Customer Reviews

My Arms, Your Hearse

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is my favorite Opeth masterpiece. Initially, when Opeth was still new to me, it was my least favorite. It has the dreariest, grittiest production, few acoustic guitar parts (and they are mostly short), and seems even more sonically oppressive and bleak than anything else they've done. But this album is AMAZING. It is a concept album about a ghost who seems not to realize that he's dead and he observes his lost love after his passing. "Karma" seems to be where he becomes aware of his demise and it's crushing (the scream!!! it's all about that scream). _My Arms, Your Hearse_ is heavier than _Orchid_ and _Morningrise_ but no less melodic and captivating in its evocative, spellbinding musical progression. From the haunting sounds of rain and ethereal piano notes of "Prologue", to the tidal wave of melodic riffs in "April Ethereal", to the longing, forlorn acoustic ending of "When", to the hellfire assault of "Demon of the Fall", to the smothering finality of "Karma", to the soul-melting, aching melodies of "Epilogue", MAYH is a masterpiece with few peers. No fan of progressive metal should be without this, and anyone who didn't really "get it" is strongly encouraged to give it another chance.

Opeth may be the most difficult band to 'get into' for someone new to their catalogue. Unlike most metal bands that manage to release two, maybe three albums that are considered solid, Opeth has released 8 albums, each of which has stood the test of time in a genre whose audience's tastes seem to be in constant, dramatic flux. Discounting Orchid and Morningrise, both respectable early works that are mandatory if one is to comprehend Opeth's musical evolution, that leaves six albums to digest. Add to this the fact that Opeth writes epics that demand repeated listenings, and it becomes clear why listening to Opeth is indeed a formidable investment.

As many reviewers have said, My Arms, Your Hearse is a great album for someone new to Opeth. I would argue that Blackwater Park and Still Life are equally worthy of such accolades, but it is my belief that to get someone hooked on a band, you must play them the band's finest work, which for Opeth is My Arms, Your Hearse. One could easily write ten pages about Opeth. Their music reaches a compositional depth and complexity that no metal band I can think of has managed. Certainly Opeth takes inspiration from a handful of predecesors, but from the diverse assortment of bands and performers that is their influence Opeth has truly created a genre within which only they perform.

My Arms, Your Hearse is not Opeth's most polished album, nor, I would argue, is it their most thematically complete (see, Blackwater Park). What makes MAYH Opeth's finest work is a combination of several factors. Being Opeth's third release, MAYH is somewhere between the profound maturity and coherence found on later releases such as Blackwater Park and Deliverance and the more adventurous, youthful (or less focused) song writing heard on Morningrise and Orchid.

The atmospheric jazz interludes of MAYH are some of Opeth's most memorable and their live set attests to the aural beauty of any song off this album. And it is no wonder that Opeth consistently closes their sets with Demon of the Fall, arguably the most haunting and intense song the band has written.

I bought this album in 9th grade because a sticker on the front compared them to In Flames who at the time I was enjoying (this was between Whoracle and Colony, before In Flames stopped being worth listening to) so I figured I would invest in my small but growing metal collection. It took me a year to fully appreciate this album, a year before I stopped listening for parts that sounded like In Flames (of which there aren't many) and realized what a veritable masterpiece I had stumbled upon.

If you read other reviews you can get a better idea of the band's music, but hopefully I have articulated why this album, and this band, is worth investing one's self in. Because Opeth demands an investment. They are not a band for three minutes car rides or the CD player between class (although I've used them for both). To appreciate what Opeth has to offer means sitting for a half hour or longer and simply listening. After doing this five, six times and each time hearing different aspects of their music, you might begin to understand why I feel I can say that opeth is one of the most important bands in the past 10 years. But you'll have to decide for yourself.

Very seldom does a metal band come along that can truly mesh mind-blowing beauty with visceral power. Opeth has long been known for their ability to walk this line with probably more grace than any other band ever, and on My Arms Your Hearse their craft is at its peak.

