OPETH HERITAGE The band's roots in the doom-laden shade of occult-infused Scandinavian death metal and dark romanticism are undeniable and will never elicit apology. But the transcendent emotional and melodic heights achieved on the brilliantly titled tenth full-length Opeth album, Heritage, marks a new chapter in the storied quintet's career. Band leader, singer, guitarist, songwriter and long-running consistent member Mikael Åkerfeldt has reshaped the pathway forward for his artistic vehicle without sacrificing the hard won spiritualism of previous endeavors.This masterwork from the Stockholm, Sweden based virtuoso musicians is a mind-boggling dense maze of tempo shifts, off-time signatures, percussive experimentation and warped rhythms. It is all expertly melded together by a myriad range of emotional outpouring and breezy melodic optimism which soars above the songs like a woodland spirit surveying its forest. There are multiple hints of darkness but Heritage moves the band forward into broader dimensions.
Going in a new direction is fine. Wanting to be constantly evolving as an artist is fine. I'm also not wedded to death metal vocals either, having loved Damnation. But count me in the camp that felt that Opeth was one of the best metal bands in the world because they could blend genres in a unique, melodic way, but do it while still maintaining the harshness of death metal. I get it that Mikael is bored with playing death metal, really I do. Make no mistake I a..
