I read through this Blackwater Park review with quite alot of interest - it's rather refreshing to read a critical review of Opeth after all of the hyperbole typically attatched to an Opeth review. I've never been a fan of the band myself, (although I think they are good musicians) and this summarizes it quite nicely. I'm sorry if this has been discussed before, or many of you have read it. Opinions and remarks of the Opeth boarmembers would be appreciated.
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The mass hysteria Opeth has created within the metal community has baffled me to no end. While I freely admit both Orchid and Morningrise were two remarkable, groundbreaking efforts from this Swedish band, the resulting three albums since then (My Arms, Your Hearse, Still Life and now Blackwater Park) have done little to capture my attention for anything more than a fleeting moment. Perhaps the only remarkable aspect to Blackwater Park is the fact that Porcupine Tree/No-Man leader Steven Wilson lent his expertise in production to slightly focus Opeth's meandering music into something that suggests maybe someday Opeth will actually produce a truly progressive metal masterpiece.
In the months since I've acquired Blackwater Park, I don't believe I have once been able to sit through the cumbersome, wandering release in a single sitting. Much like AC/DC and the Ramones before them, Opeth has a very definite songwriting formula which relies on the interchanging of soft/hard passages, clean/harsh vocals and occasional acoustic noodlings. The impression is that bandleader Mikael Åkerfeldt pieces together a hodgepodge collection of riffs rather than visualizing entire songs within his head. Blackwater Park interviews with Åkerfeldt have confirmed that this band could be something more if their work ethic were as impressive as their technical skills. In the August 2001 issue of Metal Maniacs, he confirms the band rehearsed exactly three times before the recording of Blackwater Park and would rehearse more, but "we're just too lazy!" As a result, Blackwater Park is akin to someone taking a leisurely stroll through a shopping mall. One may see some shiny trinkets in various stores but since there is no purpose to the shopping trip, there is little beyond ear/eye candy in store for the listener. The songs presented on Blackwater Park do very little to engage listeners beyond some very pretty or intriguing passages. Unlike Morningrise, where the songs somehow overcame the cumbersome arrangements to reward the listener with the feeling everything came together for a satisfying experience, Blackwater Park meanders. Opeth has proven with their last three releases that their songwriting consists of their aforementioned formula and that they are simply stuck in a rut. The one standout, memorable track on this release is the acoustic based "Harvest", which has Steven Wilson's influence plastered all over it. The mesmerizing beauty of the guitar movements and the heartfelt clean singing suggest that if Opeth truly worked at their songwriting skills, they easily be one of the most outstanding metal acts of this new decade.
The aggravating thing about Opeth is that they constantly tease listeners with their undeniable talent. However, given their apparent lack of work ethic towards songwriting (I maintain their last three albums sound as though they were thrown together in the studio, using various riffs Åkerfeldt had come up with goofing off around the house), Opeth is a band I tend to tune out and lose interest in partway through each given song. Opeth could indeed be a formidable and excellent act if only they completely applied themselves to bettering their craft rather than sticking to a safe, predictable formula.
-Review by John Chedsey, www.chedsey.com
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The mass hysteria Opeth has created within the metal community has baffled me to no end. While I freely admit both Orchid and Morningrise were two remarkable, groundbreaking efforts from this Swedish band, the resulting three albums since then (My Arms, Your Hearse, Still Life and now Blackwater Park) have done little to capture my attention for anything more than a fleeting moment. Perhaps the only remarkable aspect to Blackwater Park is the fact that Porcupine Tree/No-Man leader Steven Wilson lent his expertise in production to slightly focus Opeth's meandering music into something that suggests maybe someday Opeth will actually produce a truly progressive metal masterpiece.
In the months since I've acquired Blackwater Park, I don't believe I have once been able to sit through the cumbersome, wandering release in a single sitting. Much like AC/DC and the Ramones before them, Opeth has a very definite songwriting formula which relies on the interchanging of soft/hard passages, clean/harsh vocals and occasional acoustic noodlings. The impression is that bandleader Mikael Åkerfeldt pieces together a hodgepodge collection of riffs rather than visualizing entire songs within his head. Blackwater Park interviews with Åkerfeldt have confirmed that this band could be something more if their work ethic were as impressive as their technical skills. In the August 2001 issue of Metal Maniacs, he confirms the band rehearsed exactly three times before the recording of Blackwater Park and would rehearse more, but "we're just too lazy!" As a result, Blackwater Park is akin to someone taking a leisurely stroll through a shopping mall. One may see some shiny trinkets in various stores but since there is no purpose to the shopping trip, there is little beyond ear/eye candy in store for the listener. The songs presented on Blackwater Park do very little to engage listeners beyond some very pretty or intriguing passages. Unlike Morningrise, where the songs somehow overcame the cumbersome arrangements to reward the listener with the feeling everything came together for a satisfying experience, Blackwater Park meanders. Opeth has proven with their last three releases that their songwriting consists of their aforementioned formula and that they are simply stuck in a rut. The one standout, memorable track on this release is the acoustic based "Harvest", which has Steven Wilson's influence plastered all over it. The mesmerizing beauty of the guitar movements and the heartfelt clean singing suggest that if Opeth truly worked at their songwriting skills, they easily be one of the most outstanding metal acts of this new decade.
The aggravating thing about Opeth is that they constantly tease listeners with their undeniable talent. However, given their apparent lack of work ethic towards songwriting (I maintain their last three albums sound as though they were thrown together in the studio, using various riffs Åkerfeldt had come up with goofing off around the house), Opeth is a band I tend to tune out and lose interest in partway through each given song. Opeth could indeed be a formidable and excellent act if only they completely applied themselves to bettering their craft rather than sticking to a safe, predictable formula.
-Review by John Chedsey, www.chedsey.com
