Well this is the fourth written 2 star review from the collaborators for this album, so I'm not alone. There's a 1 star review as well. This is such a strange story, but it begins with Barrington Frost having a vision of meeting Pharoah Rameses who tells Frost that he is his new incarnation on earth, and to tell the world about the truth of the universe. That was the unfortunate Pharoah to be in charge when an 80 year old Moses came and said "Let my people go". The rest is history. So Barrington renames his wife to that of an Egyptian goddess, and they decide to send the message through music. They released two singles under the name RAMASES & SELKET, one in 1968 and one in 1970 and both failed miserably. They decided to make an album and had the good fortune of going to a studio where four young musicians were willing to be their backing band. Those four happen to be the original lineup of 10CC, plus Frost wanted sitar on the record, so they added a sitar player. So a seven piece and this was released in 1971. 10CC would release their self- titled debut in 1973.

I like the idea of combining religion with science fiction as the album cover and title of this album strongly suggest. Roger Dean did the cover art, and it opens to a mini poster, and it is incredible. Like a spaceship busting out of a church. And I love that title "Space Hymns". The opener "Life Child" is by far the best track although I also like the folky "Jesus Come Back" for how hopeful it is. So that's the positives right there folks. Yes this album is unique and different, but that doesn't mean it's good.

The worst part for me by far are the male and female vocals. I can hardly tolerate them. Or the repetitive mantra-like vocal style that is often in play. This is a tough one for me. I get that a couple of our reviewers who gave this 4 stars are big Folk fans, and you all know I'm not. So there's that. The lyrics are also an issue for the most part. I'm just not a fan of this one. And it's so sad that Barrington took his life five years after the release of this record. He was in his early forties.

It seems that, in Polish neo prog circles, as COLLAGE and its successor SATELLITE go, so goes long detached offshoot BELIEVE, and I might even add vice versa. Some time after BELIEVE's 2017 triumph "Seven Widows" came the first COLLAGE album in a quarter century, With the splendid "Over and Out", in addition to picking up where they and SATELLITE had left off, Woljek Szadowski had been listening intently to Mirek Gil's BELIEVE, and, apart from incorporating those atmospheres, got caught in the revolving vocalist saga that has dogged both groups throughout their colorful history. To close the loop for the here and now, Gil has taken lessons from the COLLAGE reunion for good and bad, and returned with a new vocalist (duh) Jinian Wilde in "The Wyrding Way". It also coincidentally begins with a 20+ minute track followed by mostly pieces in the 10 minute range from there. If you aren't confused yet, I endeavor to finish that job in the next few minutes.

The titular expression refers to the use of witchcraft and such to plot one's own destiny. Appropriately the music here is perhaps a tad more in the spacey realm than we are used to, with the virtuosic Satomi mostly occupied with keyboards rather than the violin which dominated "Seven Widows". Of course, Gil is still sizzling on expressive occasionally Frippian lead guitars and even a bit of acoustic guitar here and there, and Jinian luckily hails from the school of BELIEVE vocalists. While the rhythm section cannot ever match the freneticism of COLLAGE/SATELLITE, this is almost uniformly excellent, with only "Be My Tears" sacrificing, so to speak, some quality for message.

My two complaints are the slashing of violin bits and their infusion into the arrangements rather than soli, and this continued tendency among our cult favorites to string together concepts into overly long epics for the sake of it. For instance, "Wicked Flame" should be the centerpiece but substitutes a wall of sound for the subtle tension and intensity in its last 4 or 5 minutes. Both "Shadowland" and "Shine" more than compensate and are my pics here, though the massive opener runs a close second.

From the perspective of a student of this musical family tree, even mediocre productions are worth the time, but this is anything but. Kudos again to Mirek Gil and company, and may you and your former bandmates continue to spur each other on in spellbinding competition where we are all winners.

