Released: 1999
Genre: Rock
Styles: Symphonic Black Metal, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Scandinavian Metal, Death Metal/Black Metal
Number Of Tracks: 7
It finds the band re-examining their unlikely fusion of progressive rock and black metal to highlight the former while staying in touch with the latter.
Still Life
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on april 27, 2005 5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Sound: This is where Opeth started developing their sound to the one we know and love. The guitars sound clearer on this album, although not as 'chunky' as in MAYH. The bass is at the perfect volume, so you can hear it clearly without it drowning out the electric guitars. The drum sound is excellent, possibly my favourite drum sound ever and all the members play brilliantly. Very precise and complex music and all pulled off perfectly. Sounds perfect. // 10
Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics are written with a concept behind them. From what I've managed to gather, it is the story of a man who returns to the village he was exiled from for being an 'ungodly freak' to reunite with his love, Melinda. He soons learns she is engaged to another man, and meanwhile the people who exiled the man known as the 'council of the cross' find out he has returned. They capture and kill Melinda and in rage the man fights the men, only to be beaten down. He is taken to be executed, but just before he is hung, he sees Melinda waiting for him in the next life. So basically a unhappy storyline with a slight glint of hope. The lyrics are amazing, inspiring and they fit in perfectly. Each line is sung or growled with passions sung just the perfect way to suit the music. Amazing vocal lines compliment the lyrics perfectly. // 10
Impression: Personally, this is my favourite Opeth album, then it's joint between MAYH and BWP. Those 3 albums seemed to capture Opeth when they were at a creative peak, and this one was the best one to come out from them. It's all flawless, bar the dodgy mixing at the end of Serenity Painted Death. // 10
Still Life
Reviewed by:
aenimafist, on december 19, 2008 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Sound: Still Life was the second album after Opeth formed with the members who would bring the band the most fame. That fact right there talls you right away that you're in for something good. The Moor is a solid opening track with an ominous opening then breaking into this beautiful while still sad run of acoustic guitars that sound like classic Opeth. Then it goes into Godhead's Lament which may be the best song on the record because the riffs and chorus are so well written. Benighted, while being Opeth's number one rated tab, in terms of hits, is a pretty good ballad song but not as good as some of the stuff on Damnation. moving on we hit Face of Melinda which is viewed by some to be the best song on the record. It is a very solid song but not the best. Serenity Painted Death may be the best song on the album yet. It reflects the previous release of My Arms Your Hearse in many ways and adds a lot of good riffs to the record. // 9
Lyrics and Singing: Mikael Akerfeldt, while being one of the most versatile vocalists ever in music, let alone metal, crafts annihilating crunch vocal lines and adds in soft and sometimes rigid clean vocals. Akerfeldt explores a different concept than has been seen on other records in the idea of someone losing a loved one and then seeing their ghost all over the place. Maybe I am not completely right but the idea goes something like that. Anyway, Benighted is a really fun song to sing along to! // 9
Impression: I think this record may be my fifth or sixth favorite Opeth album yet but it is still a solid album all around. There is plenty of ebb and flow here along with constant variety of sound and tones. The songs all flow very nicely from one to the other and make smooth transitions to different parts of the songs to others. All around this record garners a nine from me which is still the same as a four and a half out of five so this is something good! Best songs: The Moor, Godheads Lament, and Serenity Painted Death. This record may have been able to use one more song like Watershed needed but it really is fine as it is. // 9
Still Life
Reviewed by:
lukeuh36azabc, on may 21, 2008 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Sound: I can't stress enough how talented these musicians are, and not only with thier instruments, they create amazing harmonies, contrast, structure, tone, mixes, dissonance, time sigs, key changes and use of instruments. It really shows that thier are some genuinely talented musians in metal and that it's not just 'shouting'. Opeth must have such a variety in music tastes, they use folk, prog rock and jazz influences layered over thier primary genre death/black metal. I am only giving the sound 9/10 because even though it deserves a 10 black water park has a better sound. // 9
Lyrics and Singing: Opeth has who I think is the greatest and most versitile singer alive. He has one of the best death growls I have ever heard and he has the most amazing clean voice and he uses both vocal styles to maximum effect. the lyrics are amazing although they are almost always nonsenceical to me I am sure they mean somthing very special to the band. // 10
Impression: This album is Opeth's second best album, but I think it is one of the best albums ever created, it is a must listen to anyone who's into metal, and even if you arn't into metal give it a listen anyway and I am sure you will be able to admire the musicianship of the band. Still Life has progressed a lot from mayh in a positive way, and in the same way blackwater park improves on still life. I love every thing about this album, it is so consistant throughout if I could chose any stand out tracks it would be godheads lament, the moor, and serenity painted death. What ever music your into please buy this album you woun't regret it!!!! // 10
Still Life
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on june 25, 2007 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Sound: Opeth breaks the mold unlike any other band out there. Their transitions between acoustic guitars and electric guitars are smooth and flawless, and the singing style is unmatched. Nobody can do what Mikael Ã…kerfeldt does as good as he does it. Looking at it from another musician's point of view, it genius. The usage of odd scales and chords inspires and captivates the mind. This album is great. // 10
Lyrics and Singing: The album takes after the '60s and '70s, and tells a story revolving around one central idea. I love the story aspect. It keeps you listening to see what happens, and is actually a pretty cool story! Ai I said, Nobody can do what Mikael Ã…kerfeldt does. // 10
Impression: This album is kind of similar to other Opeth albums. I own them all and have listened to them all. It's is similar in the fact that ii is the embodiment if greatness itself. I especially like "Godhead's Lament" and the melodic vocal parts in it. If it were stolen, I'd have to do my own version of "Serenity Painted Death". Simply put: all Opeth is great and no music collection is complete without them. // 10
They've never been a black metal band.
They're a progressive death metal band, with jazz influences.
And said so, this is the best album of all times, by the best band of all times.
They've never been a black metal band.
They're a progressive death metal band, with jazz influences.
And said so, this is the best album of all times, by the best band of all times.
Just a small correction, Melinda wasn't engaged to another man, she had become a nun, and was killed for being "unfaithful" to the Church, which she was supposed to be "married to". The outcast goes on a rampage and kills whoever he sees until he collapses. He wakes up before the Church council and they try to make him repent, but they feel he's insincere, so they hang him.
To whoever said the sound wasn't as good as the following albums, I find it to be perfect. Blackwater Park sounds very overproduced to me (nothing against Steven Wilson), while Deliverance, GR, and Watershed fall right into the same groove as Still Life.
Great album. I've been listening to Opeth for 5 years, going on 6, and I just recently got this album and it is probably my favorite. I didn't think there could be a better Opeth album than Blackwater Park, but this beat it, IMO. I love this album. I have listened to it a lot since the day I got it. Opeth beats the hell out of all of those new metal bands. This band is completely original and nobody sounds like them.
I saw them in October and the played Serenity Painted Death and I ****ing loved it, however, Godhead's Lament is probably my favorite off this album. That or either The Moor or Face of Melinda. But all of the tracks on this album are really good.
