Review Summary: A regression back to their new identity.
The past few years have not been kind to Opeth fans.
With the release of "Heritage" in 2011 making it clear that Opeth were poised to wear their influences on their sleeve, the complaints from "true" Opeth fans started piling up at forums and threads everywhere, with the main complaint being the now classic "where are the growls?". But something didn't feel quite right...
Was it the lack of Mikael Åkerfeldt's signature growls that ruined the album?
Unlikely, as Opeth have previously ventured into the land of clean-singing with their excellent 2003 album, "Damnation" to very little criticism, as the album was nicely executed and kept the sound Opeth had by then become famous for.
Perhaps the lack of haunting, dark, goth-like atmosphere in their tracks?
Hard to believe, as 2008 Watershed showed the direction the band would take in their next two albums, with their third single, "Burden", being heralded as one of Opeth's best songs in recent years, despite the fact that it not only lacked growls, but also had a very distinctive 70's Prog sound, with very little of the dark and creepy tones throughout the album, "Porcelain Heart" notwithstanding.
This was made more difficult by the fact that hearing their latest two albums was deja vu all over again, since their 1995 album, Orchid, also lacked this je ne sais quoi that made Opeth so infamous, despite having both the dark and haunting atmosphere and plenty of growls.
I was determined to figure out what was lacking from Heritage & their recent release, Pale Communion. and after hearing the album with as much of an unbiased opinion as I could muster, it hit me...
Pale Communion is a masterfully crafted album. Each song is beautifully executed, and the songwriting skills of Mikael Åkerfeldt are still undeniably there. "Cusp of Eternity" veers dangerously close to Metal territory, and "Moon Above, Sun Below" shows the Prog side that they have never denied, with excellent craftsmanship and technical prowess above most of their contemporaries. But what the album is missing is the lack of an emotional response that made many (including yours truly) an Opeth fan.
Albums like Blackwater Park and Ghost Reveries shifted beautifully between heavy and mellow dynamics, triggering cathartic, atmospheric, angry, and soothing feelings (usually within the same song), showing not only the volatile characteristics of the human mind, but also our subconscious deep connection to Music, and it's emotional response. People of all ages could find something to love, even if they hated Metal, as the varied and fluctuating nature of songs like "Reverie/Harlequin Forest" or "Deliverance" kept evoking emotions from nostalgia and sadness to passion and hate.
But where Pale Communion succeeds as a Classic Prog Rock album, is where it fails as an Opeth album.
Pale Communion will naturally remind the listener of 70's Prog gems like early King Crimson & Jethro Tull, ELP's debut & even at times, Gentle Giant. Most of the similarities lie in the dedication to making catchy melodies constantly shifting between instrumental solos and memorable (although at times simplistic) vocal lines. Yet, this is not what made Opeth a household name.
The album fails at engaging the listener beyond wowing them with technicality (not only instrumentally, but in the songwriting department as well). Tracks like "Goblin" and " Voice of Treason" are great songs which proudly show how much time Mikael put into the finer details that make a Prog song a Prog song in the first place. However, this is not what Opeth fans are here for. It is possible to release a song with a wide range of emotions without the need for growls or complicated lyrics, as "Arriving Somewhere But Not Here" from Porcupine Tree shows effortlessly, just to give a quick example.
But Opeth have now dedicated themselves in the past two albums to simply pay a heavy homage to the artists that influenced Mikael, and although that shows great humility, both albums lack the unique identity & emotional impact that made the rest of their discography so memorable.
In resume, Pale Communion is an excellent Classic Prog Rock album. All the elements are there to make it a catchy, beautifully produced album that can resonate with fans of bands like Yes or King Crimson.
But as an Opeth album, it is a disappointing reminder that the cathartic band that gave its fans some of the most intense emotional responses through detailed dynamic shifts that played with both the dark and bright sides of life is, at least for now, in a deep slumber. One that we can only hope will come to an end sooner rather than later.
