If you even remotely like metal, this is the record for you. If you are even an open-minded music lover who likes just about anything but isn't familiar with metal, this is the record for you.

In fact, if you like music, this is the record for you, regardless of whether you absolutely hate any other type of metal or not. This isn't just metal. This is Opeth.

Now, I'm not the world's biggest metal fan, but I do like some metal. However, I've had these guys for a few months now and their work finally clicked on me. It probably sounds weird, doesn't it? I'm advocating you to get an album that took me a few months after my acquisition of it to fully love it. Well, I wasn't listening to it that entire time, and it took me a while mainly for one reason:

Death metal vocals.

I was one of those type people that ABSOLUTELY HATED any type of growling vocals, or vocals that seemed to scream too much for me. So, when I first heard Opeth, I immediately dismissed them because of the vocals. However, at the insistence of one person in particular and the very positive reviews of others that I had read, I had to give them another try. So, I kept trying, and finally it worked.

Now, to those of you who read death metal and probably thought they should stop reading this note, don't be alarmed. Opeth is NOT a typical metal or death metal band. They are extremely well-known for incorporating heavily contrasting acoustic passages and very heavy metallish passages (in the vein of death/doom metal). It sounds like a bizarre idea, but only this band can pull it off with extraordinary results.

Opeth's sound is primarily heavy/death metal, but there is also quite the reliance on guitarist/vocalist Mikael Akerfeldt's clean vocals as well, which are equally mind-blowing. Other influences come from jazz, progressive rock, melodic elements, and to a lesser extent blues and folk.

In conclusion: If you are a fan of any kind of music, GET THIS ALBUM. However, just be warned that if you are not a metalhead, you'll need to have quite an open mind, and don't tell me I didn't warn you if you are expecting happy pop music.

If you're going to make one adventurous purchase in your life, particularly in the heavy metal department, it has to be Opeth's Still Life. A complete masterpiece of hybrid metallic awesomeness that you simply have to hear in order to understand how it sounds.

I must say I'm surprised no one has reviewed or even rated this gem before now. Jean Louis definitely started their recording career off very strongly with this album. It's is an intense ride through jazz, rock, and avant-garde styles, pulling you in from the very first notes and not letting you up for a breath of air until it's all over. All of the members of the band are incredibly talented on their respective instrument. Aymeric (trumpet) and Joachim (upright bass) both run their instruments through so many effects that sometimes they're not recognizable. Sometimes, in fact, I even mistook the bass for trumpet and the trumpet for bass. But oh boy, these guys know how to ride a groove in the way you'd least expect. Joachim is a really smart, agile bassist. How he does some of the stuff he does, I don't know, as I've played upright for a while and I can't come anywhere near some of the stuff he plays. Aymeric is definitely an intensely skilled trumpeter as well, though he doesn't go quite as far beyond what's humanly possible as often as Joachim does on the bass from what I can tell. Last but certainly not least is Francesco's drumming...he's really great as well. He manages to keep up with the other two and really knows how to hit the skins, and he always holds down a good beat. The music on this album isn't exactly what you'd expect to hear from a trumpet/upright bass/drums trio, instead it's something a lot more intense and, as far as I know, original. There aren't any bad tracks on this album, but among all the highlights I have to give special mention to "Zakir", "Airbus" and "Kasams", they really blow me away every time I listen.

So overall this is really aggressive, jazzy music from three guys who play exceptionally well together, and whose future works I'm eagerly looking forward to. This is undoubtedly one of the best albums of the past decade and my favorite from 2008. Five stars for a masterpiece of progressive rock and an incredible debut.