You know the story, Vincent Van Gogh painted his final canvas with a flock of crows raising from a wheat field, and shot himself, dying two days later. Antonin Artaud refused to call him suicidal, it was rather society, symbolized by the flock, that suicide him. Luis Alberto Spinetta, as a young reader, felt strongly this unequal conflict between artist and society, as well as the need to purge the pain caused by it. But to sell the project to his bandmates in Pescado Rabioso, that was a whole different matter. According to drummer Black Amaya, after being presented with the new material, they just left.

First Cutaia, then Lebón and finally Amaya himself, who had been on board since the very inception of the band. Left alone, and owing one more album to the Microfon label, Spinetta recruited two of his former mates in the band Almendra, plus his own brother Gustavo, and did Artaud with those same songs.

How could result, from such a turmoil, a recording in state of grace? Who knows, the songs were amazing, that helps. Working at home, with brother and old friends, that too. But in the end, there's no explanation for beauty, if true. And no need for one either, just wide open eyes and ears are required.

The cover sleeve was designed with an irregular edge, by Spinetta's request. It wouldn't fit any standard rack, because, you know, art shouldn't fit. From the edges to the inside, on the other hand, the album flows seamless, yet through very different moments. Even the acoustic songs are each one of a kind. Todas Las Hojas Son Del Viento, with tender innocence and anti-drug message. Por, almost a symbolist stream of consciousness, slipping through naked acoustic beauty. La Sed Verdadera, presumably inspired in Rimbaud, serene, contemplative, soaked in delicious lo-fi electronica towards the end. Cantata De Puentes Amarillos is the piece de resistance for acoustic guitar and vocals, but with the most amazing electric and percussive incrustations, turning it into a joyous ride, focused in the hope for a better tomorrow.

The electric element in the equation blossoms in Superchería, walking a fine line between the melodies of Spinetta's old band Almendra, and Aquelarre's rythmic drive, contemporary by then. That drive mutates at the end of the album, in the fascinatingly bouncing riffage of Las Habladurías Del Mundo. Bajan used to jumped the airwaves in different times, thanks to a graceful melody, supported by catchy drums, courtesy of Gustavo Spinetta. Can Artaud poetry be set in a cheap horror comedy scenary? Don't know really, but that is what it seems to take place in the other piece with Gustavo in drums, Cementerio Club, and it's delightful. If, besides progressive, the term art-rock can (and should) be applied to this album, that is in A Starosta El Idiota, with a rare performance in piano by Spinetta, existential lyrics, and delicious bassline in the middle section, preceded by a concrete music incursion loaded with references.

After this, García and Del Guercio resumed their day job playing drums and bass in Aquelarre, and Spinetta went to form Invisible.

A delicate record that screams "Play me loud!", and never dissapoints.

'Fragile' is a quintessential Yes album that basically sees the band in their full glory - epic, complex, lush, melodic and memorable, the album is quite deservedly seen as one of the progressive rock classics. But 'Fragile' is also a very unique prog album in many ways, while it takes as a basic template the complexity of the extended compositions on 'The Yes Album' and further challenges the conventional notion of how a pop song could be structured, as it allows the longer pieces to unfold in a very organic and controlled manner, it is in no way short on surprises and unpredictable twists and turns, incredibly versatile and eclectic, 'Fragile' can be both frantic and magical, both uplifting and introspective. The addition of shorter pieces written by each band member, however, is the ingenious magical flavor that really elevates the album and displays the various influences brought in by each band member. Not to mention how the addition of Rick Wakeman had really rendered Yes one of the most versatile and innovative quintets to have ever graced the history of rock music.

Majestically conceived and tremendously well-executed, there is some truly vibrant music on this album in the face of the four centerpieces - 'Roundabout', 'South Side of the Sky', 'Long Distance Runaround/The Fish' and 'Heart of the Sunrise'. Stretching out an idea into a piece that incorporates the virtuosity of jazz and the pomp of a classical piece, the blend of these influences with the rock instrumentation births an amalgamation of triumphant sounds that work together in a brilliant manner. A fantastic album, quite intelligently structured and highlighting not only the solo talents of the members of Yes, but also the collective force of the band Yes. Very difficult to pick a better side on an album that is virtually flawless. In brief, epic, gorgeous, and essential.