Their grooving rhythm style is in force here, but retains some of the more aggressive rhythms of their two earlier efforts, a balance best seen on the chorus of Demon of the Fall. The result is a very hard-driving section that arouses harder headbanging than most future Opeth works. They would also never quite be as beautiful during their heavy groove sections. April Ethereal is quite possibly my favorite song of all time now due to the balance struck between that pounding brutality and awe-inspiring, majestic beauty. Later Opeth efforts tend to polarize the songs, with a monster-headbanging-heavy part followed by a stunning acoustic part. While these are also great albums, there's something special in MAYH's balance - it seems more sublime than Deliverance or even Blackwater Park.

This is the first effort by the current Opeth lineup. Bassist Johan DeFarfalla and drummer Anders Nordin had recently moved on and been replaced by the Martins - Mendez (bass) and Lopez (drums), both of whom bring entirely new feels to the rhythm section. Mikael Akerfeldt's clean voice has not matured to the fullest but is still incredibly beautiful, and his growls are as forceful as ever. Guitarists Peter Lindgren and Akerfeldt together master incredibly complex and dense harmony passages that are far more technically difficult than they sound. While their style may put off fans of pure technical flash, more thoughtful listeners will appreciate their depth and power, and may ultimately be touched in a way that few (if any) other bands can top.

There's something here for any fan of rock music. Absolutely perfect. Recommended tracks: April Ethereal (best song ever), Demon of the Fall, Credence.

Opeth is testament to the fact that there is always beauty to be found in places where one would least expect it - in this case, an album labeled under the "extreme progressive metal" genre. Sure, this album is heavy in the truest sense of the word, but if you invest some time and dig through the imposing wall of sound, you will realize that it has been built on a solid base of Scandinavian folk melodies and layered twin-guitar harmonies.

For a while, I have been trying hard to find a way to describe Opeth in words. This is what I been able to put together so far: take a bunch of hopeless romantics (who also happen to be gifted musicians), give them guitars and drums and ask them to play mind-numbingly heavy and blisteringly fast music. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Opeth ...

This is Opeth's 3rd album, and in my humble opinion, the one that will eventually stand the test of time. Their first album was like - "Dude, we just discovered something new and incredible, now what the heck do we do with it ?". Their second album, "Morningrise" improved on the first, and had better musicianship (in fact, it sported several acoustic twin-guitar harmonies that made that album very special to me). MAYH marks a turning point in Opeth's sound - it is much more organized with shorter songs that don't meander into netherland (not that there is anything wrong with "meandering" - it is subjective), and also the overall sound is much heavier (yet the melody is still there). This is arguably one of Opeth's heaviest albums, and probably the first one to consistently feature Opeth's trademark "melodic/heavy/sad/powerful/epic"-sounding riffs (or just "Opethian"-riffs for brevity).

Just like other Opeth albums, MAYH is a concept album that describes an over-the-top love story - though, with a slight twist - one of the lovers is a dead guy (or a ghost to be precise). This guy dies before the beginning of the album and for a short while he doesn't know that he is dead yet (and by the way, this album was released in 1998 - an year before "The Sixth Sense" was released). For most of the album, this ghost watches in agony as his wife (or lover) suffers in grief unable to cope with the loss of her loved one. He (being a ghost and all) is powerless and unable to comfort her. The only time they are able to have a real conversation is through her dreams where "she laughing and weeping at once, says: 'take me away'", for which he responds, "I don't know how or why, and I'll never know WHEN.". And so on and so forth goes the story as his other attempts to reach her (as in the "Demon of The Fall") end in disaster as she starts to think that she is being haunted, and it drives her further into madness. Realizing this, he decides that the best way out of this is to let her be, and he simply walks away ...

A few special notes are in order about this album: the ending lyrics of all the songs are the same as the title of the following song (the ending lyric of the last song is the same as the title of the first song). All the songs represent different seasons - the first full song "April Ethereal" starts (obviously) in the spring, and the album moves on to summer (on the "Amen Corner"), and into the fall (on "Demon of the Fall") and finally ends in winter's "Epilogue" (which starts the next "Prologue", and so it goes on ...).

