Opeth "Lamentations" (Koch)
By Eric Chon
Thursday. Jul 15, 10:21 AM
An amazing visual/aural presentation of this band's many sides.

If you know me at all, you know that I have great respect and love for Opeth. Although a late-comer to their band (I was introduced through Deliverance and have since purchased their entire body of work), they have quickly rocketed up my mental Top 10 list and now occupy spot #3 (behind Faith No More and Iron Maiden, respectively). I worked my way backward through their catalogue, discovering death metal at its finest and all the genre-bending and twisting that goes along with Opeth albums.

So, imagine my delight when I heard about their next release, Damnation – a truly daring release of contemplative and serene, though no less morose and dark – music. An instant classic and my favorite work of theirs (if just for the strength of the whole album).

Well, not long afterward, Opeth announced the release of a live DVD entitled Lamentations, and woe befall the wallet of any fan. Lamentations is a required purchase for any Opeth follower – or any metal fan.

The entirety of their Damnation album is presented in glorious widescreen, DTS Digital sound. Witnessing them live is a sight, as the energy and vitality jump out at you. Complex changes, textured chords, and technical mastery are all on display – clearly Opeth are meant to be experienced live and this DVD provides as close to a perfect experience as possible. Their playing is tight, clean, and moving. Mike Akerfeldt’s soft-spoken demeanor in between songs is relaxed, friendly, and appreciative.

But this wouldn’t be an Opeth concert without inclusion of the material they’re best known for… and it shreds! There is a ferocity to their aural onslaught that is totally at odds with their previous performance. They’ve traded the serenity for an unchecked wickedness. Amazing.

The “bonus” is an hour-long documentary of the recording process for both Damnation and Deliverance (recorded at the same time). It’s a candid and oftentimes hilarious look inside one of metal’s most important bands. This alone is worth the price of admission.

Lamentations will get a lot of play from me. From the amazingly well recorded and presented concert to the fantastic documentary, this is one of the best “band” DVDs I’ve had the pleasure of owning.
www.opeth.com
www.kochrecords.com

Eric Chon

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