I found these guys quite late, but still way before knowing much or truly appreciating most of the styles they were somehow including in their music, and still they quickly became one of my favourite bands. It's been around 15 years since I know them. I've had enough time to delve into progressive rock, different flavours of metal, including the most brutal ones, which are part of their influences. As I go farther, as my knowledge gets deeper and my appreciation of all these music styles grows, I can't avoid getting back to Opeth and rediscover again and again their already long and diverse journey. This is their first one, and it is astonishing. It has aged better than most debut albums anywhere, and the more I listen from everything and everywhere, the more I appreciate this masterpiece. It's diverse, brutal, eerie, atmospheric, beautiful.
"sink or swim
life and limb
heads or tails
soul to sell
tear a hole
burst in tears
the end is near
no volunteers
he talks his head off
pick me up
in an orange car
take my heart
take me far
pick me up
in an orange car
you don‘t know
you‘ve left a scar
pick me up
in an orange car
let‘s forget
who we are"
Years passed, tastes evolved, sounds that once were there every day, now appear only occasionally. Among those, however, there are a few that manage to blow my mind in the same way they used to.
"In these awful moments
There’s a brightness everywhere
Even in these awful moments
I feel it against my palm
I can feel your heart
Just underneath the way home..."
"No one, shall dig you up
From the, depth of their thoughts
As the years, will pass you on
And your mortal brains and bones turn stone
Nothing, shall reach your ears
Far from, their clear blue tears
As you lay, in slow decay
But all love, from up above
Still makes your heart just move, enough
No one, shall dare to leave
Fading, my legacy
As the years, will pass me on
I’ll be gone "
"Oh you're not leaving this wreck
We're both going down with it
Oh you're not leaving this wreck
We're both going down with it
Oh you're not leaving this wreck
I've got pills in my pocket"