This album was released in 1969 and it has no title, but it is commonly referred to as the "Fur" album. Simply because the first word at the top of the album cover is "Fur", which is German for "For", and that is followed with a long list of names that the album is dedicated to. And no band name either, as they just went with the names of the four musicians. And who are these musicians you ask. Well, Wolfgang Dauner is the leader here, composing all but one track. He plays keyboards mostly but adds a little trombone and violin. His buddy Eberhard Weber is here on bass and cello. Both would be a part of ET CETERA, a band who released their debut in 1971.

And the drummer here is Fred Braceful who was also part of ET CETETRA, and later he would also be in EX MAGMA. The unknown for me was Jurgen Karg also playing bass. In fact on one track both he and Weber play bass. What fascinates me is that the only track on here that Dauner didn't compose was that third song called "Karg", which of course was a Karg composition. Fascinating because it's the only electronic piece on here. And Karg would drop his bass not long after this 1969 recording to focus on electronics, and becoming quite influential with his only solo release in 1978.

These four guys had already played together on Dauner's 1967 solo album called "Free Action" which was a Free Jazz record. It's also interesting to me that half of this band which included Braceful and Weber, would make an album in 1971 called "The Call". Karg and Dauner were replaced by two keyboardists, not needing two bass players this time. Again they went with their names as the band name, and we get Mal Waldron, a legendary electric piano player in the Jazz world leading the way. And speaking of legendary how about Jimmy Jackson from Pennsylvania on organ. And this is a straight-up jazz fusion album I gave 4.5 stars to. An incredible album! Jimmy has played in bands like AMON DUUL II, EMBRYO, PASSPORT and more.

Now I have to say that "Fur" is a tough one for me. Very experimental with lots of improvisation going on. It's like an extension of Dauner's 1967 record which was Free Jazz, and with a dedicated sax and clarinet player. It's interesting that that album has two drummers playing on it. Besides Braceful we get the future GURU GURU drummer Mani Neumeier doing his thing. And also Jean-Luc Ponty on violin! All playing Free jazz. Anyway, back to this 1969 album which is not for the faint of heart. Not much in the way of melody or even structure here. This is a very experimental album that one would probably want to keep in their Avant section. I wish "The Call" was on this site. They added "Fur" to Weber's discography thankfully.

The first Yes album of all-original material was 'The Yes Album' from 1971, a record that despite its confusing cover photograph, depicts one of progressive rock's legendary bands at the genesis of their creative uprising, with an extremely adventurous release packed with classic Yes tracks, and one that allowed them to begin to craft a unique musical identity and to experiment with sounds and techniques, all while preserving the essential (and quite enjoyable) key ingredients of early Yes - the majestic vocal harmonies, the textured, warm bass playing and the charmingly exploratory spirit of early progressive rock, always very uplifting and hypnotic.

An important album in the Yes catalogue, being the first one with Steve Howe and last one (until the 1980s) with Tony Kaye - both of whom do add their unique flavors to the very joyous yet complex music on 'TYA', perhaps not as lush as the albums that would come later but incredibly mature and occasionally quite challenging, certainly Yes had crafted a tremendous blend of symphonic rock with pop and psychedelic influences, topped by the otherworldly vocals of Jon Anderson and his imaginative lyrics. The music is complex yet enjoyable and splendid, uniquely combining a sense of freedom and an aspect of virtuosity that would be developed even further on later releases. There is only a hint of the musical pomp that Yes is now recognized for - just hear the splendid sounds of 'Yours Is No Disgrace' or 'I've Seen All Good People', classic tracks on a classic album.

The Dillinger Escape Plan went further on with their experimental side with the release of their third studio album 'Ire Works' in 2007, an album that is as menacing as it is gripping and intense. Accomplishing a virtually perfect mixture between the raw, heavy and energetic playing of their earlier releases, and the more complex, eclectic side of their music, the one that could probably be seen as the metalcore rendition of jazz fusion - the mixture of these seemingly incompatible worlds is 'Ire Works', an adventurous and unorthodox heavy album that takes in strong influences from alternative and electronic music.

