STILL LIFE

Attempting to find the words to describe the utter genius of Opeth's fourth masterpiece, Still Life, is a near impossible task. No matter what words I choose, it does not even come close to describing how powerful this album is. It's one of those albums that everyone just simply needs to hear. No matter what genre you tend to gravitate towards, Still Life deserves at least three listens by everyone. And not passive listens, but deeply involved, concentrated listens. For one hour, close the door to the outside world and to everyone else around you, forget everything that's going on in your life at the moment, and allow yourself to be completely swept away by the divine brilliance of Opeth's Still Life.

While this album most definitely possesses moments of crushing heaviness, it seems there are more concentrated moments of acoustic sections and Mikael Akerfeldt's clean singing than on the previous My Arms, Your Hearse album. Two songs are representative of this : "Benighted" and "Face Of Melinda", both of which feature Mikael's soothing clean vocals exclusively, as well as acoustic guitar being the foundation of the constructions. "Benighted" remains this way throughout its five minute duration, while "Face Of Melinda" breaks into a powerful, storming, yet melodic outro. These two compositions are beautifully tranquil pieces that allow the listener to lie back and drift away into serenity. The most aggressive moments can be found in "Godhead's Lament" and "Serenity Painted Death" which feature Mikael nearly destroying his vocal chords as he screams in conjunction with scathing, yet melodic guitarwork and the pounding rhythm section (Martin Mendez makes his recording debut with the band on bass). "Moonlapse Vertigo" is absolutely one of this band's best moments, and it's probably the track I would pick as my favorite from the album...great dynamics, from the furious to the serene.

Unlike most bands who choose a complex and technical path in which to express themselves, Opeth never forsake feeling and emotion for mere technicality. Every note in every song possesses pure emotion and stirs up feelings of rage, sadness, hope and despair. Four albums into their career, Opeth have solidified a place in the Heavy Metal Hall of Fame by creating some of the most beautiful, innovative, original and downright mind- blowing music ever to be heard in any genre of music. Truly amazing.