Heritage

Opeth | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 20, 2011)
• Original Release Date: 2011
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Roadrunner Records
• ASIN: B004G25V9S
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (214 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,183 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Heritage

2. The Devil's Orchard

3. I Feel The Dark

4. Slither

5. Nepenthe

6. Häxprocess

7. Famine

8. The Lines In My Hand

9. Folklore

10. Marrow Of The Earth

Editorial Reviews

The band's roots in the doom-laden shade of occult-infused Scandinavian death metal and dark romanticism are undeniable and will never elicit apology. But the transcendent emotional and melodic heights achieved on the brilliantly titled tenth full-length Opeth album, Heritage, marks a new chapter in the storied quintet's career. Band leader, singer, guitarist, songwriter and long-running consistent member Mikael Åkerfeldt has reshaped the pathway forward for his artistic vehicle without sacrificing the hard won spiritualism of previous endeavors.

This masterwork from the Stockholm, Sweden based virtuoso musicians is a mind-boggling dense maze of tempo shifts, off-time signatures, percussive experimentation and warped rhythms. It is all expertly melded together by a myriad range of emotional outpouring and breezy melodic optimism which soars above the songs like a woodland spirit surveying its forest. There are multiple hints of darkness but Heritage moves the band forward into broader dimensions.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

102 of 122 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed on this one September 20, 2011

By Aaron Arnsparger

Format:Audio CD

Going in a new direction is fine. Wanting to be constantly evolving as an artist is fine. I'm also not wedded to death metal vocals either, having loved Damnation. But count me in the camp that felt that Opeth was one of the best metal bands in the world because they could blend genres in a unique, melodic way, but do it while still maintaining the harshness of death metal. I get it that Mikael is bored with playing death metal, really I do. Make no mistake I am completely fine with prog, but I have to love the songs, and to me the songwriting seems just very sporadic on this release. There are a few songs on here that simply fall flat in my opinion and it's because of odd transitions/sequences that do not lead to any real cohesiveness to the songs, especially when rolling them up and looking at the album as a whole work. I realize that being "cohesive" is not exactly a trademark of prog, but I think MA just needs more polish here if he is going to take the band full bore in this direction. This record really feels like it is a culmination of alot of solid ideas/riffs, but not alot of memorable songs that I can't live without. This speaks positively to the future for this band, but given this is really their first bold move in a new direction it is hard for me to give this one a masterpiece label at this point.

89 of 106 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Impossible Has Happened September 20, 2011

By Murat Batmaz

Format:Audio CD

In my review of Watershed three years ago, I predicted that the follow-up to this album would present a better picture as to where Mikael Akerfeldt wanted to be musically, and Heritage has proven this prediction to have been correct.

No aspect of this album can be called metal, and I doubt any band member would present it as such. Heritage is radically different from its predecessors in shape, sound, and direction. The death vocals and heavy riffing have completely vanished, which will definitely please or disappoint a lot of fans depending on their preferences. In their place, the band builds complex songs that are rhythmically evolved with exquisite drumming. Martin Axenrot takes on a jazzy feel throughout the whole album, accenting the most critical beats during the songs. What many thought was gone for good after the departure of former drummer Martin Lopez is re-established with Axenrot's special attention to groove and detail.

Like all of Opeth's albums, Heritage proves to be an extremely rewarding listen as its internal complexities unfold. The amount of detail to be found in the songs is amazing. Due to Steven Wilson's ingenious mix, the compositions are rife with nuance. I discovered Per Wiberg's creepy keyboards repeating Akerfeldt's vocal melody on "I Feel the Dark" and the very distant vocal hooks during the instrumental part of "Nepenthe" after giving the album many spins. This being Wiberg's swan song with Opeth, I particularly enjoyed his use of a wider palette of sounds, adding textures and atmospheres to the songs like never before. He is the reason why Heritage has become one of Opeth's darkest and most atmospheric statements....

There are no individual riffs or themes that need to be highlighted; everything works to the perfection of the songs. There is a different level of cohesion between the instruments here. Apart from Axenrot's already mentioned drumming, the bass is central in the sound of this album. In the past, when Mendez put down his lines, they didn't always survive in the mix, partly due to the extreme density of the arrangements. On Heritage, his sound is larger and more focused. He covers a broad spectrum of sound colours, enhancing the guitar solos as well as laying down his own leads. "The Lines in My Hand" wraps a twisted bass solo into the tension-filled composition, thanks to the Mellotron swells in the mix. On the extremely haunting "Nepenthe," complete with deep background voices and excellent percussion, Mendez underscores the charging guitar solo, which suggests suppressed emotions breaking free due to the tense silence that precedes it.

Though all songs are great, "Folklore" is one of the standouts. Some fans have complained about the lack of distinct melodies on the album. "Folklore" should please them from start to finish. It harbours indelible melodic contructs with the album's best instrumental break embedded within. Again the bass sound simply coheres better than on any prior release, and Mikael Akerfeldt's vocals at the end are achingly beautiful, not to mention the super-tight drumming. Actually, on this album, Akerfeldt's performance is uniformly stunning. The guitar solo at the end of "Haxprocess" is his most restrained yet emotionally charged solo ever (possibly a single take, too, given it'd sound forced and unnatural otherwise). The shift from Mellotron sounds to the pronounced acoustic passage on this song suggests it was culled from the same material on Damnation due to the way the vocals are applied (think the clean vocals on Blackwater Park) and the whole song is built to its climax.