The album definitely contains some of Dillinger's best material, both in terms of complexity and aggression on the one hand, and stylistic diversity and experimentation, on the other. Playing around with sound design and armed with an impeccable sense of groove, the band also deliver some very memorable choruses in what turns out to be some of their more "commercially acceptable" songs, so to say. These would, of course, be 'Black Bubblegum', 'Milk Lizard', 'Dead As History' and the closing track 'Mouth of Ghosts'. Puciato shines as a great metal vocalist with a very fine range, while Ben Weinmann allows himself to jolt around with a variety of textures and techniques; the album features several shorter tracks that are quite uncommon yet technically impressive and obviously well-constructed in the studio. A great listen all throughout, some of the band's most eclectic material, and all this on an album whose cover uncannily resembles that of 'Dark Side of the Moon'.

A Musical Rollercoaster

Not for the faint of heart, as they say. Modern RPI enthusiasts Altare Thotemico released their first album in 2009 to some ProgArchives commotion, and they've been building on that creative success ever since. Now three albums into their catalog, they are clearly carrying the torch for RPI (and passionate music, in general) into the modern era. Never static or predictable, they have been evolving quite dramatically with each release. The debut album had some saucy tendencies and bold jazzy leanings, but the overall theme seemed to be paying homage to the 1970s classic RPI scene. On their second album from 2013, Sogno Errando, they changed personnel big time and actually dropped all guitars. The result was a hard shift from the first album into a much jazzier terrain led by piano and sax as lead instruments. Fast forward to 2020 and there are more significant line-up changes afoot. Guitars are back in a big way. Fresh into a global pandemic, Altare Thotemico returned with Selfie Ergo Sum, perhaps their wildest ride yet.

On the third album, AT retain their ability to appreciate the masters like Banco and Area while occasionally toying with the metal tendencies of bands like VIII Strada, but they are not copying anyone else's blueprint, classic or modern. This band marches to the beat of their own drummer. The only constant in their now decade-plus existence is the voice, poetry, and dynamism of Gianni Venturi, one of the finest vocalists on the current RPI landscape. He can pull off all of the many shifting gears with ease, the operatic and bold, the soft and warm, the spoken, the occasionally maniacal. He surrounded himself here with new members Agostino Raimo, Giorgio Santisi, and Filippo Lambertucci (guitar, bass, drums respectively). Finally, new keyboardist Marika Pontegavelli also sings, so we now have a female voice as a collaborative partner to Venturi, which opens up some exciting and original new avenues across several tracks. Her vocals are often inventive and effective additions rather than just having two people trading off song by song. Emiliano Vernizzi and Matteo Pontegavelli bring the brass to round out the line-up.

Selfie Ergo Sum can sometimes feel as disorienting as playing paintball at night while you're baked. Incredible adrenalin rushes are followed by craziness and then hiding out, breathing heavy, and calming down for a bit until it starts again. The first track has a melodic but very heavy edge without being actual metal, of course. "Game Over" has this call and response between Gianni and Marika that feels a bit like a musical send-up on the TV show "Killing Eve." Wild stuff. Only three tracks deep is a knockout moment called "Schopenhauer," a 9-minute mélange of different atmospheres, most notably to me were the long spacy sections with lovely nonverbal vocals, plaintive piano, and effects. Venturi is so well recorded here, his stunning voice alive in the room with only piano behind, as Marika's voice and Agostino's reserved leads soon filter in. Great ambiance. The first three tracks are such an incredible mind-blow. A special shout to the beautiful acoustic guitar playing in "Ologramma Vivo" as well. Everyone's performance on this album is all the more dynamic and dramatic because of how well the tracks are assembled, recorded, and mixed.

