Artist: Opeth
Label: Koch Records
Release Date: 11/12/02
Average Rating: 4.75
Go to Judgment Committee Reviews of this Album
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Title: Deliverance Artist: Opeth Label: Koch Records Release Date: 11/12/02 |
There are currently 4 Reader Reviews of this album.
Average Rating: 4.75 Go to Judgment Committee Reviews of this Album |
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Submitted by Snake (1/24/03):
Opeth's Deliverance is what you would expect, and maybe it is more. The metal from this band is constantly fresh and sublime. I hear influences from Dan Swano era Edge of Sanity and Amorphis, Elegy. The twist to this progressive mind trip is the dark atmospheric spiral reminiscent of the Enslaved masterpiece Mardraum. Opeth have defied convention and makes it work, and this is of course why we love them so much. Andreas (Vintersorg, Otyg, Havayoth, Borknagar) would be proud as these guys have "a vocalist that can sing."From the beginning, the "Wreath" (Track 1) seeks to weigh heavily on the mind, and drag you down to drown you in its deep waters. Your Deliverance is a death kiss from Opeth seeking to poison the dark corners of your subconscience. The guitars carry Akerfeldts, vocals; later the guitars coalesce around his vocal presence. His death vocals are in sharp contrast to the eerie instrumental passages of flights of measured time across vast bleary horizons. Just when the tempo seems to have run its course, Opeth flexes its, speed demons to reach another peak. And peering down, we see the echoes of greatness beckoning us to leap upon the churning guitars and the jagged drum beats.
"Deliverance" (Track 2) shows Opeth working in the ditches displaying a massive guitar groove that leads to work's reward; a bounding bass with a beautiful guitar hitting points on a psychedelic trails and clean vocals lifting euphoria to your lips. This interlude is only a passage to the beast's fury. Towards the end, Opeth exposes a vein and the guitars and bass become the vision of a golden heart beating for all to see.
"A Fair Judgment" (Track 3) opens with a piano in a remorseful, but strangely uplifting tune. This theme of despair and remorse is a constant throughout the album. Shortly the tune revs with rhythm as Akerfedlt's classically clean vocals soar. An impending sense of doom is ever present and assured as this track bludgeons its way forward, granting a moment of reprieve before finishing us off.
"For Absent Friends" (Track 4) is the perfect moment to light up that joint and remember the times you had with friends, and hope for more good times to come. This track is a carefully crafted tune with an echoing guitar solo in counterpoint to clear somber acoustic notes.
In contrast, "Master's Apprentices" (Track 5) seeks to bring Opeth's hatred and wrath upon their enemies. While the corpse is fresh, Opeth picks it up and shakes it violently... cracking and splintering bones. Opeth celebrates their victory with a shimmering array of riffs, carrying off into infinity.
"By the Pain I See in Others" (Track 6) is a psychotic pleasure. Reintroduced is the bounding bass from track 2, but this time an evil vocal rasp is in accompaniment. The fuse is lit igniting blast beats uncovering evidence the light at the end of tunnel is not there at all. All our invited to prove otherwise, but our failure is Opeth's delight. Torture your soul, they will. This album was going to be a double album with one CD to be the softer and the other their harsher side. Purportedly, Deliverance is the harder disc. I suspect with next CD, we will see a similar mix of hard and soft as seen on this one. The remaining material is to be called Damnation. The release is set in a few months. Indeed, a frightening thought would be Deliverance is the softer material and Damnation is an 800 pound gorilla waiting with a lead pipe. One can dream.
Submitted by Brian (1/11/03):
Personally, this CD should have gotten a 5 instead of a 4.33 I think this CD was much better than Blackwater Park. But hey, fuck it. My opinion is shit, and I'm extremely high right now. Still deserves a 5.
Submitted by David (12/17/02):
Well all I want to say is a comment about the Coroner and often alluded to Voivod influence. The title track is a blueprint of Mental Vortex/Grin Coroner. Unison bass/drum work has not been a feature of Opeth albums, but here it is. It's great, don't misunderstand my critique, but its close, very close. I really dig this band and the album still has not revealed all its secrets but I must say it's the first time I found myself saying these guys sound like someone else. Discussion and comments please.
Submitted by Marq Spencer (11/25/02):
I've been a huge fan of the band Opeth ever since I read a review of their album Orchid in an underground metal mag. I finally found myself a copy,and I've been hooked on them since. As a long time fan, I can honestly say this album is one that took the longest to grow on me. I was kind of disappointed at first, maybe I was setting the bar too high. After many subsequent listenings, the album started to reveal itself, and I was finding the songs and textures much deeper then I orginally thought. I would recommend this album to anyone. One of Opeth's finest. The song "Deliverance" is one of the cd's high points. This is absolute classic Opeth. One of the best things on this album is Martin Lopez. Good god,this is some serious drumming. Anyone into metal dummers would do themselves a favor by picking up this CD. He is incredible. The musicianship as a whole is excellent as usual, and the production, by Porcupine Tree's Steve Wilson, is amazing. As I said earlier in the review, this album didnt hit me straight in the head like some of the earlier Opeth albums, but it had a huge payoff once I got it. Give it a try, and give it a chance to sink into you brain. So many people do not let things sink in, and rush to judgement, then miss out on the big picture. Enjoy.
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