Opeth's fourth album, 1999's "Still Life," was the group's first with bassist Martin Mendez, and also their most popular album (in terms of sales) among their first four releases. "Still Life" is similar to its predecessor, "My Arms, Your Hearse" (which was released only a year before this album), because it's a concept album. It tells the story of a man who returns home (after years of being gone), and searches for his loved one (who's referred to as Melinda). And though she is engaged to be married to another man, she is still in love with him. But even though this album is similar to "Hearse" in that regard, "Still Life" is also like Opeth's second album, "Morningrise," because the songs on here are so long. No, this record doesn't have any twenty minute songs, but every track is over five minutes long and most of them are over nine minutes. As with their first three discs, Opeth continue to perfect their traditional sound, here, by blending violent death metal with light, progressive rock elements. The result is an album with a very technical, creative, and bold contrast which allows both sides of Opeth to shine through equally as bright. Frontman Mikael Akerfeldt's vocals are stellar like usual, because he seamlessly jumps from mean, deep-voiced barks to calm, supple crooning. The two main highlights on here are the immensely-almost monstrously-heavy second track, "Godhead's Lament," and "Benighted," which is entirely soft and pretty, with lonely acoustic plunking. So, with all of the qualities that is has, the songs on this record are about as great as great can get. Unfortunately, as a whole, "Still Life" isn't a very far departure from Opeth's first three albums. It would take a very hardcore fan and well-trained ear to distinguish between songs like "Serenity Painted Death" and "White Cluster" (which are fairly typical tracks) and any song on "My Arms, Your Hearse." The epic, eleven and a half minute long album opener, "The Moor," is a prime example of most of the rest of the album. It begins slowly, with light, distant guitar strumming, and the acoustics enter around two minutes in. But the pounding electric guitar riffs come aboard soon thereafter, and the song stays heavy until about six minutes later (where there's a dreamy, acoustic breakdown). The power chords come back, however, about two and a half minutes later, and finish the song on a strong note. Some of the songs (like "Moonlapse Vertigo," which is a propulsive rocker with a surging guitar attack), should stay heavy and do without the soft breakdowns, and some of the songs (i.e. the stunningly beautiful, lightly strummed, and drearily sung fifth track, "Face of Melinda") would be better suited if they were completely soft. Unfortunately, it's usually (except for the aforementioned "Godhead's Lament" and "Benighted") just a matter of time before there's a heavy or soft tempo change. Knowing that most every song is going to have one of these breakdowns makes "Still Life" kind of predictable. But, because the listener never knows WHEN the sudden, breakneck tempo change is going to kick in, these songs are never boring. So, "Still Life" is very good, but not great. It's worth buying for the hardcore Opeth fan, and (since the songs are so great and a good representation of the band) it's also worth buying for newcomers. But if you're a casual fan, or a fan who can only hear the same album so many times, I still recommend you check this album out, but hear a few songs, first, before buying it.

Brand	N/A
Rating	4.7 (721 ratings)
Price	$49.98
Category	Metal

Still Life 25th Anniversary Splatter Edition

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