[Rick and Roll]

For you Rob...and anyone else...

Opeth - Ghost Reveries

This is the latest by the Swedish growlers. This CD has it ALL. The blunt force of "Blackwater Park" combined with the sweetness of "Damnation". This CD is unbelievable.

OK, lets get this out of the way. You will hear on five of the eight tunes the famed, feared, and hated "Cookie Monster vocals" (referred to hereafter as CM). On another tune, it actually works. So we're left with four tunes with the growling. Let the record show that I find it infantile and downright silly. But I'm telling you, this is an absolutely great prog CD. If you don't like the rrrgggggrrraaahhhh portions, I feel your pain. But I'm not going to defend it or discuss it much in chat. It simply is what it is.

1) Ghost of Perdition - My vote for best Opeth tune done to date. This one's an absolute powerhouse. The CM vocals are in the first two verses and also a bit later. Mikael Akerfeldt sings in about 4 different voices, and when he comes in with the regular voice it is jarring in it's depth. The structure is outstanding and ending rocks.

2) The Baying of the Hounds - Again, first two verses have the CM vocals, and again at the end. You get through that and you're rewarded with another 10+ minute powerhouse.

3) Beneath The Mire - A rock and roll beginning, very atypical. The mellotron lead (!) and the crunch of the guitar work so well. And the drumming here is top shelf (all through the record actually).

4) Atomement - no CM vocals, and a Beatlesque Harrison Indian thing going on. Very hypnotic.

5) Reverie/Harlequin Forest - Heavy start to the tune. Here's where the CM vocals work. After about three minutes, melodic bliss! The ending is almost exactly like King's X "Born To Be Loved" (really!)..had to throw a King's X reference in...it's the rules...

6) Hours of Wealth - No CM vocals, very mellow. Nice.

7) The Grand Conjuration - Very heavy, morphs into a Porc Tree sound. Good interplay between CM and regular vocals later on.

8) Isolation Years - Another non-CM tune...very mellow to close out the CD.

there you are Rob, lifted from my post...here's Damnation...

(notice how i changed my mind about "any other disc I wouldn't go near). Played this in the spring

Opeth - Damnation

Windowpane
In My time Of Need
Death Whispered A Lullaby
Closure
Hope Leaves
To Rid The Disease
Ending Credits
Weakness

A great disc. I thought I lost it, it fell out when I was grabbing some others...said "Put me on the Moon". Any other CD by them I wouldn't go near. I find it humorous that these death-metal singers can sound really good when they sing. Lots of mellotron, very moody and dark. Not usually my cup of tea but it's so good. Sort of an Anekdoten Light.