DAMNATION

Opeth's seventh studio album Damnation (2003) is not only significant merely in its more acoustic tone nor in Mikael Åkerfeldt's purely clean vocals. But its significance is most found in that solely these elements were released in the midst of very likely Opeth's peak popularity as well as their most notable, signature-style Progressive Death Metal era (from Still Life to Watershed, 1999-2008). [Before this era, they mixed Progressive Rock and Folk with an overlaying, predominant Black and Death Metal; Hereafter, they almost entirely sheared off any Metal elements in favor of a cleaner, more classic-Prog-inspired Rock, much to the oft-continued chagrin of many a listener.] This all places Damnation at a vital point in the band's history and as a still-relevant and interesting creative work. Recorded the same time as Deliverance (2002), but released after, it is viewed often as its sister-album, especially given Opeth's initial intent to release them together as a double album. As such, this is the last in a series of three albums co- produced with Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson (the other one being the much-beloved Blackwater Park, 2001). Wilson, I feel certain, was a nudging force for the band toward a more distinctly classic Prog sound; I'm sure he nor much of anyone else outside the band was pushing them away from metal, and I would say that, even now, they still have Metal elements throughout their music. In addition to co-production, Steven Wilson played keyboards, including piano and most significantly mellotron, as well as very recognizable backing vocals.

"Windowpane" starts the album with a killer riff over rolling bass and grooving drums. Very memorable melody, this is one of the great Opeth classics to me. "In My Time of Need" is very straightforward. Very light, but consisting of an ever-present mellotron. "Death Whispered a Lullaby" has another very familiar, classic Åkerfeldt melody and is driven by a simple acoustic guitar arpeggio. Very solid song. Next, "Closure" has another super strong melody (lovely harmonies, too). In the midsection, the rhythm shifts to a sort of Eastern thing. Shoutout to the great Martin Lopez for really holding this together.

All falls away to the soft, reflective "Hope Leaves". Super straight, but pretty. Then it's "To Rid the Disease", with a bit more compositional interest and a whole lot more mellotron (and piano). Rolling in instrumental is the ironically not closer, "Ending Credits", with a super nice, very sweet guitar melody (very familiar, as though it's from something else); maybe like Camel? Finally finally we have "Weakness". This is a very minimal, but haunting number. I'm not into it so much, but it does have a certain something. I feel that this song specifically is a very clear foreshadowing to Åkerfeldt and Wilson's project, Storm Corrosion, its sole album released 2012. Interesting, fairly effective closer to a very [I mean "more"] interesting and, in a lot of ways, lasting work of art. It's certainly unique in their discography.

Rounded up from a True Rate of 3.75/5.00.