Opeth
Watershed

Another masterpiece was expected from the Swedish quintet, and fans' anticipation was certainly well rewarded. As for me, it's still difficult to fully judge this work, the ninth studio album for "Opeth". It definitely requires listening and re-listening many times, especially for a band like this. But I can definitely say it is a work of extraordinary beauty, and it's extraordinary how a genius like "Mikael Åkerfeldt" always manages to pull new and innovative things out of the hat, both in the way of playing and in the way of singing and writing.

Seven tracks, for a total of almost an hour of great music. It starts with "Coil". A very melodic song, very Led Zeppelin-like and sung with great mastery by both "Åkerfeldt" and the sweet-voiced Swedish folk singer "Nathalie Lorichs". Three beautiful minutes, which you will listen to over and over without ever getting tired. But after the calm comes the big bang with "Heir Apparent". It's a punch to the stomach, the initial riff is beautiful and then joined by that almost diabolical growl from Mikael. The entire song is sung with a growl voice but there are also melodic interludes in this nearly nine-minute piece. Moving on to the third track "The Lotus Heater". After a track only with a clean voice and one only with a growl voice, both voices alternate in this track, a true trademark of Opeth. The interlude around minute 5.50 in full "Jethro Tull" style is beautiful. Listening to the next song "Burden", it's clear how important and essential Progressive is for "Mikael". This song is beautiful, with very melodic guitars and Per Wiberg finally making himself heard with a nice keyboard solo in full 70s Progressive style. Finally, we arrive at the first single from the album, also recorded in a video inside the Bogesund castle in Waxholm, Sweden. Again, nothing to say, Opeth are perfectly recognizable, characterized by all the elements that made them famous. Harmony, darkness, melody, technical skill from all the band members. "Hessian Peel". Oh my, what a song, the longest on the album at 11.26 minutes, one of the most beautiful songs written by Opeth, I don't add anything else. We end the album beautifully with "Hex Omega", the initial riff is as beautiful as the rest of the song. The keyboards are dark and always present as in all the songs of this work, and Mikael's singing is always different and splendid, also helped by Per Wiberg.

There was a lot of expectation for this album, for various reasons; firstly, because it was the first album recorded by Martin "Axe" Axenrot and Fredrik Åkesson, who had to fill an unfillable void left by Peter Lindgren, and the same goes for "Axe". Congratulations to all five musicians, I was very impressed by the new guitarist whom I like very much, I must say, and also by Martin Axenrot, who has grown considerably, truly a great job done by the two new members. Per Wiberg grows from album to album, with continuous growth from playing to singing. There's little to say about Martin Mendez, he is a great musician who always accompanies very correctly either the guitar or the drums. I don't have to say anything about Mikael. Extraordinary as always, from writing, to singing, and playing divinely. A compliment also goes to Roadrunner Records, capable as it was also in the case of "Ghost Reveries" of doing perfect promotion for the album and the band, starting with the fact that "The Lotus Heater" mp3 is already available for free download and the fact that Opeth has already made two videos on two albums since they are with Roadrunner. As always, the cover is infinitely beautiful, designed as always from "Still Life" to today by the artist "Travis Smith".

My rating is 5. Opeth returns to their roots as was the case with "Ghost Reveries". There's no need for a radical change for an album to be beautiful. "Damnation" was a beautiful variation in Opeth's style, but if they continue to play as they always have, they are certainly not to be condemned. Nine albums, never a false step by this band that has never missed a beat and once again Opeth has won.