Opeth: Pale Communion (2LP, Metal Matters campaign) [ROADRUNNER]

Why you'll love it

This 2LP set gives each of the album's eight long-form songs its own side. Pale Communion debuted at No. 19 on the Billboard 200, and The Guardian gave it a perfect score.

This edition

• 2LP set

About the album

Mikael Åkerfeldt went into Pale Communion wanting melody above all, stronger vocal lines and more tunes everywhere, and the Swedish band delivered their most lush and lyrical record yet. It was the first album with keyboardist Joakim Svalberg, whose keyboards give it a warm 1970s glow, and Steven Wilson, of Porcupine Tree fame, handled the mix.

"Eternal Rains Will Come" opens with a dizzy rush of riffs before settling into a gorgeous chorus, "Cusp of Eternity" is a hard-charging riff with a soaring vocal, and "Moon Above, Sun Below" stretches into a ten-minute prog epic. "Goblin" is a playful instrumental tip of the hat to the Italian prog band of the same name, "River" and "Elysian Woes" lean pastoral, and "Faith in Others" closes with some of Åkerfeldt's most moving singing. Åkerfeldt sings clean all the way through, and the ensemble playing is pin-sharp. AllMusic heard echoes of King Crimson and Deep Purple's In Rock.

Travis Smith's triptych cover carries three Latin inscriptions, from Axel Oxenstierna, Terence and Martial. It is one of very few prog records that come with homework, and we'd suggest doing it with the album on.

Also at Kops: more Opeth on vinyl · browse Metal

Tracklist

Listen

On Roadrunner (cat# R1 729192), a reissue of the 2014 album.