Music : Ghost Reveries: Special Edition/+DVD

Rating: - Utterly Perfect
How I see it, there are three top Opeth albums, and I'm hard pressed to pick a favourite. 2001's Blackwater Park is often considered the benchmark release, and is certainly definitive in terms of their sound. 2005's Ghost Reveries sees the band at their most diverse, and this year's Watershed is overflowing with moments of absolute sonic perfection. Seeing as its still 2008, I'll plump for Watershed for the time being. But there's no doubt that every time I revisit Ghost Reveries, I end up doubting myself.

The last album to feature the so-called classic line-up of Akerfeldt, Lindgren, Lopez and Mendez, aided by one Per Wiberg on keys, Ghost Reveries is a perfect, and I don't throw that word around lightly, swansong for those departing players, Martin Lopez and Peter Lindgren. Indeed, their work on here is without doubt the finest of their respective careers. The guitar work in particular stands out on this Opeth release, each and every song filled with luscious passages, varied playing styles, intriguing rhythm and lead sections: basically, plenty to make the CD worth any serious metal guitarist's time. Lopez' drumming too has never been better, most noticeable on tracks "Harlequin Forest" and slow-burner "The Grand Conjuration". His work on the latter song is a masterpiece of understatement balanced with sheer power, at once both timid and majestic. As and when his varies capabilities are needed, he never fails to impress.

As for those still in the fold, the praise comes just as readily. Mikael Akerfeldt is without question the best singer in all of music today. As a metal vocalist, he belongs to a select group who practice a style which is both as grim as they come and perfectly intoned and comprehensible. As always, his song-writing is beyond compare: no other musician so perfectly combines elements of death metal, classic rock, folk music and more. On Ghost Reveries we are treated to the Middle-Eastern ramble "Atonement", something of a sequel to the previous album's "Closure", though ten times as impressive.

Shallow as I may sound, it's not often that I notice the bass on an album, or indeed in a band. Production is often to blame. Not so here: Martin Mendez' subtle touches and flourishes are noticeable on each and every track on this album. His sweeping, climbing style is a thing of beauty, a fantastic match for Lindgren and Akerfeldt's guitar work. Wiberg, appearing here for the first time as a full member of the band, makes his presence known. His joining is no mid-career addition: you'd be forgiven for thinking keys were this prominent on every Opeth record, so well integrated are they into the band's sound. From menacing guitar-mimicry on "...Conjuration" to Mellotron overload, well, pretty much everywhere else, not one of his parts seems like a post-production flourish: he's in integral part of the structure of the album.

Musician worship aside, what of the songs? Like I said, the offering here is more diverse than every other Opeth record. Sure, there's plenty of what could be called recognisable Opeth, but there's also a hell of a lot of fresh stuff too. Opener "Ghost of Perdition" is a shifting, twisting mass of music, effortlessly transitioning between furious death metal, Latin grooves and straight-up rock. "The Baying of The Hounds" has a similar vibe to "The Funeral Portrait" from Blackwater Park, that is to say, it sees the band in a raucous, lively, almost bouncy metal form, before descending into a dreamlike, bass-driven mid-section. "Beneath the Mire" has a great intro section, before treading familiar guitar-heaven/scary-heaviness ground. "Atonement" marks the first non-metal offering of the album, a hazy, heat-stricken, wander through the desert set to some fantastic prog guitars, and ivory tinkling. A supposed manufacturing error places "Reverie" at the end of this track rather than at the beginning of the next. It's a short example of an old Opeth trick: write something short and utterly, unbearably good, and play it over and over for just long enough. "Harlequin Forest" ends with much the same idea. "Hours of Wealth" is another non-metal number, giving the listener a chance to catch their breath before the power of "The Grand Conjuration", which I'll get to in a minute. "Hours..." is essentially an instrumental showcase for guitar and keys, with a short section at the end which opens up for TGC in the best possible way. One section of the song, where notes on the keyboard join those of the guitar, never fails to turn me into a puddle. "The Grand Conjuration", undeniably the album's cornerstone, is a modern classic behemoth of metal excellence. Clocking in at somewhere around eleven minutes in length, it builds upon a very simple build and release structure before collapsing on itself for some much deserved showing off in the middle, before returning to the menace and then descending into chaos again at the end. Simply put, its textbook Opeth, and an absolutely essential song for any self-respecting fan of decent prog or death metal. To say it's the best song on the album almost puts the rest in shadow, so I'll avoid that pitfall. But it's damn good. So good, in fact, that closer "Isolation Years" is something of an anticlimax. But once you're fully familiar with the album, such a thing won't matter. A short piece, it really does stand on its own, musically and lyrically. That's not to say it's unwelcome, it just might have been better off, well, off.

