Opeth: Blackwater Park (2LP, 25th anniversary, half black, half silver vinyl) [MUSIC FOR NATIONS]

Why you'll love it

This 25th anniversary pressing splits the vinyl black and silver, a nice nod to an album that swings between crushing death metal and gorgeous acoustic calm. Loudwire named it the No. 1 progressive metal album of all time.

This edition

• 25th anniversary edition
• Half black, half silver vinyl
• Booklet included
• Stereo mix
• Pressed in the EU
• 2LP set

About the album

The meeting that made this album sounds unlikely on paper: Swedish death metal band hires the frontman of an English prog band to produce. But Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree turned out to be exactly what Mikael Åkerfeldt and Opeth needed, and Blackwater Park became their breakthrough.

The songs are long, winding journeys, with growled vocals and pummelling riffs giving way to clean singing, acoustic guitars and melancholy piano. "The Leper Affinity" opens with a fury, "Bleak" and "The Drapery Falls" are towering epics, "Harvest" is a lovely folky breather, and the title track closes in a dark, epic sprawl.

It also landed on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest metal albums. If you've ever wondered where heavy music and Pink Floyd-style beauty meet, start here.

Also at Kops: more Opeth on vinyl · browse Metal

Tracklist

Listen

On Music for Nations (cat# 19958411441), a reissue of the 2001 album.