This may not be a metal album per se, but some of the songs do groove relentlessly. By now, pretty much any fan must have heard "The Devil's Orchard," which uses Nietzche's "God is dead!" line in the lyrics as its chorus to underscore the King Crimson-like instrumental moments. But there is more: "Slither" is a song in memory of Ronnie James Dio and it features a tightly locked groove over which the band lays down coiling guitar melodies. To achieve compositional diversity, the band uses discreet flute sounds, ethnic percussion, and gorgeous pianos on "Famine," one of their most complex tunes seething with emotional breadth. The contribution of Peruvian Afro-Cuban jazz percussionist Alex Acuna is immense, and the transition from the atmospheric parts to hard-hitting passages eclipses just about any song they have written in this style. The only problem with this song is that it ends.

The two instrumental songs, "Heritage" and "Marrow of the Earth," open and close the album respectively. While "Heritage" is comprised by a wonderful Grand piano theme (played by guest musician Joakim Svalberg), "Marrow of the Earth" is more comprehensive as it brings forth acoustic guitars, light-as-air drums, and Mellotron sounds. The band applies small variations to the central themes, and the resulting melody sticks with you for days on end.

Steven Wilson's stereo mixing is top drawer and puts the album in the league of the best in terms of sonic clarity. Travis Smith's artwork is very fitting for the songs on this album, and the black-and-white pictures in the booklet are awesome. You definitely need the whole package.

Anyone expecting this to be a metal album is likely to be disappointed. The album might fall short for those who love Opeth for their relentlessly heavy side with gut-wrenching death growls, but those willing to explore the group's more experimental side and give it the chance it deserves will definitely be rewarded.

Heritage is a slow-burning masterpiece. Its vision and its power are timeless. Read more ›

43 of 51 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant and challenging September 20, 2011

By brjoro VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

The new Opeth cd 'Heritage' is sure to be a controversial one among their fanbase, as it is definitely a departure from what they've done in the past, but I think it's an amazing musical journey for those willing to take it. I think the reactions will be:
1. Metal fans, who like Opeth because they are SO great at being heavy, will in general not like this record because for the most part the heaviness is gone.
2. Prog rock fans who have enjoyed Opeth in the past but couldn't get past the death metal vocals will probably love this.
3. Hardcore Opeth fans will be split, you'll either love it or hate it.
Personally, I think they've done something very brave and challenging. It's not 'Damnation' which was basically an acoustic album. There are heavy parts here, but the general vibe is a sort of jazz meets prog-rock. The musicianship is stunning, and the songs, once you give them a chance to work their way into your head, are amazing. But there is not instant gratification to be found here, you need to give this a few listens before you really start to hear how brilliant it is.
I am, as a huge Opeth fan, thrilled that they've made this interesting record, and can't wait to see if this is a permanent new direction, a temporary left turn, or a sound that they will incorporate with what they've done in the past moving forward. Either way, count me in, i'm along for the ride!!! But no rush, I am more than happy to spend plenty of time with 'Heritage.'!!!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars I tried to love it, but it hurts to say that I don't October 28, 2011

By Dr. Ziltoid Underspoon

Format:Audio CD

First off - to everyone who compares this album to Damnation, you couldn't be further off base. There are no growling vocals on either of the albums - and that's where the comparison starts and ends. Damnation was a dark, disturbing, metal masterpiece. The soft acoustic guitars, ethereal keyboards, gut wrenching solos, and melancholic vocals could never fool you into believing that it wasn't a metal band behind the music.

Heritage, as the name suggests, pays homage to Mikael Akerfeldt's musical tradition, and everything and everyone that made him the musician he is today. There is some great musicianship on the album, and hints of moments that flirt with that unmistakable Opeth sound. However, I have two main gripes with this album:

- A lot of the tracks don't seem to flow organically. There's a "start-stop" feel to many of them. Good musical progressions and innovative chord sequences, but stitched together in a way that doesn't seem right.

- Mikael's vocals. I never knew the day would come when I'd have to say that his vocals didn't do much for me. And it has nothing to do with the fact that there are no growls (didn't I say that Damnation was a masterpiece?). It seems very tired and jaded. Take a song like "The Lines in My Hand" - this is actually some damn fine music, but his vocals just seem off, especially the bit around the 3:00 minute mark. There are several such moments on the album where he sounds (to me) like he's struggling. Another example is the Dio tribute "Slither". I can close my eyes and picture the late, great Ronnie belting out the same lyrics like a banshee even at 60. Sadly, Akerfeldt's vocals on that don't convey that Dio-esque power and soul....

Aside from those issues, the fact that the whole album doesn't fit in with the Opeth sound does play on my mind. It's all fine and dandy to try something new. But there's a reason you love a certain band - and it has a lot to do with the signature sound they've developed. Porcupine Tree being a prime example - they've changed directions a fair bit over their last few albums, with unfailing integrity towards that Porcupine Tree sound. But with this Opeth release, I feel like a lot of the Opeth sound has been lost, and the trade-off with this "new" direction doesn't make it feel worth it. I'm also afraid that we may have heard the last Opeth growl with Watershed.

Musically, there are some brilliant moments - my favorites include the stark, haunting opening piano title track, the music sans vocals on "The Lines in My Hand", "Folklore", "Marrow of the Earth" and the bonus track "Pyre".

As I said before, I'm conflicted about this album. But all things considered, I have to say I'm not a huge fan, somewhat disappointed, and I just about like it enough to give it 3 stars. Read more ›