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Rating:
8.4 |
Opeth - Deliverance
12 November 2002
01. Wreath
02. Deliverance
03. A Fair Judgement
04. For Absent Friends
05. Master's Apprentices
06. By The Pain I See In Others
Opeth seems to be one of the most popular metal acts out there. I guess the reason for this is that their music is so accessible to fans of any sub genre seeing as they're progressive death metal. But with their 5th release, "Deliverance", the band have taken a much more death metal approach than usual, resulting in their heaviest album.
As I mentioned before, the musical direction Opeth has taken with this album is much heavier. There is less acoustic guitar and clean vocals, and a considerable amount of double bass drumming and death vocals. The acoustic elements however are still present, just not as often. Track 4, "For Absent Friends" is the only all-acoustic track on the album. They have also managed to create a much darker sound than in any of their other releases, which is best portrayed the final track, "By The Pain I See In Others". Even the acoustic parts are dark, and even doomy at times.
The songwriting and musicianship is great as always. The lyrical content doesn't differ too much from their other albums. It deals with relationships, emotions, nature, etc. You know, typical progressive stuff. Technically, this band's musicians aren't the greatest. They're good, but they way they all come together is what makes them extraordinary. From what I understand, Mikael Akerfeldt composes most of the music, and does an fantastic job on this album. This album's production is also excellent. It is very polished, and has a crystal clear sound. I'd say the production is actually one of the things I enjoyed most about this album.
Overall, this is the band's worst album in my opinion. By no means is it bad (You can't go wrong with any Opeth release), but I guess it takes away from what I love about Opeth, which is their progressive death sound. I do respect the fact that the band took a break from their usual sound, and didn't just release the same thing over and over. Usually Opeth's albums lean more towards a progressive sound, but this one leans more towards death. Death metal fans will surely enjoy this cd, but those who appreciate the band's unique sound may not enjoy it as much as their others.
Best Tracks: Master's Apprentices, By The Pain I See In Others
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Performance:
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8 |
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Songwriting:
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9 |
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Originality:
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7 |
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Production:
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10 |
written by danielllewis | 15.07.2009 |
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
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Guest review byJustin
Rating:
10
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Sweden's premiere progressive black metal act Opeth have unleashed their most anticipated release to date, their sixth album, Deliverance. This release marks the first part of a projected two album instalment, with the second part Damnation due to be released in March.
Opeth first came into prominence with their fourth release Still Life back in 1999. But it was the follow up Blackwater Park in 2001 that really broke the band into the mainstream. So with expectations on high, Deliverance has to deliver the goods. And thankfully, the album is right up there as one of their best to date. Opeth have been reluctant to vary their unique style over their six albums , but there are some very noticeable changes within Deliverance.
Read more ›› |
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| published 18.09.2003 | Comments (17)
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| Well, i agree about how Heavy this album may sound and how they get away of their most progressive roots, but on the other hand there is the Damnation album, which was recorded simultaniously with this one, and, clearly, is away (on the other direction) from their sound, so, i think it was their objective two albums having all their musical influences but separated. Deliverance + Damnation= Opeth's unique sound. So that keeps them as unique band because they are able to do that kind of stuffs. |
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| 'Technically, this band's musicians aren't the greatest. They're good, but they way they all come together is what makes them extraordinary.' good point |
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| Yeah.. I think this is a good review, the other was was way to extreme since this isn't an album that really deserves a huge grade. It's a good album and all but not hte best. Still... The darker sound is great. |
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| A great album but there's still something missing. I think it lacks Opeth songs you can play time after time, over and over. |
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With all due respect to my friend who wrote this review I say that I do not agree with him. Why? Because Deliverance is a masterpiece from Opeth, like all his records. What I liked was when he said that they are not good musicians. I would say the opposite. Just listen Wreath and Deliverance. The last 4 minutes of Deliverance to the drums are majestic. And yes, the sound, the production is perhaps the best, but I think that all the pieces come together for this album is a masterpiece.
With all due respect and without wishing to bother, I do not agree with the guy who wrote this
Greetings from Mexico City. |
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Written by Eleazar on 15.07.2009 at 02:16
With all due respect to my friend who wrote this review I say that I do not agree with him. Why? Because Deliverance is a masterpiece from Opeth, like all his records. What I liked was when he said that they are not good musicians. I would say the opposite. Just listen Wreath and Deliverance. The last 4 minutes of Deliverance to the drums are majestic. And yes, the sound, the production is perhaps the best, but I think that all the pieces come together for this album is a masterpiece.