It is not until track four, the gorgeous "Madre Terra," that we have a breather so to speak. Every track just keeps introducing new goodies and ideas to explore. Now, one could criticize the overall album for being haphazard or just too "all over the map" for its own good, but that's always been the personality of Altare Thotemico. This is a "throw everything at the wall" band and, in my opinion, it has mostly worked for them. There are so many thrills to the proceedings that you'll eventually trust the process. You eventually realize that the chaos is the point, is cohesive, and actually sets up the more traditional moments to shine with equal appreciation. There is a theatrical flair. There are some unusual choices hidden around the corners. Confidence abounds (at a time when the world needed it.) At times I'm even reminded of what a modern-day, updated Opus Avantra template might sound like. So, very highly recommended indeed. Had I made a "best of 2020" list, this would surely have made my list that year. But please don't play this album when you're distracted. Make sure you spin this when you've got the time to immerse yourself into it and give it the same attention you would watching a live performance. I certainly hope we've not heard the last of this band.

God's gift to Big Big Train and Beardfish founder, Rikard Sjöblom, returns from his self-imposed exile upon British soil. In 2015 he abandoned his home country and Beardfish mates to join the British prog masters, immediately elevating them to one of the planet's finest crafters of traditional progressive rock. Something has prompted him to resuscitate his old band. Prog World should stand up and give him a standing ovation!

1. "Ecotone" (4:30) sounding a lot like a Guy Manning song, the calm, pastoral sound palette and musical arrangement over the first 90 seconds is unexpected, but then tensions start to mount with bass and female vocals (the latter courtesy Amanda Örtenhag) but the band stays the original course: continuing to propel this remarkably-Guy Manning-like song forward. There are several creative/interesting tangents along the way showing compositional maturity but ultimately this is nothing earth-shattering. (8.875/10) 2. "Out in the Open" (20:33) now this is the Beardfish we've come to know and expect: demanding instrumental performances of sophisticated time- and thematic-shifting When Rikard's singing joins the music, it reconfirms the fact that Rikard's less-than usually-processed voice has aged. Still, this is the kind of widely-dynamic, shape- and mood- shifting prog that Prog World needs and expects from one of its 21st Century leaders. Though I like and appreciate the more complex and angular sections of music, I'm surprised at how much I like the softer, more pastoral TFK-like passages (like in Part 3). The quality is top notch but the spirit (the conveyance of joy and enthusiasm) is a bit lacking-- as if parts are a bit forced (as if by expectations, outside and inside) or serving to check off certain boxes. Above all, however, it just feels good to have a band of such competent musicians and composers back offering true prog to the world. (36.5/40)

3. "Beating Hearts" (11:01) opening with a 38-second overture from a string quartet, the heavy rock version ensues thereafter, with heavily-distorted "old Rock" instruments on every wing. At 1:48 a turn in direction unveils an acoustic palette for the following vocal passage. Electric guitar is very present. In the fourth minute the string quartet rejoins in support of the current motif. Interesting! Manning and Nektar-ish at the same time. As other reviewers have pointed out, the changes in motifs on this song are quick and sometimes startling, never expected--they come so fast! And each motif seems quite stark in its difference from the previous one(s). Definitely an interesting epic. Bass player Robert Hansen is rock solid throughout while guitarist David Zackrisson has some real moments of incandescence. Heck! Rikard's emotional power vocals even shine! I do, however, like best the way in which the string quartet was/is woven into the mix, sometimes on their own, sometimes woven into the mix with all of the folk rock or heavy rock stuff. (17.75/20)

4. "In the Autumn" (5:58) a powerful song that has a distinctive Southern Rock feel to it (not unlike those of The ALLMAN BROTHERS and Jared Leach's GHOST DISCIPLINE) with an uber-talented Sarah Hoefer-sound-alike Amanda Örtenhag stepping up to the front in a commanding performance. Other than the vocal and guitar displays, this is not that great of a song. (8.75/10)

5. "Ecotone (Reprise)" (0:43) reverb-drenched keyboard interlude. What for? (4/5)

6. "Torrential Downpour" (8:29) more Southern Rock, this time a little heavier. The music is less sophisticated, less dense and intricate than the Beardfish music of old. While listening to this, I hear BON JOVI, IRON MAIDEN, YES, NEKTAR, and many others. (17.625/20)

7. "Ecotone - Norrsken 1982 Edition" (Bonus Track) (6:13) a re-mastered version of the original Ecotone from way back in 1982.

