Opeth - Blackwater Park

If you like death metal, get this album. If you don't like death metal, get this album. You'll like it after listening to Blackwater Park. Throw out all of your preconceptions of music praising Satan and screaming about blood and gore. This is something completely different.

Most of the songs hover around the ten minute mark, and include anything from guttural growls and double bass to acoustic melodies and flawlessly sung clean vocals. By the time this album came out, this wasn't completely unexpected from Opeth, as they have been incorporating many different elements into their music since Orchid, but never before had the moments of brutality blended so seamlessly with the moments of beauty. Not only does this album span numerous genres, the album is also extremely atmospheric, adding some slight touches of psychedelia, which Opeth has since explored in full force on more recent musical endeavors, such as Damnation and Watershed.

Just as a footnote:
You know the saying "you can never have too much of a great thing?" Well, with death metal, you can. Trust me. I've been down that dark road. Stay in school kids. Listen sparingly.

http://www.mediafire.com/?bj7bxcyfnzu


Now that I've gotten a few of my favorite heavier albums over with, expect much more varied posts in the days to come.

Tool - Lateralus

Tool - Lateralus


Tool is a band that I have listened to since I was old enough to comprehend what music was. I still remember hearing them on the radio when I was young and being amazed that there was music like that being made despite all of the terrible pop music being played as well.

I read a review somewhere that referred to this album as a "monolithic puzzlebox," which I agree with completely. Every time you listen, there is something new to be noticed. This was their second album to introduce more progressive elements to their music and leave behind some of their grungy and thrash influences.

The evolution of this band is pretty remarkable when you compare their early works to albums like Lateralus:

Here is a bunch of very angry young men.


....and these are those same musicians years later(give or take a bass player):


Thematically, this is a very interesting and diverse album. The syllables Maynard uses at one point in the title track make the Fibonacci sequence, while the lyrics revolve around spirals, nature, and reaching a higher level of awareness. Other songs convey anger in a calm and meditative way, broach the subject of basic communication, and serve as great TOOLS for blowing off steam.

Throughout countless listens, I have really connected with this album, both personally and emotionally. I hope you take the time to listen to this in its entirety sometime. It's quite an experience.

I really encourage you to find an actual copy of the CD. The artwork contained is some of Alex Grey's best.
http://www.mediafire.com/?dzv7zv44jrt