Blackwater Park cover

Blackwater Park

Released

Mikael Åkerfeldt’s friendship with Porcupine Tree mainman (and noted prog rock archivist) Stephen Wilson paid massive dividends on their fifth record – hell, the album itself is named after an obscure 70s one-off band. Opeth went from being a death metal band with progressive elements to being a progressive metal band with death elements here. The change suited them well. Emphasizing the dynamics between acoustic and electric, growled and crooned, complex 10-minute epics like “Bleak” and “The Drapery Falls” bloom like beautiful orchids. And when they go for the direct approach on “Harvest,” they release the deluge.

Jeff Treppel

Recommended by

Suggestions
Crimson cover

Crimson

Edge of Sanity
Medusa cover

Medusa

Trapeze
In Praise of Learning cover

In Praise of Learning

Henry Cow, Slapp Happy
H to He Who Am the Only One cover

H to He Who Am the Only One

Van der Graaf Generator
Fever Tree cover

Fever Tree

Fever Tree
La Maquina de Hacer Pajaros cover

La Maquina de Hacer Pajaros

La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros
Together cover

Together

Golden Earring
Rebirth cover

Rebirth

Consortium