Band : Opeth

Album title : Watershed

Label : Roadrunner Records

Distributor : CNR

Release Date : 03/06/2008

Release : CD
I'll bet this is gone a be the album of the year! Opeth does what everyone's expected. They come up with their progressive death metal mixed with all kinds of obscure seventies progressive metal. The album starts with “Coil”, a short song with folk influences that sounds a little bit like Led Zeppelin. But after that soft start Opeth shows their talent in the nine minutes long song “Heir Apparent”. Vocalist Mikael Akerfeldt improved his clean vocals more and more and is responsible for all the writing and composing material. Martin Axenrot makes his studio debut as the drummer of Opeth and Fredrik Akesson, ex-Arch Enemy, is the new guitar player so that bassist Martin Mendez will be the only band member from the old days besides vocalist Mikael Akerfeldt of course. All these guys sure know how to handle their instruments. The band sounds more atmospheric and experimental than ever. Closing track “Hex Omega” shows the right and exciting equilibrium between brutal violence, fragile patience and alienating sound escapes. This new album is without a doubt indelibly human, thoroughly tragic and hauntingly beautiful. “Watershed” is an album that shows real quality music. The songs of the new album by this Swedish Band takes a continues place in the mind.
90/100

Guido Claes.