Sorceress - Opeth (2016)

Crazy time signatures, wild changes in tempo and feel, acoustic pleasantness whipping into a raging roar. Opeth is a fantastically muscular band that still has a great feel for texture in its songs.

This one is part of their modern era of full-on progressive hard rock, with only a few trappings of the metal band they used to be.

It’s been an amazing transformation to witness and I’m sure they aren’t done yet.

The reviews on AllMusic are often interesting and insightful, but I have a bone to pick with their take on this record. The review (which does list it as a 4-star album; it’s not like they’re trashing it) spends more time name-dropping things it sounds like than talking about the actual music. Opeth have grown into something much more than the sum of their influences; I think it does a disservice to the band’s originality of thought to keep talking about how they sound like somebody else. But that’s just me being #MadOnline I guess.

Tracks I Liked

Sorceress - time signatures change often enough that it’s a genuine challenge to bob your head along with it but it’s awesome

Chrysalis - a knife in the ribs to anyone who thinks Opeth can’t bring the metal anymore

Fleeting Glance - a gaudy, gorgeous fluid tune