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Opeth - Pale Communion
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7.7 | 932 votes |
Release date: 20 August 2014
Style: Progressive rock

Owners:
595 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"
Reviews (2) Lyrics (8)

Line-up
Mikael Åkerfeldt - vocals, guitars
Joakim Svalberg - keyboards, backing vocals
Fredrik Åkesson - guitars, backing vocals
Martin Axenrot - drums, percussion
Martín Méndez - bass

Session musicians
Steven John Wilson - backing vocals

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)

Found in 70 lists
Top lists

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2014 In the Abyss with Lady Bird and Korah  | #32
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Opeth Albums: Best To Worst  | #10
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Metal In The Time Of 2014  | #19
musclassia
2014 - Leth's List Of Likables (Non-Metal Inclusive)  | #109
Lethrokai
Best Of 2014 So Far (mostly progressive)  | #7
zarahuztra
2014 Cont.  | #38
musclassia
More lists with this album (70) | Create a list! ››


Comments page 2 / 7

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Comments: 205   Visited by: 2025 users
10.04.2014 - 02:38
quisableed
Account deleted
Written by mz on 09.04.2014 at 22:26

Written by [user id=132556] on 09.04.2014 at 16:47

You can be sure that Opeth is the best. One who is familiar with professional music technigues and metal music can easily confirm this. The people like Mikael produce their composition within their own knowledge and originality borders. Because they think that art is for art's sake. If they listen enthusiasts and responds to demands of them, there wouldn't be a product that represents the artist's authenticity. Mikael wanted the Heritage to be in this way and It did. This is the reason I admire Mikael.

There are far more interesting prog rock records out there. How could heritage be original when it was supposed to be somehow a tribute to old school progressive rock of 70s? Also, the fact that Mikel can produce anything he wants and lead the band to any direction he desires does not disqualifies me from havving opinion. He can make his music and I can dislike it, as simple as that. I respect the fact that he is following his own wishes, but those wishes are not good in my opinion.

I know that there are far more interesting progressive rock records. The origin of my metal music admiration comes from progressive rock, I spent my childhood with listening yes, king crimson and mahavishnu et cetera. Maybe this was the reason I like Heritage. Actually the things i said wasn't meant that every opeth fan should like the album if mikael did it in this way. He wanted to do it, and he did. That's completely up to him and It is quite simple. You are right, his desires does not disqualifies you from having opinion.
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10.04.2014 - 16:33
Zap
Written by Erik M. on 09.04.2014 at 21:33

Beauty and the beast approach? They rarely have female vocals (Coil) in their music.

I just meant extreme metal and soft melodic parts that are equally important in the music.
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10.04.2014 - 17:16
HyperDrifter
Written by Zap on 10.04.2014 at 16:33

Written by Erik M. on 09.04.2014 at 21:33

Beauty and the beast approach? They rarely have female vocals (Coil) in their music.

I just meant extreme metal and soft melodic parts that are equally important in the music.

Beauty and the beast typically refers to female vocalist vs male growly guy, really does not apply to Opeth in any sense
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10.04.2014 - 18:01
Zap
Written by HyperDrifter on 10.04.2014 at 17:16

Beauty and the beast typically refers to female vocalist vs male growly guy, really does not apply to Opeth in any sense

Yes, I assumed so after Erik's post. I won't make the mistake again, but everyone knows what I meant.
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10.04.2014 - 18:07
Rating: 6
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Staff
Written by Zap on 10.04.2014 at 18:01
Yes, I assumed so after Erik's post. I won't make the mistake again, but everyone knows what I meant.

For future reference, you could say good cop/bad cop vocals.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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10.04.2014 - 22:01
Rating: 8
InnerSelf
proofread free
^Or not.
----
He who is not bold enough
to be stared at from across the abyss
is not bold enough
to stare into it himself.
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11.04.2014 - 05:26
Karlabos
Written by deadone on 11.04.2014 at 05:25

I think this album will be another case of pure, unadulterated passion.

----
"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
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11.04.2014 - 08:51
Rating: 7
Erik M.
Written by Zap on 10.04.2014 at 16:33

I just meant extreme metal and soft melodic parts that are equally important in the music.

I know what you meant, and I agree completely, but I just felt like pointing out that calling it a "beauty and the beast" approach is wrong.

Written by Zap on 10.04.2014 at 18:01

Yes, I assumed so after Erik's post. I won't make the mistake again, but everyone knows what I meant.

The funny/confusing part is that you know well enough what the "beauty and the beast" style means, yet decided to refer to the clean/harsh vocals like that. No harm done, but I just think it's a little strange, haha.
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11.04.2014 - 08:51
Rating: 7
Erik M.
Written by HyperDrifter on 10.04.2014 at 17:16

Beauty and the beast typically refers to female vocalist vs male growly guy, really does not apply to Opeth in any sense

Indeed. Hell, if you didn't know, I even made a list of this specific style a bit longer than a year ago. Check it out if you're interesting.
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11.04.2014 - 10:45
mz
Written by deadone on 11.04.2014 at 05:25

I think this album will be another case of pure, unadulterated passion.

indeed
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Giving my ears a rest from music.
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11.04.2014 - 22:03
Rating: 7
Erik M.
Written by Zap on 11.04.2014 at 21:59

I was looking for

...?
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11.04.2014 - 22:05
Zap
Written by Erik M. on 11.04.2014 at 08:51

The funny/confusing part is that you know well enough what the "beauty and the beast" style means, yet decided to refer to the clean/harsh vocals like that. No harm done, but I just think it's a little strange, haha.

I was looking for a better way of saying it, haha.

Like this one:

Written by Troy Killjoy on 10.04.2014 at 18:07

For future reference, you could say good cop/bad cop vocals.