Total Time 57:27

Having listened to the album through and realized how the opening song was actually a remake of one of Rikard/the band's oldest songs (from 1982), I can well imagine that the making of this album was spattered with many such trips down memory lane.

B/four stars; an excellent album for any prog lover to try out. It's good to have Beardfish back in the arena.

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't be hyped for a new Opeth album. Sure, I'm a fan of the band, and I'll still check it out when it comes out, but if you were to tell me in say 2022 or 2023 that Opeth was making a new album, I wouldn't really mind. This, on the other hand, had me constantly refreshing YouTube throughout all my breaks in between classes to see if it was uploaded early. I had incredibly high expectations for this album, especially seeing two certain special guests that I'll get to soon, and also the fact that this was the first Opeth album with actual Death Growls in over a decade. And I was not let down in the slightest. Not only did The Last Will and Testament exceed my expectations, it blew them out of the water. For my money, this record stands next to Blackwater Park, Still Life, and Ghost Reveries. The perfect mix between complex progressive rock, gloomy death metal, and somber electric ballads made such an incredible listening experience for me, and the overall production and sound quality are top notch. After all these years, Michael Åkerfeldt's voice is still one of the greatest in his musical field, and he masterly pulls off both clean and growling vocals. For the whole personnel, it includes Michael Åkerfeldt on vocals and guitar, Fredrik Åkesson also on guitar, Martin Mendez on bass, Waltteri Vayrynen on drums and percussion, and Joakim Svalberg on keyboards. As for the special guests, Mirjam Åkerfeldt and Joey Tempest appear as backing vocalists, while the one and only genius behind Jethro Tull, Ian Anderson, appears on flute, backing vocals, and spoken word. Apart from Ian, the other important guest I would like to mention is Dave Stewart, who has helped write music for Egg and has written substantial and excellent material for Hatfield and the North and National Health in the past. As for the concept behind the record, it's about a wealthy post-World War II patriarch who dies and leaves his will to his daughter, revealing unknown secrets about the family in doing so. Originally, it was hard for me to find the real meaning (I couldn't really understand some of the vocals, and I didn't want it spoiled through reading the Wikipedia page or going through interviews), but after repeated listens, I found the true concept.

The album opens with the echoing footsteps in the background of §1 (Section 1), a series of six other songs of similar titles that would continue throughout the album. The emptiness within the music is broken by a sudden hauntingly coherent yet uncanny beat, with a burst of crushing guitar flowing into the song. When Michael starts to sing, he once again proves that he is, and will always be, one of the top death growlers to ever live. Normally I'm not really into death metal, but Opeth is such a good band, and there is something so outstanding about Michael's performance. You can feel absolute horror and perfection within the now ever-changing song structure, with it displaying passion, distress, and fear all in one song. In true Opeth fashion, they play this gruelingly incredible music for a couple minutes before making a complete stop and transition into a lush orchestral performance. This section continues until the songs end. It is evident that this album will be nothing like what the band has been putting out for the past decade, and I believe §1 will go down as one of Opeth's best album openers.

§2 continues the orchestral sound from §1 into the opening before immediately jumping back into the death metal aspects. This one is a bit more on the death metal side of the scale than the progressive death metal side, but it's still full of weaving progressive elements. I would also like to mention that the band has these incredible dynamics between growls and clean vocals, making it just the right amount of regular singing for a normal progressive rock enjoyer. The next section is where the one and only Ian Anderson steps in to narrate the story. Another note I would like to add is that I think the band made a genius choice to get Ian on this album, not only because he's a big star within the community but also because his vocal style fits perfectly for the post-World War I era. Moving on, the band goes through some more chilling sequences of dynamics and a second Ian Anderson narration bit, with the keyboards and mellotron adding a lot to the overall feel. This wraps up §2, proving yet again that this will be an incredible landmark for the band.