With all due respect and without wishing to bother, I do not agree with the guy who wrote this
Greetings from Mexico City.
It's cool if you don't agree with me, but I'd just like to clarity that I said the musicians aren't the best. That doesn't mean they're not good, but as I said, I just think that the way they come together is what makes them extraordinary. |
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"I guess the reason for this is that their music is so accessible"
I have to disagree with this. A lot of people just can't get into them and it took me a pretty long while to really like them. I had to listen to some of their albums over 5 times to really like them. I wasn't forcing myself to like them... It just took me a while to "get" them. |
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Vikingocalypse; - 15.07.2009 at 05:24
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Written by Nicko's Nose on 15.07.2009 at 05:06
"I guess the reason for this is that their music is so accessible"
I have to disagree with this. A lot of people just can't get into them and it took me a pretty long while to really like them. I had to listen to some of their albums over 5 times to really like them. I wasn't forcing myself to like them... It just took me a while to "get" them.
Don't you think you're forcing yourself to like it if it took you five listens? For me I heard Ghost Reveries and I was automiatically intuned. That was over two yeras ago ofcourse.
I think he meant accessible as in they're very mainstream and aquiring their discs is possible in almost any part of the globe, including Israel haha. |
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Written by Guest on 15.07.2009 at 05:24
Written by Nicko's Nose on 15.07.2009 at 05:06
"I guess the reason for this is that their music is so accessible"
I have to disagree with this. A lot of people just can't get into them and it took me a pretty long while to really like them. I had to listen to some of their albums over 5 times to really like them. I wasn't forcing myself to like them... It just took me a while to "get" them.
Don't you think you're forcing yourself to like it if it took you five listens? For me I heard Ghost Reveries and I was automiatically intuned. That was over two yeras ago ofcourse.
I think he meant accessible as in they're very mainstream and aquiring their discs is possible in almost any part of the globe, including Israel haha.
Nah. It's just that their music is kinda complex (many changes, etc...) and I usually need to listen to complex albums a bunch of times before really loving them. The structure of the songs makes more and more sense with each listen and etc... It didn't take me 5 listens to like them, I liked a couple of riffs and all straight away, but it took me about 5 listens to really get the structure and all... The fact that I don't have a really good memory doesn't help too.
I loved Ghost Reveries straight away too. Same thing with Watershed. |
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Vikingocalypse; - 15.07.2009 at 05:48
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Written by Nicko's Nose on 15.07.2009 at 05:43
Written by Guest on 15.07.2009 at 05:24
Written by Nicko's Nose on 15.07.2009 at 05:06
"I guess the reason for this is that their music is so accessible"
I have to disagree with this. A lot of people just can't get into them and it took me a pretty long while to really like them. I had to listen to some of their albums over 5 times to really like them. I wasn't forcing myself to like them... It just took me a while to "get" them.
Don't you think you're forcing yourself to like it if it took you five listens? For me I heard Ghost Reveries and I was automiatically intuned. That was over two yeras ago ofcourse.
I think he meant accessible as in they're very mainstream and aquiring their discs is possible in almost any part of the globe, including Israel haha.
Nah. It's just that their music is kinda complex (many changes, etc...) and I usually need to listen to complex albums a bunch of times before really loving them. The structure of the songs makes more and more sense with each listen and etc... It didn't take me 5 listens to like them, I liked a couple of riffs and all straight away, but it took me about 5 listens to really get the structure and all... The fact that I don't have a really good memory doesn't help too.
I loved Ghost Reveries straight away too. Same thing with Watershed.
I see, I also have to lisetn to an album a few times to memorise it but usually I can tell if I like it or not fromt he first or maximum second listen.
I have to admit, Ghost Reveries is better thna the latter. I liked the track heir apperant but the rest was really melo, keep in mind progressive is not one of my favourite genres. ironically I attended progressive Nation alst year. |
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| Who do you compare Opeth technical skills with? they are not a technical death band! and they are not only good musicians they are Amaizing, Technicality are not alone what makes someone a great musician |
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Written by Eleazar on 15.07.2009 at 02:16
With all due respect to my friend who wrote this review I say that I do not agree with him. Why? Because Deliverance is a masterpiece from Opeth, like all his records. What I liked was when he said that they are not good musicians. I would say the opposite. Just listen Wreath and Deliverance. The last 4 minutes of Deliverance to the drums are majestic. And yes, the sound, the production is perhaps the best, but I think that all the pieces come together for this album is a masterpiece.
