Yes, good review. But I disagree about the bass on that album. It's the only time so far that I heard a bass-sound wich I don't like. I try to listen to it everytime without paying attention to that annoying sound, but I can't help it. But still, I love Morningrise, it has been my favourite album from Opeth for a long time (now I don't really have one favourite).
I think the main thing that is so different on Orchid and Morningrise, is that each song really tells the story on it's own, without lyrics being needed. This is also present to some degree on later albums, but never again as strong. Black Rose Immortal shows it the best, since it's not 20 minutes of continous music, it's different parts of the story, with pauses in between, even very crude breakes to part them.
It's this kind of magic which I haven't really heard from any other band before, and although I would love Opeth to make another album in their old style, I know that this won't happen, and perhaps it shouldn't ... In the end of their career as Opeth, they will leave behind a repertoire with so much evolution in it, touching on so many styles, and no doubt they will be known as one of the greatest, defining and redefining music. This would not be the case if they would stay with that same style, but damn, how I would love another album like Orchid and Morningrise, and with a better production! (Secretly I hope that one day they will reproduce Morningrise based on the mastertapes, but this will unfortunately always remain a dream
