Damnation - Opeth

Damnation is different to other records I have heard by Opeth, as it is much calmer. Opeth are a metal band, and Mikael Åkerfeldt’s voice roars with such power it seems as if his vocal chords have become a medium for Satan himself to speak. The four-piece from Sweden are skilful musicians, and they seem to take the metal genre to various levels, as their songs are stimulating, the vocals are like nature insofar as Åkerfeldt can sound as powerful ...
...else can. Those responsible for Damnation are ARTISTS, who craft their work to perfection, with soaring shimmering sounds, softly crooned songs, and well written words, that actually say something. This album passes comment on that feeling of loss we all experience in life, and the songs capture this raw emotion, and re-present it in a beautiful manner. The music is relaxing, soothing and floats into your ears at its leisure. Damnation opens with ... more

Damnation is different to other records I have heard by Opeth, as it is much calmer. Opeth are a metal band, and Mikael Åkerfeldt’s voice roars with such power it seems as if his vocal chords have become a medium for Satan himself to speak. The four-piece from Sweden are skilful musicians, and they seem to take the metal genre to various levels, as their songs are stimulating, the vocals are like nature insofar as Åkerfeldt can sound as powerful or as gentle as he wants, and the way the guitars are used to create the clamour that can captivate a listener is sheer brilliance. Opeth make MUSIC. They do not produce catchy, in-at-number-one songs, because that is not what they are about; they make this music because it is their calling, and possibly because no one else can. Those responsible for Damnation are ARTISTS, who craft their work to perfection, with soaring shimmering sounds, softly crooned songs, and well written words, that actually say something. This album passes comment on that feeling of loss we all experience in life, and the songs capture this raw emotion, and re-present it in a beautiful manner. The music is relaxing, soothing and floats into your ears at its leisure. Damnation opens with soft strings, and the beautiful vocal talents of Mikael Åkerfeldt. The opener, Windowpane, is luscious and sets the mood for the album; the lyrics 'his hand is waving a goodbye; there's no response or action returned' sums up the feeling of loss we all in some way experience in life.

The songs are quite long, though considering the fact Opeth have created some 20 minute epics in their time, 8 minutes seems quite short. The album as a whole is uplifting, memorable, and a strong overall favourite of mine. Everything about this work is impressive; the black and white photography for the album’s artwork, the lyrics, the voice, the sounds, the power that the music has over my feelings and thoughts. I would consider this album essential, as even if you dislike death-metal and such, this is so soft and mellow, showing that there is more to this genre than indecipherable rants, howls and shrieks, as Opeth maintain their quality regardless of the manner in which they present their material. This album would be a good spring board for the curious, as Opeth have such a vast range of material, and by choosing Damnation as a starting point, it will prevent diving-head-first into some of their more heavier work, and will allow their lyrical talent to be appreciated.

The songs of Opeth are like poetry; they are not churning out mindless three-minute ditties aimed at the top-ten, which is respectable, but this does not guarantee success. The songs are crafted perceptively, and make me wonder about the standards of music in general; with no disrespect intended to those who have English as a second language, it seems to me that English speaking bands are neglecting the capacities of their own language, using the same old phrases to create a hit, and therefore having nothing of value to contribute musically. Opeth are gifted, but they are long-haired, bearded men in their 30’s with actual skill, not blonde, baby faced body-builders with a pre-tested script of some hit song from the 80s to cover. Sad to think that the latter tend to win. The deserving do not get the recognition that is rightfully theirs, but maybe I can sway your thoughts, as not all of humanity is shallow, and I’m sure many of you will actually want to experience music rather than consume it.

Opeth are indeed an experience. The songs move along at their leisure, and are quite mystical, supernatural and spiritual. In my time of Need is a lovely song, about the end of a certain phase in life, such as a relationship, and the images used to express these feelings, such as ‘Summer is miles and miles away’ are earnest and heartfelt. The imagery of sun is a recurrent theme, as in the song Closure, Åkerfeldt. sighs ‘In the rays of the sun, I am longing for the darkness’. The songs play on representation of nature to express their meaning, which seems quite affectionate, and makes the tunes feel more comfortable and familiar to listen to, as the ideas expressed are clever, but not too distant to relate to. Hope Leaves is one of my favourites, as it captures the feeling of purposelessness (yes, that is a word) that people feel, with lyrical sentiments such as; ‘So used to losing whole ambition, struggling to maintain what’s left’. The song itself reflects the title in its hopeless outlook. To Rid the Disease is another well polished ballad of failed relationships, with a divine musical exploration of a finale, and Ending Credits is a musical number, which seems semi-experimental, and is interesting in it own right. The ending track, Weakness, is a stunning whisper, and winds down the record perfectly.

In summary, this is a calm, sublime record, and I reccommend it to anybody who has an interest in music and likes to explore vibrant culture rather than mass-marketed garbage. 

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