The next track on the record, §3, is the shortest song on the album and the first with only clean vocals. It opens with a groove that I found similar to The Leper Affinity, but without the death growls, and it includes a couple of breakouts within this area. Because of the death aspects of the song being released, the overall progressive material has a lot more room to breathe. It flows into technical playing and strange tempos and time signatures as Michael provides an incredible deep voice in the background. The song keeps on evolving into entirely new songs within a couple of seconds of every one of these smaller compositions, making it a true staple of the progressive rock and progressive metal subgenre. The song doesn't fade out into quiet measures however, and dies at the peak of this experimentation.

§4 opens with a heavy and jazzy beat that returns some of the death metal styles and much more gloomy music that continues at a progressive pace, completely changing everything in the song in a matter of seconds, and landing at a short yet sweet folk section that easily glides into a new rhythm that sounds similar to early Jethro Tull. This Jethro Tull feel is also helped out by the flute by Ian in this song. It gradually rises, adding more death growls over time and getting heavier and louder. It grows until it reaches a full climax and immediately dies out into silence. This one goes by a little faster than I thought, despite it being seven minutes. This also brings up the one problem I have with this album. The reintroduction of the death growls into the band just makes their music sort of blend together. If a track isn't a major standout to me, it just sounds kind of bland.

Moving on, §5 begins with a lovely orchestral piece that gets interrupted by a bombastic drum blast that evolves into sheer progressive expanse. I also must add that this song perhaps has the most impressive drum technicality in the entire album. The vocals make the song feel even more decrepit and old and masterfully captivate the listener in the story with this feeling. The band continues this jam session vibe of the song until ramping up the intensity and returning to the darkness of older themes on this record. This bleeds into an almost ambient feel, with Michael's singing turning more echoey and distorted. The instrumental bits after this are absolutely insane and chaotic, culminating in a gloomy, clean vocal area that roughly continues until the end of the song but with continuing dynamics in the singing style.

§6's opening is similar to Molotov 1502 before being blown away by another rapid fire drum sequence. The next thing that comes can be described as vocal jazz combined with progressive metal; that actually somehow makes a good combination. Opeth turns to the more death metal aspects pretty quickly after this however and engages in performing some material similar to some of the earlier days in the between Still Life and Watershed. The guitar solo also sounds like something from the 80s with its sound and speed within the notes, which could be both a good thing and a bad thing depending on who you talk to, but I generally think it's a cool one. This extends to the end of the song, with it closing out with a soft and mellow riff accompanied by a lush noise in the background.

The last one of the paragraph songs is §7, which opens again with a drum part that is followed by the rest of the band joining in. This song is more of a slow burner when it comes to growing into Opeth's traditional death metal sound, but it's still an enjoyment. Ian Anderson returns to narrating in this song again, with the low piano adding even more of a touch to his low and old voice. The guitars in the next section where they kick back into the heavier material sound similar to John Petrucci, and to me, it sounds like something they'd do around 1999 to 2005. I must add that the keyboard solo is lackluster, though. The heavier stuff in this piece of the song, though, is more calm, complex, and slow, while still retaining the whole metal concept. Apart from Michael interrupting the song with a chorus of what sounds like only his voice, that pretty much concludes the song.

The album closes with the much more somber song A Story Never Told. It begins with a melodic and twisted guitar riff that sounds almost nothing like anything on the album. A short break through with the rest of the band is followed by a soothing piano number and Michael's absolutely beautiful, clean vocals. The band goes back into playing all together again, only briefly interrupted by more piano work. The guitar solo at the end though is just perfect and really embodies all this emotional power that has been building in small crevices around the album. The guitar solo continues until a slow fade out that wraps the album up perfectly and concludes another masterpiece by Opeth.

In conclusion, this album is a technically heavy and progressive masterpiece. After a string of 3-4/5 albums, Opeth is back to making some of the greatest in the genre. As much as I love the new Alphataurus album, without a doubt I can say this is the best record of 2024. From it's high progressive nature, returning death metal styles, and the gorgeous crescendo that is A Story Never Told, this is tied with Blackwater Park as my favorite Opeth album and will most likely go down in the genre's history as one of the greatest progressive death metal albums out there. This is an absolute beast of an album that deserves a 5/5 in every way.