Which brings me to another thing: album structure. I'm a firm believer that album structure is integral not only to one's enjoyment of a record, but also to its status as a classic album as a whole. Top marks then for Ghost Reveries, save for that little blip at the end. The metal-trilogy opening salvo to the bliss of "Atonement", back to another lengthy genre-buster, a smaller quiet number and into the centrepiece, its all so confoundingly well put together you have to wonder if scientists weren't drafted into conjure it all up. In some grand manner, pun fans.

The artwork is fantastic, as are the lyrics, particularly considering the lyricist's first language isn't even English. The production is top notch on all counts: each individual instrument sounds fantastic, each guitar tone like a gift. Everything is mixed perfectly.

The special edition of the album is one of the last special editions I've bought that's actually been worthy of separate release. The main album is bolstered by an unnecessary but nevertheless wonderful cover of Deep Purple's "Soldier of Fortune". The main attraction is the 50-odd minute documentary on the DVD, chronicling the making of the album, with just the right amount of in-studio recording, interview footage and cats with a penchant for surprise. The rubbish, Gene Hoglan-starring video edit for "...Conjuration" is also presented, as well as a 5.1 mix of the album which I've heard tell is well worth hearing. There's also a short introduction to the album, and a brief explanation of what's on the special edition from Akerfeldt himself, always likeable in his prose form.

I hate ending reviews. I just don't know how to do it. I usually plump for a summary, which tends to make it feel like an essay for school. So I may as well just say buy the bloody album. Please try and ignore anything negative you may hear about it, as those who spout such blatant inaccuracies are inexcusable, and punishable by firing squad execution for lack of human decency, taste and an education in how not to be musically ignorant.

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Rating: - The best just got better!
I am reviewing this album about, oohh. three years too late but what the hell...Many Opeth fans are divided about this album, some say it's too polished and there is too much keyboards etc, i say otherwise. Opeth have never been Darkthrone and the kind of music that they make incorperates so many elements that it deserves the best production possible, of course this should'nt take anything away from the fact that their earlier material was fantastic as well, it's just that there were a different sounding band back then.I imagine that the critisim that this album has come under may have somehting to do with the fact that Opeth have signed to Roadrunner, a label which in recent years has been the home of such bands as Nickleback, Coal chamber, ill nino etc, so instantly people's backs were up, wondering whether the next Opeth album would sound like a Killswitch Engage album!.Of this did'nt happen, what did happen was Opeth released an album that Not only made me stay in the house repeatedly listening to it for about a week!, it also became my Best album of the year! it also renewd my love for this band as i had slightly wavered when the slightly dissapointing Deliverance/Damnation albums were released. It is the Absolute perfect account of Opeth as they were in 2006. It marries the elements of Black metal, Death metal, Doom metal, 70's metal with their Progressive rock, folk and psychadelica influences into an absolute symphony of sheer genius. It just sounds so seemless and perfect it's actually scary. it's almost like all my favourite styles of music in one band.Ghost of perdition is Downright masterful, it plays with the preconception that it will slowly build, with the use of a few lightly strummed chords before it suddenly pouces out of the speakers at you!,it's foreplay for about three seconds and then it changes it's mind and decides to go straight to the act itself!, Baying of the hounds is another highlight basically the opening riff may be the best thing sabbath never wrote added by some nifty organ work ( from Per thier first fulltime keys player who made his debut on this album, another stroke of genius). This track goes through so many changes yet it never loses it's focus, the most amazing part is about midway when after a period of mellow meloncholy and understatement everything explodes into the absolute aural representaion of sadness and despair!(in a good way). Then a guitar part comes in over it all and it actually sounds like it's weeping!. Another highlight is hours of wealth, very mellow and understated, but the playing, the voice, the lyrics are so beautiful, it might actually be one of my favourite songs these guys have written.Every song is great though, even the grand conjuration is good, even though it's the poorest song they have written in my opinion. To me Opeth display all that's right with metal today, they generally care about their craft and their ability to write songs that are so big and memorable that you could live in them. This is not a band that has songs that you can lisen to at a party and talk over them, they don't even demand your attention because when you turn them on, you ears just give in. I like a lot of todays's wave of metal bands from all genres but a lot seem to promote the same needless macho posturing and tendancies to try to sound more angry,more shouty and just generally more evil than everyone else.That's all well and good but nothing truly moves me and wow's me quite like Opeth do, they are truly a class act all the way and Ghost reveries is the prime example of that. Now all i have to do is wait for Watershed to hit shelves. Excited?, me?. Nah!

