DAMNATION

First of all, I need to appologize to the Opeth fan that will read this for the first sentences of my review... But, I should admit I mostly dislike the Opeth albums. Not a question of musicianship quality (on this question Peter Lindgren, Mikael Akerfeldt, Martin Mendez and Martin Lopez shouldn't suffer any criticism), just a question of personal taste (heavy violent rock, growled death vocals are not my kind of stuff).

As the ying and the yang, my comment to this specific album will be completely at the opposite. To summarise : this is one of the greatest masterpieces I have heard in the last months and likely one of my top 10 albums at this time. I wanted first to explain my "non fan" status to emphasis that any prog-lover that have heard Opeth and decided it was not for them should try at least this one. This is a lonely star in the Opeth discography : not a single death vocal ... you can't even call this album "death metal related". This is pure (prog) rock !

This was designed such by Opeth. As opposite to most of their albums that alternate mellow delicate intermede with furious death metal explosions, this album only presents the softer side of Opeth's musical world. Damnation was intended for delivery together with the album Deliverance : the first being their soft side, the second the dark and dominant one. It is worth mentionning that Damnation has in it the prog elements that will appeal to any neo-prog fan (and some ambient may let you think to Porcupine Tree ... might be an effect of the Steve Wilson production). You will also find some similarities with Camel's latest albums. Hearing "Damnation", you won't doubt of the Camel filiation of Opeth (hard to believe at first for a Camel fan like me !).

This album is definitely a must have or must hear not only for prog lovers but to most mainstream rock amateur (I would still flag it as "Prog Related" given its easily accessible songs and rather short song structure) but will disapoint many death metal lover that know any other of Opeth's album. It is sad that Opeth don't intend to renew their experience in this "soft rock", they did a great job here.

Some masterpieces songs : Windowpane, In My Time of Need, To Rid the Disease.