Storm Corrosion a collaboration between Åkerfeldt of Opeth and Steven Wilson

No tour was undertaken to promote the album, nor were any plans set for the future: the two chose to return to their respective musical projects.

The beating heart of this project is experimentation, without market pressure or genre labels.  Both with a past in Porcupine Tree and Opeth, Wilson and Åkerfeldt wanted to create music not based on the power of guitar riffs or technique, but rather on atmosphere, space, and minimalism.  The basic idea is to make “dark” music without using distorted guitars or the typical metal drums.  The darkness comes from silence, acoustic instruments, dissonances, and orchestral arrangements.  They imagined the tracks as the soundtrack to a horror or psychedelic film that was never made.  The inspiration comes from desolate landscapes, solitude, and 1970s auteur cinema.  The record also draws on the folk avant-garde of the late ’60s and early ’70s (such as Comus, Scott Walker, and Popol Vuh), where acoustic music became strange, theatrical, and almost magical.

The main line-up consists of founders Mikael Åkerfeldt and Steven Wilson. Åkerfeldt, whom I’ve already discussed in reviews of Opeth albums, provides his voice, plays acoustic and electric guitars, and handled co-production. Wilson, the creative mind behind Porcupine Tree, is known for his solo projects and parallel ones with No-Man, Blackfield, Bass Communion, and I.E.M. On the record, Wilson handles vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, guitars, bass, percussion, sound design, string arrangements, co-production, and mixing.

The record also boasts outstanding guest musicians and collaborators. Gavin Harrison, known for his work with Porcupine Tree, The Pineapple Thief, and King Crimson, plays percussion and drums on the track “Lock Howl”. Ben Castle, a British jazzman who has worked with Radiohead, Jamie Cullum, and George Michael, plays woodwinds (clarinet and flute) on the track “Hag”. Dave Stewart, a leading figure in the Canterbury progressive scene, handled the arrangement and conducting of the string orchestra on the tracks “Storm Corrosion” and “Lock Howl”. Finally, The London Session Orchestra, a prestigious London symphonic orchestra known for its work on film soundtracks and major rock productions, contributes its string section.

Mine is the deluxe KSCOPE1234 vinyl edition, but I also have the CD version.

“Drag Ropes”, the opening track and the duo’s first composition, immediately sets the album’s eerie, cinematic tone. The piece develops around a hypnotic crescendo, marked by a dark chamber-folk and psychedelic-folk style. Inspired by the atmospheres of Comus and Scott Walker, it is a gloomy, theatrical ballad. The imposing string arrangement, the dark rhythmic entry, and the contrast between the unsettling vocal parts are notable elements. The string arrangement, masterfully curated by Steven Wilson and performed by the London Session Orchestra, adds to the track’s overall beauty.

“Storm Corrosion” is a track of over ten minutes that defies conventional song structure, immersing the listener in a kind of emotional trance.  Very meditative and at times desolate, its music is ambient, folk, and drone.  Almost completely devoid of percussion, it relies on atmospheric textures and layered vocal harmonies. Halfway through, beautiful spectral shades emerge.  The key contribution of Dave Stewart, who arranged the second part of the strings for the London Session Orchestra, blends with Åkerfeldt’s acoustic guitar, which weaves minimal patterns.

“Hag” is one of the album’s strangest and most bizarre tracks. It constantly swings between moments of unreal calm and sudden dissonant explosions.  Its musical style is avant-garde/experimental rock, marked by eccentric arrangements and shifts in tone that create a sense of controlled unease.  Beautiful is the interplay between the two musicians’ vocals, moving from an almost inaudible whisper to muffled screams. Dark electronics meet Ben Castle’s wind arrangements.

Despite the title, “Happy“ is a piece with almost disturbing undertones.  The shortest track on the album (just under 5 minutes) focuses on experimental electronics and lopsided rhythms that leave you disoriented. Its musical style is psychedelic folk tainted by electronics. Beautiful are the acoustic guitars that clash with electronic loops and synthetic sounds. A performance built entirely on the chemistry between Wilson and Åkerfeldt, where Wilson’s care for electronics merges with Åkerfeldt’s acoustic, ethereal riffs.

“Lock Howl” is a track that evokes the darkest progressive, marked by a slow build that intertwines melancholy and unexpected folk arrangements.  The experimental progressive side shows through an orchestral arrangement that creates a suspended, mysterious atmosphere. The central section, with its handclaps and percussion, offers a musical “scherzo” within an otherwise bleak context.  Dave Stewart’s string arrangements and Gavin Harrison’s unconventional percussion (Porcupine Tree) further enrich the middle section.

“Ljudet Innan”, the closing suite, is majestic and ethereal. The title, which in Swedish means “The sound before”, pays tribute to Popol Vuh’s soundtrack for Aguirre.  Ambient and symphonic progressive blend into a continuous flow that gradually evolves toward the light, conveying a sense of release. The layered vocal arrangements create an almost choral, heavenly atmosphere. Steven Wilson’s synth and keyboard work, together with Mikael Åkerfeldt’s expansive, melancholy guitar solos, completes this extraordinary track.

Despite the two leaders’ reputation in heavy metal and progressive rock, it is not a progressive metal album; the sound is ambient and orchestral. This may have disappointed many people’s expectations. But not mine. I find it a beautiful album and I hope it gets a follow-up.

The Tracks

1. Drag Ropes (9:52)
2. Storm Corrosion (10:09)
3. Hag (6:28)
4. Happy (4:54)
5. Lock Howl (6:10)
6. Ljudet innan (10:20)

Total Time 47:53

Line-Up

- Mikael Åkerfeldt - guitars, vocals, co-producer
- Steven Wilson - keyboards, vocals, string arrangements (1), co-producer

With:
- Ben Castle - winds
- Gavin Harrison - drums and percussion
- Dave Stewart - string arrangements (2, 5)
- London Session Orchestra - strings (1, 2, 5)

This album is, in every respect, a METEOR of Progressive Rock, visit the section PROG METEORS for more information

Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the page “Artists”