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Rating: - Pure Brilliance
Sheer Brilliance, Masterpeice!!!

Track 1: Ghost Of Perdition:

Jumps straight in, death metal verse follow by some great prog rock style verse, then back to death metal, 10.5 min's never gets boring 10/10

Track 2: The Baying Of The Hounds:

Similar structure to track 1, amazing 10/10

Track 3: Beneath The Mire:

Abit lighter than the previous 2 tracks, still great though 8/10

Track 4: Atonement:

Lighter again, as good as beneath the mire 8/10

Track 5: Reverie-Harlequin Forest:

Much more prog rock, with a few elements of death metal in it. Mikeals vocals are genious, my fav track. 10/10

Track 6: Hours Of Wealth:

Very mellow, not bad, but weakest song on the album. 7/10

Track 7: The Grand Conjuration:

Heaviest track on the album, great lyrics, musically astounding. 10/10

Track 8: Isolation Years:

A Great melodic exit 9/10


A must buy!!! Sheer genious

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Rating: - This is the business
I got this as a christmas present last year not knowing exactly what to expect. I had never heard OPETH before, but I had read reviews of them being really unique, and I had recently discovered the progressive monstorousness of TOOL, and death metal in IN FLAMES and SEPULTURA, and though completely different to them, i would say that they helped warm me to this unique sound, which seems to draw a little from all of them. On a first listen this was not worth 5 stars, it was good, but it's a bit hard to get into if it's your first OPETH cd, but it's totally worth it. The guitars are beautiful and hauting, powerful and gentle, all in the same song, accompanied by equally horrific groul and melodic clean vocals, which all complement each other. The drums are amazing too, and the keyboard use is very effective in certain songs, especially The Grand Conjuration. All the songs on this album are good, none are what I consider a weak track. I have not heard the original CD but I'd imagine it is much the same, though I must say I like the new packaging, but the DVD didn't really do anything for me since I already had the video of The Grand Conjuration, and when I watched the behind the scenes footage this was all relatively new to me, so I was unfamiliar with band members etc.
All in all a great album, certainly worth a buy if you're at all interested in Death/Prog/Folk, or metal in general, it is very high class. For me I'm still not sure which I prefer out of this and my recently purchased copy of 'Blackwater Park', but I would say this just edges it out.

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Rating: - The definition of brilliance!
There are musicians, and there there's Opeth. One of only a handful of bands for whom the term artist seems more appropriate, Opeth are simply on a different level. They may do the same basic things that all bands do, like making albums and touring, but there the similarity ends.
'' Ghost Reveries'' has more thought and invention, not to mention vision, than most bands manage to put into their entire careers. A single song, any song, on this album covers more ground musically, (even Mikael Åkerfeldt's vocals alone), than a single album by most bands.
''The Baying of the Hounds'' is a perfect example. Death metal growls, but with an organ-led backing reminiscent of Deep Purple, which gives way to some hauntingly beautiful clean vocals from Åkerfeldt. A genre defining track certainly, but proof of this album's quality is that it's not even the best song on here.
That honour, (and the competition for it is fierce), is Reverie/Harlequin Forest. An ambitious epic, yet accessible to anyone who likes truly good music. Poetic lyrics, stellar vocals and some stunning acoustic guitar work, it has it all.
Although, that could easily be said about any song on this album. The heavy parts sound even heavier because they are balanced by clean vocals, proving Mikael Åkerfeldt to be one of the most versatile vocalists in any genre. Hellish death growls to ethereal, heartfelt laments, and with everything in between, his performance is a tour de force.
He's not too bad on the old guitar either, with his, (and also Peter Lindgren's), guitar work as varied as it is stunning, recalling such visionaries as Ritchie Blackmore, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix.
His bandmates are also on top form, with Martin Lopez surely one of the best drummers in music, as his work here confirms. Martin Axenrot has a big job on his hands to replace him, that's for sure.
In truth, 1,000 words isn't enough to describe how good this album is. You NEED this album, and this band, in your CD collection.