Musically, this is clearly one of Opeth's best works. It starts with "Prologue" that sets the mood for the rest of the album. You hear raindrops on the background followed by a gentle piano intro that forebodes the sadness that is to follow ... "April Ethereal" then starts with fade-in vocals and immediately bursts into massive riffs followed by Akerfeld's imperious growl and the rest is ... well, you just have to listen to find out. Trying to describe Opeth's songs using words is always a very difficult thing to do. But, I do want to mention a few musical highlights: this album features several unique riffs that follow some sort of a "question/answer" format - more precisely - the first part of the riff appears to ask a question that is answered by the second part of the riff (Ok. maybe, I am imagining things here ... or maybe not). Just listen to the riff that begins around 4:40 into the "April Ethereal", or the riff around 5:50 into "When", and you might understand what I am trying to say. Also, a special mention is in order for the outros of "April Ethereal" and "Demon of the Fall" - these are priceless gems, and the absolute head-banging beauty that launches the "Amen Corner".

All said, I do have a few minor quibbles. For example, I felt that the gear shift from the "Prologue" to "April Ethereal" was bit too abrupt for my taste. Also, some middle sections of the "Amen Corner" could have been a bit more interesting. It is definitely the album's weakest point (although, for an album of this calibre, that doesn't mean much).

Overall, this is a masterpiece - enough said.

"... Amidst the forest one would hear that I had been there. Draped within a fate I could not change, and always welcoming Winter's EPILOGUE ..."

This album is not that bad and there are a few good moments, but for the most part, it just doesn't gel with me. My biggest problem is with some of the longer pieces and the guitar meandering that just doesn't sound right.

The musicianship is excellent and there are some pretty decent tunes, but overall, this disc just didn't blow me away. Maybe some of their other material will sound better but I can't say this was the best introduction to Opeth.

On their first two albums, Opeth showed the world their take on metal, complete with mellow acoustic guitars, long progressive breaks, song structures that definitely weren't fit for sufferers of ADD, and poetic lyrics to top it all off. Opeth were staunch opposites of what death metal "should" sound like. Rather than hammering away with ridiculous brutality, Opeth's sound was painstakingly crafted to lull the listener in and out of certain moods, much like classical music or a movie soundtrack. This is what led Opeth to be loved by many, and despised by some. Their baroque take on metal infused melancholic prog-rock and Scandinavian folk with the ever-changing textures of their classic duel guitar harmonies. Opeth hit their progressive peak with Morningrise, and after recruiting a new drummer, the band decided to switch gears. The resulting change would shape Opeth into what they are today, and "My Arms, Your Hearse" are the earliest sketchings of Opeth's new sound.

Whereas "Orchid" and "Morningrse" were more prog-oriented, and many of the song structures meandered over the ten-minute mark, "My Arms, Your Hearse" drops some of the more mellow experimentations and heads straight for the jugular. The song structures are more groove-oriented, less disjointed, but the boys of Opeth still keep the acoustics and prog rock going. However, rather than abruptly stopping a metal onslaught and letting acoustic guitars waltz in, Opeth layer and weave the two together, all while serving up a dose of atmospheric, melancholic death metal. Acoustic guitars are lessened here to interludes while the metal builds up to its climax. Overall, the sound here is heavier, more straightforward, but not forsaking Opeth's roots.

Mikael's vocals evolved very much from "Morningrise" to MAYH, this time opting for a more gutteral, deeper growl, though it wasn't as polished or deep as it is now. His clean vocals improved dramatically, and are used more widely on songs like "When" and one of the only softer songs on the album, "Credence". One of the interesting things about this album is how everything flows together. For instance, the last word of each song's lyrics is the title for the next song, and the lyrics flow together as a story of sorts. (Though I have yet to figure out what it's about.)

Another noticeable change is the production. Some may have been put off by the dry, crisp, hollow production of the first two records, but MAYH boasts a thick, full production job. The drums are more punchy and contribute to the faster songs thanks to newly recruited Martin Lopez. Guitars are much thicker and more bottom-heavy, and some new elements have been borught into the mix such as the organs on "Epilogue" or the piano tidbits spread throughout the album.