Thanks, that's the one I was looking for actually!

Sorry about that previous post, internet is fucking me over.
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15.04.2014 - 22:32
MaiSweettShaadow
Judging by the name of the songs and the name of the album I´m expecting something even worse than Heritage, if Mikael keeps gonig with that 70´s crap he will destroy this awesome band, what a shame.
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17.04.2014 - 19:20
Panterica
Written by MaiSweettShaadow on 15.04.2014 at 22:32

Judging by the name of the songs and the name of the album I´m expecting something even worse than Heritage, if Mikael keeps gonig with that 70´s crap he will destroy this awesome band, what a shame.

I got to disagree. The first thing that I thought after looking at the titles was that they seem more promising than Heritage's.
Sadly, it doesn't make me much more confident about the quality of the album. As much as I'm troubled from their departure from their extreme metal influences, it's the song writing that suffered the most from that style transition. Just read Folklore's lyrics. They're so generic and unimaginative I get embarrassed when I listen to it and I don't exaggerate.
----
Li'ed - Prog-Metal from Jerusalem
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7aZWDrAAvDSLMaSmDSE8zA
https://www.facebook.com/LiedBandMusic
http://lied-band.bandcamp.com/
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21.04.2014 - 10:42
Rating: 6
INÆRIS
I've got nothing but optimism and an open mind for this new record.
----
Still Life, Still Death
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25.04.2014 - 15:42
Lord_Agony
This old \ new opeth debate is irrelevant to the album, a pessimist will judge this no good even before it comes when actually the people who whined about heritage were actually the ones that enjoyed it and i'm one of them
creativity-wise they're doing a really good job and i can't wait to hear this one
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03.05.2014 - 02:21
Rating: 9
Angry Chair
Fortunatley for me i have liked every single opeth album, i dont care if its not metal as long as its good, thats all i care about. I am lucky enough to like heratige and that type of music. Fingers crossed for this one.
----
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest."
- Denis Diderot
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23.05.2014 - 00:24
John Shock
Written by Angry Chair on 03.05.2014 at 02:21

Fortunatley for me i have liked every single opeth album, i dont care if its not metal as long as its good, thats all i care about. I am lucky enough to like heratige and that type of music. Fingers crossed for this one.

Same opinion as you, my friend!!!
I don't care about the "fanboyism", if you catch that...Opeth is what i like, so i have high hopes for this new album!!!
Really, really stooked for this one!!!
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27.05.2014 - 13:50
Rating: 9
Angry Chair
Written by John Shock on 23.05.2014 at 00:24

Written by Angry Chair on 03.05.2014 at 02:21

Fortunatley for me i have liked every single opeth album, i dont care if its not metal as long as its good, thats all i care about. I am lucky enough to like heratige and that type of music. Fingers crossed for this one.

Same opinion as you, my friend!!!
I don't care about the "fanboyism", if you catch that...Opeth is what i like, so i have high hopes for this new album!!!
Really, really stooked for this one!!!

Yeah they havn't let me down yet. I imagine it will be great but you just never know, with all new albums coming out i get a sense if "oh crap what if it sucks". Fingers crossed anyway.
----
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest."
- Denis Diderot
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28.05.2014 - 05:46
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Leaked song is really quite good. Enjoying it quite a bit. If it's legit and representative of the tone of the album then I'll actually be looking forward to it. Seems a bit odd the song "leaking" so close to the cover art launch but it's definitely Akerfeldt and I don't recognise the track so seems a-ok so far.

And no there are no death growls, but you knew that already.

Ewp, here we go, up already

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28.05.2014 - 13:48
TheMAGAmvm
Soycrusher
The leaked track is good too. Nothing mind-blowing, but an improvement over the last record.
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02.06.2014 - 20:19
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
----
I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"

I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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05.06.2014 - 00:46
tea[m]ster
Au Pays Natal
Contributor
Jesus, Steve Wilson takes over another album again...
----
rekt
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16.06.2014 - 19:55
hessian peel
Account deleted
Guest musicians: Martin Lopez - drums

What?
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16.06.2014 - 21:52
Rating: 6
Unhealer
Eclecticist
Written by [user id=124808] on 16.06.2014 at 19:55

Guest musicians: Martin Lopez - drums

What?

LOL, that was just a rumor. Somebody submitted that and somehow got accepted...
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17.06.2014 - 05:57
hessian peel
Account deleted
Written by Unhealer on 16.06.2014 at 21:52

Written by [user id=124808] on 16.06.2014 at 19:55

Guest musicians: Martin Lopez - drums

What?

LOL, that was just a rumor. Somebody submitted that and somehow got accepted...

Oh ok. Thought it was weird. Thanks for the clarification.
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19.06.2014 - 06:05
Maco
Pvt Funderground
I don't expect too much for this. Heritage was pretty lame for my ears, but anyway, I will give Mikael and this album a chance.
----
Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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10.07.2014 - 04:07
Soheil KD
I CAN'T FUCKING WAIT
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17.07.2014 - 12:55
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Well my hopes for tighter, better written and more focused songs like Cusp of Eternity have been dashed. Lots of aimless prog and unnecessary warbling from Akerfeldt. That being said I enjoyed it more than Heritage and there are enjoyable moments to be had. The last track is a nice finisher. Probably the best on the album after Cusp. Only the first listen though. Maybe more things will fall into place after other listens.
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17.07.2014 - 14:36
Rating: 8
Hex_Omega
Gem Seeker
Heritage was at least something new and fresh for me but this album I don't know... I prefer Heritage so far... Highlights: Goblin, Voice Of Treason. I need more than one listening to judge this album but so far it is nothing special.
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