Review Summary: A truly beautiful debut that has well and truly stood the test of time and at the very least deserves a listen
Very few debuts in the death metal genre, let alone the genre of metal itself are quite as hard hitting as Opeth’s “Orchid”. What the band have created, for a debut at least, is a truly visionary piece with fresh melodies, beautiful acoustic passages and spine-tingling vocals that leave an impression on the listener quite unlike any other. And despite the fact that it is rough around the edges and doesn’t quite have the refinement of the group’s later releases, it is still a worthy listen that establishes Opeth as something a bit unique and a band who were worth watching out for in the future.
What is even more impressive about this much praised group of Swedish musicians is that this album actually contains two of Opeth’s finest moments on disk, standing up there with the best from “Blackwater Park” and “Still Life”. These two songs happen to be “In the Mist She Was Standing” and the atmospheric “The Twilight is My Robe”, which contains some of Opeth’s most beautiful melodic lead guitar lines to date. As an opener, “In the Mist...” is remarkable. The intertwining guitars carry the song along at a considerable pace and don’t let up for the first 2 minutes of the song, increasing in speed and intensity the further into this timeframe you listen. Akerfeldt, one of the genre’s most distinguishable artists, also hands in a stellar performance that alters from harsh, death metal vocals to spooky, eerie whispers that add a brilliant atmosphere to the record along with its relatively raw production. This is emphasised even further on its follow up, “Under the Weeping Moon”, which is perhaps the very closest that Opeth have come to black metal. After a folk-esque guitar opening, the electrics continue the riff along until Akerfeldt puts in his best performance on the disk, especially in the fantastic calm period after the guitars die down in intensity. The change in style is not only incredibly effective, but rather unexpected, the wailing drone of the guitars and Akerfeldt’s growls creating something wholly unique and chilling upon the ears.
This is by far one of Opeth’s most interesting listens, more so than 2008’s “Watershed” and even “Ghost Reveries”. While the first two tracks give us a unique mix of prog rock, death metal and black metal atmospherics, Opeth throw another spanner in the works and unleash a piano piece that while not anything incredible is a nice break from the intensity and musical barrage of the first two on the disk. These dynamic changes continue throughout the disk and while it can be argued that at times they sound somewhat out of place and sometimes really do not feel like they are needed, they still add something unique to the overall sound.
As you may have guessed, Orchid is a masterpiece of instrumentation and vocals. The drums certainly drive the songs along at a good pace, yet they do not overpower the guitars so much that they are inaudible and the bass rumbles away pleasantly in the background. The vocal quality is top-notch, and even among some of Akerfeldt’s most emotive works but sometimes his growls simply do not fill the music and fade away, something which was unfortunately still present in the follow-up. It’s a shame, seeming as Mikael Akerfeldt is the beating heart of the band and the only original member left nowadays.
Even if you take some of its worse factors into consideration, what Opeth have achieved with “Orchid” is phenomenal. It may lack the refinement and the quality of the band later releases, but the unique atmosphere and clear demonstrations of musicianship mean that this is a debut that deserves to be heard by everyone who associates themselves with metal. It’s a breath of fresh air and a hint of what was to come. Plus, most of the tracks have stood the test of time and two of the best songs the band have ever created are present on the disk. What more could a listener ask for on a debut outing?
Recommended tracks:
1. In the Mist She Was Standing
2. Under the Weeping Moon
3. The Twilight is My Robe
4. The Apostle in Triumph
