Blackwater Park by Opeth

Blackwater Park, Opeth's fifth album, was released in 2001, here in its twentieth anniversary reissue. One of the band's best albums and one of the best progressive albums of all time, an essential album.

The sound is based on a fusion of death metal with melodic aspects typical of progressive rock.

This album follow the masterpiece  Still Life, which remains my all-time favorite, with its warm atmosphere, while Blackwater Park moves toward Nordic, darker, and more macabre atmospheres.

The contrast between heavy, growling vocals alongside acoustic passages and clear vocals, enhanced by the excellent and refined production, is beautiful. An album of great emotional depth, with complex arrangements and an overall sound that have determined its great influence on progressive metal.

Many of the songs are sung with the telephone vocals typical of Steven Wilson's work. He participated in the production of Blackwater Park and the recording of the tracks "Bleak" and "The Drapery Falls," on which he contributed (and you can hear it) with backing vocals.

Heavy songs, like "The Leper Affinity" and "The Funeral Portrait," alternate with more melodic and acoustic pieces, like "Harvest" and "Patterns in the Ivy."

A great album, truly a piece of modern art.

Tracklist

1. The Leper Affinity (10:23)
2. Bleak (9:16)
3. Harvest (6:01)
4. The Drapery Falls (10:54)
5. Dirge for November (7:54)
6. The Funeral Portrait (8:44)
7. Patterns in the Ivy (1:53)
8. Blackwater Park (12:08)

Duration 67:13

LineUp

- Mikael Åkerfeldt - electric and acoustic guitar (6 and 12 strings), vocals, co-producer
- Peter Lindgren - guitar
- Martin Mendez - bass
- Martin Lopez - drums

Featuring:
- Steven Wilson - lead guitar (2), piano, backing vocals (2-4, 6), co-producer
- Markus Lindberg - percussion

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