OPETH REACHES NEW MUSICAL TERRITORY ON 'WATERSHED' CD

July 31, 2008 4:25 am

By Sam Krieg

Swedish heavy-metal imports Opeth embrace both the pros and cons of being an experimental band.

Each Opeth album release is exciting because fans never know what's coming their way. Will it be punishing death metal, '70s-inspired rock or a fusion of the two?

Inevitably, though, some fans are disappointed at the direction that frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt chooses to take the band. Case in point: Opeth's recently released ninth studio album, "Watershed."

"Watershed" wastes no time in putting fans, both new and lifelong, on their toes. Opener "Coil" doesn't bring Åkerfeldt's characteristic death-metal roar--instead, the versatile vocalist croons over an acoustic guitar and is accompanied by (gasp!) a female voice.

The soft horns playing in the background might be enough to make many hardcore metal fans turn off "Watershed." But those who make it to the second track will be met by "Heir Apparent," a death-metal number that peels as much paint off the walls as anything else the band has ever released.

Next up, "The Lotus Eater" brings another first for Opeth: blast beats. Interestingly, Åkerfeldt sings cleanly there, creating a combination rarely heard, if ever.

With its numerous style switches, "Lotus Eaters" is a difficult song to fully take in. The strangely named "Hessian Peel" is similarly difficult, at one point moving straight from a keyboard-heavy passage best described as "delicate" to double-bass-heavy death metal.

While Opeth has been able to write classic death-metal songs since its debut, "Watershed" might be marked in the future as the album where it finally mastered writing straight-up rock songs. Yes, the band has penned a fairly large number of growl-free songs over the years. However, "Burden" and "Hex Omega" take things up a notch. When you throw in "Porcelain Heart," it's obvious the band has traveled well beyond its previous material in the rock vein.

"Watershed" comes highly recommended, but with the warning that--while many bands try--Opeth truly is a band that will keep you guessing. Like any great album, "Watershed" has incredible replay value because there's just so much to take in--you just might not "get" it right away. If you're in for a marathon though, go buy "Watershed" (along with Opeth's eight other albums).

Sam Krieg is a student at the University of Mary Washington.