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Rating: And with this, I conclude the cycle of reviews of the first three Opeth albums. This is the album that impressed me the most from the first listen, much more mature than the first two; both the production and Akerfeldt's Growl have definitely improved.
MAYH stands in a category of its own, in the sense that it neither belongs to the first phase, ultra-creative but "unripe," represented by the first two works, nor is it akin to the sound of Blackwater Park and Still Life. It's a happy and terrible island at the same time, characterized by fantastic lyrics that weave an engaging and sinister ghost-story, and by a highly evocative cover with that deep sky blue that, who knows why, always reminds me of "April Ethereal." I consider the latter the most beautiful piece by Opeth (keep in mind that I haven't yet listened to Still Life and Deliverance). It's an exceptional song. The drumming is at the edge of credibility, yet spontaneous and never forced; on it, the guitars draw an exceptional harmony, so robust and continuous that it seems you can discern the presence of an organ, but it's just an illusion, it's only the electric guitars of Akerfeldt and Lindgren. Great, Greatest!! Mike's Growl, then, is the best of all, powerful, determined, dense, and above all, deep. The opening is truly apocalyptic; rarely have I heard such intensity capable of bending without breaking to the needs of harmony and lyrics. "When" is almost at the same stratospheric level, just a notch lower. "Credence" matures the seeds of "Bid You Farewell." "Karma," even before the almost unnecessary epilogue, marks the end of the story with a prolonged growl of extraordinary intensity. Also noteworthy are the two Bonus Tracks, of excellent quality, particularly "Remember Tomorrow."
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