GHOST REVERIES

Opeth is probably the most talented and original sounding bands out there today. This album shows that not only does progressive music has a future, but it very likely is the future of rock music.

What you have hear is a perfect combination of new and old styles of progressive rock and death metal music. It had been something they had been experimenting with since their first album Orchid, but I think they really perfected it with this one.

Prevalent instruments include guitars of all types including beautiful acoustic guitar playing and heavy and impressive electric guitar playing. The vocals are spot on, and it always amazes me how Mike can switch seamlessly between his grunting death metal voice, and his angelic clean sounding vioce. The drumming and bass playing are top notch, proving that this rhythm section is definitely one of the best out there. But the most notable addition is that of the keyboards playing a more prominent role.

You will hear mellotrons mix guitars beautifully and used in ways very similar to King Crimson and early Genesis. There are also some synth and organ sounds throughout this album, to give it an earrie and medieval gothic feel. It sounds kind of like Old School symphonic progressive rock, but with a much more modern recording quality and style of death metal. You can clearly hear a strong influence of classical music on some of these epics, particularly on Reverie.

The changing dynamics are also very impressive. You will have to listen to this cd very loud, because you will want to hear every nuance of the quiet sections, and will feel the needed to be fully eviscerated by the heavier sections.

These guys have gone way beyond Tool in their epic orchestrations, and have surpassed them as the current masters of progressive metal.