Don't know much about this ambient/doomdeath band, except that they've whored themselves out for tribute albums every so often (namely, for Celtic Frost and Iron Maiden.) Singer & guitarist Mikael Acker-something has also performed for Edge of Sanity, Katatonia, and Bloodbath.

"Orchid"

1. "In Mist She Was Standing" (14:09)
2. "Under the Weeping Moon" (9:52)
3. "Silhouette"--instrumental (3:07)
4. "Forest of October" (13:04)
5. "The Twilight is My Robe" (11:01)
6. "Requiem"--instrumental (1:11)
7. "The Apostle in Triumph" (13:01)

...ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz...... [snort]

Oh, sorry. I was listening to this album to review it, and sorta dozed off. Let me queue it again. Hmmmm......

...ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz............ Bah, screw it. (I think that says it all, really.)

"Morningrise"

1. "Advert" (13:46)
2. "The Night and the Silent Water" (11:00)
3. "Nectar" (10:09)
4. "Black Rose Immortal" (20:14)
5. "To Bid You Farewell" (10:57)

Never heard anything by this band before, but with five songs all longer than 10 minutes each, it was an easy sell for me. :-) Lots of different musical stylings here, varying from acoustic to ambient to straightforward metal...the death-metal screeching kinda jars with the music at first, but the vocals clean themselves up on the last couple tracks. Still, I kinda find myself drifting off when I listen to it...maybe in a few years it will grow on me...

"My Arms, Your Hearse"

1. "Prologue"--instrumental (0:59)
2. "April Ethereal" (8:41)
3. "When" (9:41)
4. "Madrigal"--instrumental (1:25)
5. "The Amen Corner" (8:43)
6. "Demon of the Fall" (6:13)
7. "Credence" (5:29)
8. "Karma" (7:52)
9. "Epilogue"--instrumental (3:59)

Ah, THIS is more like it. Finally, the music forms actual songs, full of dynamic changes and energy, instead of pointless random noodling. It's a concept album, which may or may not have made a difference, I don't pay attention to lyrics anyway. The standout track is "Demon of the Fall", which I've heard many people claim to be their best song ever (or at least "most definitive", ehehe) and while they have a point, I still think "Blackwater Park" kicks its ass bloody. For now, at least.

"Blackwater Park"

1. "The Leper Affinity" (10:23)
2. "Bleak" (9:15)
3. "Harvest" (6:01)
4. "The Drapery Falls" (10:53)
5. "Dirge for November" (7:53)
6. "The Funeral Portrait" (8:44)
7. "Patterns in the Ivy"--instrumental (1:52)
8. "Blackwater Park" (12:08)

This was the 2nd Opeth CD I'd ever heard, after owning only Morningrise for years, so for the first time I realized what the fuss was all about. :) (The disc came to me free from a friend who had an extra copy and took pity on my pathetic Opeth collection...thanks, Hans!) While their basic style hasn't changed much -- music alternating between mid-paced doom metal with death vocals and quiet, acoustic passages with clean vocals -- the song constructions are MUCH tighter and cohesive, and the sense of atmosphere is much more effective. The title track, in particular, is a freakin' masterpiece. And my road tape of this CD has been in "medium rotation" in my car's tape deck for months, so repeat listens aren't a problem, either. The only drawback is...I don't see how they can top this. Really, I don't. (I've heard a few tracks from the followup, Deliverance, and wasn't impressed...)

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