[Reaper16]

09. Opeth – Pale Communion


This is the album that Heritage, Opeth’s previous release, wanted to be. Like that album, Pale Communion is a thoroughgoing 70’s prog rock project. Unlike that album, Opeth figured out here how to compensate in their song structures for the lack of death metal instrumentation. This is a heavy album, insofar as you can consider organ sounds to be brooding & dark. The only negative thing I have to say about this album is that it is straight 70’s prog that’s perhaps too reliant on winking, nudge-nudge, “did you catch that?” homage cleverness. It offers nothing new at all. But if you like 70s prog rock & more modern guitar sounds, then you’ll like this. Mikael Akerfeldt gives the strongest clean singing performance of his career with strong, catchy vocal lines. The rhythm section is classic Opeth genius. The keyboards & organs are gorgeous. And the song structures are pretty tight.