Spectral Daydreams

Hey guys,

While I've fallen irrevokably behind in the 30 Day Comic Book Challenge and don't think I'm going to continue with that, one thing I haven't been able to stop doing is listening to Opeth.

A few weeks back, I posted the music video ("The Grand Conjuration") that the album "Ghost Reveries" spawned and since I've decided to make today my last day (for now) for listening to that album, I thought I'd come back and do my little mini-review of the record and share some of my thoughts about it and post videos for some of my favorite tunes.

I guess the most notable thing about this one that I've read is that there's actually debate as to whether or not it's a concept album. The popular answer that I've come across to answer that question is that the first seven tracks ARE, in fact, a loose concept piece and that the eighth track ("Isolation Years") is not part of the concept, but was added because vocalist/guitarist/mastermind Mikael Akerfeldt liked the song and wanted it on the record.

The supposed concept of the first seven tunes is that a man has brutally murdered his mother and now lives in guilt, paranoia, and insanity because of that act.

This album sees the return of the death metal growls, absent on the last album "Damnation", but also, like most Opeth efforts, switches around from brutality to beauty and back again.

Let's take a look... or, um... listen to some of my favorite tracks from the album, shall we?



Harlequin Forest



There are many things I like about this song and things that struck me about it from first hearing it. Oh, and before I start: although the video that you're going to see is labelled on YouTube as "Reverie/Harlequin Forest", this is only "Harlequin Forest" unless I'm mistaken... Anyway...

The very beginning of the song, judging by the lyrics, conveys the character in the concept running into the forest. I love the fact that the music, if you stop, listen, and visualize it, almost shows the character stopping, looking over his shoulder and then taking off "into the trees". That guitar riff starts it all off and then that drum fill and driving beat start the running in my mind every time I hear it. :)

The lyrics and melody at 2:19 ("A trail of sickness leading to me. If I am haunted, then you will see.") have stuck in my mind from the very first time I heard them. Very cool.

The part at 7:23 has also frequently popped into my head during the days I've been listening to this one. You've got those nice heavy guitars underneath and Mikael's spooky clean vocals weaving overtop of it (starting with "It's all false pretension..."). Love that part...

Also, although the outro gets a bit "mathy" and seems to be an odd meter, I believe it remains in a 4/4 time signature. Whatever it does, it's cool, too. You can hear it at 10:00 into the song.

"Harlequin Forest" was my favorite of the heavier tunes on the record. Let's hear a song that's more mellow now in "Hours of Wealth".



Hours of Wealth



You really just need to listen to the whole of this song right now. It's one of the most beautiful things I've heard in quite some time. This one just moved my soul from the very first time I heard it and if I'm alone and really concentrating on it, somewhere in the part between 2:23 and the end of the song, a tear will inadvertently slip from my eye. Simply a gorgeous song.

Well, guys... There's a few words about "Ghost Reveries". I've got a lot more I wanna do tonight, but I may give the next Opeth album "Watershed" a spin and come back and post the music videos made from it and stuff later. If not tonight, it should be very soon.

Be well and...

Peace...