Advent and Deliverance. Deliverance is one of the worst Opeth songs to me. Master's Apprentices would be highly preferable if it has to be from the same album.
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01.05.2015 - 15:20
Zap
Guest
Written by Guest on 01.05.2015 at 15:09

Ye I had Master's Apprentices in mind too CMON MIKAEL I KNOW YOU'RE READING THIS.

Yeah, of course he's following the thread, how else would he know about how disappointed people were with Opeth's last two albums?
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04.05.2015 - 12:24
Rating: 8
Ace Frawley
The Spaceman
Written by Guest on 03.05.2015 at 17:38

Cusp of Eternity is a blast live!


I really enjoyed "Elysian Woes" live but maybe as an old man I'm starting to enjoy the softer, gentler songs a bit more. My back was killing me in the standing section. Should have bought a ticket for the seats. Still, I'm not as old as Mikael and he stood the whole night too. (Correction, I just checked and I'm a year and one day older, in fact).
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The sun shines over The Fool...
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05.05.2015 - 00:02
Rating: 8
Ace Frawley
The Spaceman
Written by Guest on 04.05.2015 at 14:39

How far back were you? It was pretty hard to hear his growls from the front.


I was at the mid point of the standing section and could barely hear his growls. Cleans could hear fine, but the growls were very hard to hear, sadly.
----
The sun shines over The Fool...
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29.10.2015 - 13:04
Rating: 8
Ace Frawley
The Spaceman
Written by Guest on 29.10.2015 at 10:01

My gosh this album is much more tedious than I remember it being. I actually think I prefer Heritage over it now. Less Cusp of Eternity, Faith in Others and the bit after the intro in Eternal Rains Will Come (aka the most egregious material Opeth has ever written), it's a snooze fest.


I still rate this album very highly.
----
The sun shines over The Fool...
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17.04.2016 - 22:59
Rating: 8
Hex_Omega
Gem Seeker
Written by Guest on 29.10.2015 at 10:01

I actually think I prefer Heritage over it now.

Heritage is much better IMO. Better production, better ideas, more variety. Pale Folklore is unfortunately their worst so far.
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17.04.2016 - 23:06
Rating: 9
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
Written by Hex_Omega on 17.04.2016 at 22:59

Heritage: better production, better ideas, more variety.

Ideas aside, Heritage is a quite messy at times whereas this one is seamless from start to finish.
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17.04.2016 - 23:11
Rating: 8
Hex_Omega
Gem Seeker
Written by LeKiwi on 17.04.2016 at 23:06

Written by Hex_Omega on 17.04.2016 at 22:59

Heritage: better production, better ideas, more variety.

Ideas aside, Heritage is a quite messy at times whereas this one is seamless from start to finish.

It's faster, more dynamic and also a bit more chaotic true but this makes it more interesting.
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17.04.2016 - 23:12
Rating: 9
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
Written by Hex_Omega on 17.04.2016 at 23:11

It's faster, more dynamic and also a bit more chaotic true but this makes it more interesting.

It's not so much the eccentricity that makes me say it's messy. I just meant that some of those ideas and transitions simply don't work
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29.07.2016 - 21:54
BeneathTheMoon
Account deleted
My favorite Opeth album and, well, only Opeth album, haha. I haven't been the biggest fan of the band but I found the songwriting on this record to be especially focused, resulting in many an enjoyable lesson since said discovery. Elysian Woes is something else.
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13.07.2018 - 12:41
Zap
Guest
After a few years I'm really starting to appreciate Cusp Of Eternity. I think I regarded it as the worst song on the album when this was released, then after hearing it live a bunch of times I grew to like it better, but now it's pretty much the only song from Pale Communion I ever come back to They should try to write more stuff like that!
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12.05.2021 - 19:05
Rating: 10
Blackcrowe

One of the finest progressive rock records of the 2000's
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Maybe as his eyes are wide.
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21.06.2021 - 11:28
Zap
Guest
Written by Zap on 13.07.2018 at 12:41

After a few years I'm really starting to appreciate Cusp Of Eternity. I think I regarded it as the worst song on the album when this was released, then after hearing it live a bunch of times I grew to like it better, but now it's pretty much the only song from Pale Communion I ever come back to They should try to write more stuff like that!

You fool, Faith In Others is a top track as well.
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