I would have to say that this is my personal favorite Opeth album, due to the atmosphere, the wholeness, and the display of how the band matured. Highly reccommended

Personal favorites: When, The Amen Corner, Demon of the Fall, Epilogue.

For their third album, this Swedish metal quintet definitely laid their cards on the table. Thus, "My Arms, Your Hearse" is, in my opinion, Opeth's best work, and a great place to start if you're new to them. This album recreates all of Opeth's best and most famous qualities. They perfectly balance brutality and beauty, fast and slow tempos, and Mikael Akerfeldt (the vocalist) seamlessly alternates between gruff death metal barks and gentle, limpid singing. And what about breakdowns? They're everywhere! Almost every song is chalked full of all kinds great breakdowns (soft & hard, electric & acoustic, fast & slow) and tempo changes. Opeth are, primarily, a death metal band, so whenever there's an acoustic breakdown, you know a brutal one is just around the corner. So, some parts of some of these songs sound like 2003's acoustic album "Damnation," but other parts sound like 2002's heavy album "Deliverance." Opeth perform both types of music (heavy and soft) very well, so they are a very innovative, unique, and intelligent group. And, as aforementioned, Opeth are from Sweden, so you will also usually find some black metal influence in their music (mainly their guitar riffs).

"Prologue" has the melancholy sound of rain and a piano, but this intro (which is only 53 seconds long) is misleadingly simple and melodic.
"April Ethereal" is a personal favorite. It begins sounding kind of like a Cradle of Filth song, with propulsive, nearly explosive riffs and violent, growly vocals. The album's first acoustic breakdown comes around two minutes into this song, which is followed by bobbing, punching riffs and the drummer (Martin Lopez) uses (what sounds like) a cowbell. There's another brief acoustic breakdown around the 3:40 mark, and one more two minutes later. This song tallies a total length of over eight and a half minutes.
"When" begins with dreary, relaxed strumming, but this suddenly ends when a brutal breakdown kicks in. Even with four acoustic breakdowns, this song is still fairly consistently heavy. The stomping riffs and fast double bass drumming might disappear for a while, but they always come back. The part of this song that I enjoy the most, however, is when Mikael sings cleanly and properly, during one of the acoustic breakdowns (around six minutes and forty seconds in).
"Madrigal" is an instrumental interlude, with supple, beeping guitars. This ends, however, as soon as track five, "Amen Corner," begins.
"Amen Corner" opens with stomping riffs, but they then change to surging, groovey riffs; meanwhile, Mikael is doing his best demonic voice. There are three light tempo changes here, but the pounding power chords always come back. Plus, a pair of electric guitar solos is tossed in near the end.
"Demon of the Fall" begins with huge, monstrous vocals, but this song eventually veers off into soft territory, with instruments that sound like flamenco guitars.
"Credence" is, at first, just a sluggish drum beat. But (after Mikael exhales), the guitars eventually join in. This song isn't heavy, it has only acoustic guitar plucking and extended, laid back crooning. Fortunately, this is a very pretty, dreamy, and eloquent song; it reminds me of 2003's "Damnation."
"Karma" is the next track, and it, unsurprisingly, is very heavy. This barrage of steam rolling riffs doesn't relent until three minutes later.
"Epilogue" is an instrumental, which would be a fitting way to end the album. The music gradually fades in and ascends in volume at the beginning. This song has electric guitars and a drum beat, but it is, even still, mid-tempo and about half the volume as most of the other songs on here.

"Circle of the Tyrant" is the first of the two bonus tracks (which are only available on the reissue). The very beginning of it has an instrument that sounds like a piano, but then the song turns to a skipping beat with surging guitars.
"Remember Tomorrow" features both guitarists (Mikael and Peter) lightly strumming on acoustic, but they are both playing a different tempo. When the electric guitars eventually enter, the beat grooves again. Half of this song is acoustic, though.

Now, there is one last characteristic which Opeth have become famous for: long songs. "My Arms, Your Hearse" is no exception, since its songs are, on average, about six minutes long. So, this album, and most Opeth albums for that matter, aren't for people with short attention spans. That's too bad, too, because you're missing out on some great music.