With all due respect and without wishing to bother, I do not agree with the guy who wrote this
Greetings from Mexico City.
LOL... do you want every album having a friggin 10?
8,4 is a perfect rating for this one. it says it's a good album. and the comments aren't harsh at all. |
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Written by Mr. Doctor on 15.07.2009 at 14:28
8,4 is a perfect rating for this one. it says it's a good album. and the comments aren't harsh at all.
I would probably give it that +1, and I still think Opeth has done much better.  |
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| The last song in this album doesn't really fit in. It is the 4th or 5th best album from Opeth. |
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This album contains 2 of my favorite Opeth songs, Wreath and Deliverance. The rest of the album is great, in my opinion, but those are the two tracks that stand out the most for me.
I know that when you said that Opeth "technically... aren't the greatest" you meant that they get their unmistakable chemistry as a unit and not individually. I just want to comment on that. I think that a great musician is not only defined by what they play.. but also by what they do not play. Opeth certainly has the chops to give us 10 minute songs of pure shred from start to finish, and that would easily show us that they can play their instruments. I think that Opeth's greatness comes to us in the form of masterful song-writing. They know when to take it down a notch.
Take out the lyrics from any Opeth song, leave the vocal melodies in tact, and it still paints an accurate picture of the songs original meaning. There's creepy, upbeat, angry, sorrowful. The band speaks with the music. So while they may not be the greatest, technically, I think they definitely give "the greatest" a run for their money with regards to song-writing.
Enjoyed the review. |
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Written by skrätte on 20.07.2009 at 03:30
I know that when you said that Opeth "technically... aren't the greatest" you meant that they get their unmistakable chemistry as a unit and not individually. I just want to comment on that. I think that a great musician is not only defined by what they play.. but also by what they do not play. Opeth certainly has the chops to give us 10 minute songs of pure shred from start to finish, and that would easily show us that they can play their instruments. I think that Opeth's greatness comes to us in the form of masterful song-writing. They know when to take it down a notch.
I know that opeth's greatness comes to us in the form of songwriting, and that's why I said technically. I probably should have used a better word.
I agree with that though. It's like amon amarth's guitarists. They're not shredders or anything, but they are fantastic at writing riffs and composing. |
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| Agreed. And you've just put me in the mood for some Amon Amarth. |
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| I'd say for the most part that this review is spot on, but I think the song "deliverance" has been overlooked (Especially the last four soul shattering minutes of riff mayhem). I agree that the rest of the album is weak by Opeth standards, but that song is the best they have ever played. |
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Great review daniellewis! Totally agree with Mr. Doctor and Warman... the album is pretty heavy, but lacks the great qualities which albums like Blackwater Park have...!
Opeth still rules!!! m/ |
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| I agree with the review, all the things are well written. |
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Munish - 15.09.2009 at 14:58
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A lot of people are saying that Opeth is not "technically" a good band.
Can someone explain this in context of a musician ? |
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Good review...
Never really got into this one like the others... |
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Written by Eleazar on 15.07.2009 at 02:16
With all due respect to my friend who wrote this review I say that I do not agree with him. Why? Because Deliverance is a masterpiece from Opeth, like all his records.
LOL Thats why I love Opeth fanboys.. ''they are masterpieces because they ARE masterpieces.''
Btw.. that's the only Opeth review that makes sense at all. |
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| I fully agree with the reviewer that this is (by far for me) the worst Opeth album, but in no way a BAD album generaly. It has some awesome points to it, but that's just it, points - almost every other Opeth release is awesome from the first second onward. |
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Master's Apprentices
If you only did know how to play this, you would appreciate it much better |
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Written by danielllewis on 15.07.2009 at 03:46
It's cool if you don't agree with me, but I'd just like to clarity that I said the musicians aren't the best. That doesn't mean they're not good, but as I said, I just think that the way they come together is what makes them extraordinary.
No musician is the best. The better the musician is the more subjective it gets. For example, is Allan Holdsworth the best fusion guitarist? Thats up for one's own personal opinion, but hes the best at what he does. Opeth is without a doubt the best at creating their own sound. Whether or not Mikeal Akerfeldt can sweep jazz arpeggios in rapidly changing obscure time signatures at 220bpm is completely irrelevant here. |
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 mz - 06.02.2012 at 21:43
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| This was the first opeth album i heard. sounds like a plastic heavy album that doesnt have the opeth sound for me. Maybe Im exaggerating because Im the big fan of opeth and this is pretty meh comparing to everything opeth had done even wateshade. the best track is the softer "A Fair Judgement" |
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