"My Arms, Your Hearse" is a great album, maybe Opeth's best, and an excellent place to start if you're new to this band. Opeth are a great band, and I highly recommend all metalheads check this album out. Plus, it's essential listening for all death metal fans. And, if you're an Opeth fan, it's definitely worth it to buy the reissue for the two extra tracks.

Opeth... Tough to describe. One track may sound like death metal while the following track sounds like progressive rock from the 70s. But the genre of a particular song is not important, what is important is how great each song is. Opeth is an excellent merging of different genres, capturing the spirit of each into the band's own unique blend. Highly recommended.

2 years after the masterpiece Morningrise, which pushed the boundaries of what the Gothenburg/Melodeath subgenre stood for, Opeth return and are pushing them even farther. After being bored with the overused twin leads that characterized melodeath at the time of Morningrise, Opeth take a much more brutal and intense side on My Arms, Your Hearse. They add a black metal influence - an epic evil sound, extremely fast/intense music and an epic soundscape that is awe inspiring. Staying in My Arms, Your Hearse is the orchestral song writing, chorusless 6+ minute songs are what you'll find here (and on every other Opeth album).

But Opeth would not be content with only adding a black metal intensity to their sound. They are a band that evolves in such extreme ways that it is awe inspiring that every single album they release is of such high quality. My Arms, Your Hearse also has a folkloric concept behind it, a love story spanning the course of a year. Their sound also the dark folklore perfectly, the instrumentation has an almost medieval style to it, the slow acoustic interludes (much less common on MAYH than other Opeth albums) also help, and Mikael's growls truly sound demonic (listen to "Demon of the Fall" and you will see what I mean). His clean vocals are also top notch, they could easily compete with 95% of pop singers for the pure emotion and range he has with them.

Overall MAYH is a prime example of why, when I compare the death metal bands that come out of Sweden, I put Opeth in another group entirely. They evolve more than any of the others, they have the most original songwriting of basically any metal band, and their incorporation of black metal, doom metal and progressive elements makes them nearly impossible to class.

This was my first Opeth purchase, and utterly shattered whatever pre-conceived notions I had of what "music" was.
Before I found this band, I was fed on radio rock and late night mtv which provided as extreme a avenue for heavy music as you could get without actually playing a solo or using more than 2 different types of song structure (read: evanescence/linkin park).
On hearing the praise bestowed on this band by frequenters of a forum I visited, I decided to download and check out some of their tracks.

Demon of the Fall was one the first tracks I heard from Opeth, and it was like an epiphany.

Unlike most others, this reviewer didn't get turned off at all by the vocal style. Rather, what captured my attention was the unrelenting, uncompromising way these guys played. To someone who had up till then never been exposed to black/death metal, this was like something I'd be searching for all along. I knew squat about anything non-mainstream then, and Opeth just happened to be my "gateway" band to metal, its sub-genres and all kinds of things musical that don't get air time on commerical radio.
Rather than lavishing endless praise on this band and coming off as something of a fanboy(I prolly already seems like it), I just want to briefly describe this complete new-comer's reaction to their kind of music, and in particular this album.

It is dense. It cares nothing for licks or choruses or catchy riffs/segments. If you were to close off all other sensory distractions, you could visualise the lush imagery and moods it conjures up, exactly what depending on the listener. Opeth is not something you pop in the stereo at a party for a good time with friends. It's something you sit alone in your room with, after closing the door, and REALLY fully immerse yourself into.

Again, they're by no means the only band that does this to me, but they were the first. If you have never heard of death metal, or if prior samples of it have sounded repugnant to you, I suggest you try out this band and/or this album. In a good way, this band and other quality death metal bands expose the rawer, darker sides of the emotional spectrum, and are just as good as other genres of music that typically sound upbeat.

(product info): This bonus tracks cd comes with Opeth covers of tracks by Celtic Frost. They're pretty average compared to the rest of the album and I'd only recommend them for the collector.