Orchid

Opeth | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Century Media
• ASIN: B000005HN6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #292,121 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. In Mist She Was Standing

2. Under the Weeping Moon

3. Silhouette

4. Forest of October

5. The Twilight Is My Robe

6. Requiem

7. The Apostle in Triumph

Editorial Reviews

Reissue of Swedish melodic death metal act's debut album, originally released in 1995. Includes one bonus track, 'Into The Frost Of Winter' (prev. unreleased). 2000 release. Standard jewelcase. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Opeth's musical journey begins here., January 9, 2002

By 

Lord Chimp (Monkey World) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Orchid (Audio CD)

When I first heard Opeth, I was mystified. The single, clear thought that swam through my head was, "What the--!?" "In the Mist She was Standing," the first track on the debut Orchid, explains my reaction. Glorious but heavy guitars (care of Mikael Akerfeldt and Peter Lindgren), a deft & tuneful bass accompaniment (Johan de Farfalla), the complex drumming (Anders Nordin), and the fierce growls and enigmatic poetry (again, Akerfeldt) makes it all seem like ordinary death/black metal. Strikingly melodic, yes. Intense, definitely. Poetic, of course. But otherwise conventional.

But listen more. The song is 13-minutes long. The band's apparent demeanor changes moods on a dime by dropping the heaviness for beautiful acoustic passages and softly sung vocal sections (this is done often). It's consistently very melodic. The lyrics are dark and romantic, not violent or Satanic. There's also the cover, with its nice pink flower. Quite a contrast from the blood-splattered, diabolic art of many bands in the metal section, eh? "What the--!?"

Few debut albums are written and recorded with such maturity and sophistication that they sound years beyond the incipient factors normally ascribed to a band's first release. Orchid is by far one of the most astonishing debut albums I've ever heard. The finesse and tightness embodying the band's progressive music this early in their careers is just unbelievable. I would have never guessed it was a debut if I hadn't known beforehand. I can't name many bands whose debut is this interesting...and even fewer whose debut is so original. The band has grown, obviously (their 2001 release Blackwater Park exemplifies their progress over the years), but this is still an astonishing release. Remember, it's a debut!

I don't think anyone can call this death metal or black metal. It's metal, yep, but otherwise it's impossible to pigeonhole. I agree with another reviewer that it is "Opeth Metal." The music is heavy, but melodic. It is never brutal or abrasive like, say, Cannibal Corpse (which I hate and it makes me nauseous). There are no blastbeats, no Satanic lyrics about eating babies (yes, I'm stereotyping). This is just good, melodic progressive metal -- twin guitar harmonies, heavy riffs, reams of acoustic passages, and a blend of death/black vox and low, chilling clean vox. At this stage in their careers, Opeth's songwriting style is fairly unique. Their approach makes the beginning and end of each song almost arbitrary. Since each Opeth song is a sequence of musical "scenes," the album could almost pass as one full song. Usually I would criticize a band for this lack of structure, but Opeth never loses my interest. I guess they must be doing something right. They've got a very different & good thing going on here. (Starting on Still Life, their fourth album, they would start to introduce conventional things like "choruses" [what? choruses?] into their songs.) However, if any debut characteristic is to be found, it's the production. It's still pretty good, but sometimes the soft vocals are too quiet and the bass isn't as rumbling. But that's the only complaint I have...not bad for a first album.

It's hard to discuss individual songs because there aren't really any that stick out more than others, and they are all pretty similar. Well, "Silhouette" is different...just a short piano piece. Everything else (except the interlude "Requiem") is pretty long, usually around the 10-minute mark, full of the band's characteristic diversity -- the acoustic sections, the heavy parts, the eclectic vocals....and the absolute beauty of it all. The lyrics are usually abstract musings on love. Combined with the music, they are romantic and often sad. The music often has a medieval touch influencing the melodies.

Look, I'll level with you here. I'm trying to make this album sound good so you buy it. It's truly incredible, but heck if I can eloquently convey this band's supreme greatness. It's impossible to dissect the goodness of Opeth's debut and articulate it. The best reviews for this album are those that express enthusiasm for the music without explaining all the songs. I don't do that too well...but it feels right to add my voice to the chorus of acclaim this band is getting.

Listening to Opeth is like falling in love with a woman who is beautiful in both body and mind. You are drawn to her exquisite appearance, but it takes time to really gain a full appreciation for the depth of her character. Over time, love grows, and the relationship gets more rewarding. Opeth is like that...it starts good, and gets much better over time. This is not a band that you listen to for a while then forget...it is an enduring experience, and a promise of reward. Listening to Orchid and enjoying it is like a gift that offers ineffable delight.

The true spirit of great music is here.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a bold band strikes out against a narrow-minded metal scene, January 13, 2000

By 

Gwac (The Dark Side) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Orchid (Audio CD)

Orchid is an amazing and successful debut, but should not have been unexpected considering the brilliance and maturity of Opeth. At this point Opeth came out of nowhere: no demos were needed to sign this band to Candlelight. All that was needed was a rehearsal tape. This release shows why. I never would have guessed that this was a debut album. The songs are complex and mature, the melodies are well thought out and emotional, and the production is flawless. This description ultimately doesn't do justice to the music, though. As many people say, you need to hear an Opeth album to believe it. This is my second favorite Opeth album, after the new "Still Life". The albums are years apart and really have no business being compared to each other, so I won't. Orchid strikes out against two increasingly sterile and bland genres: death metal and black metal. Many say it is a combination of the two, but it isn't. The sound is simply reminiscent of the two genres. The guitars are beautifully harmonious and clear, utilizing a "black metal sound", but really have nothing to do with black metal. Some parts of the songs use the fast, but technical aspect of death metal, but again, in no way represent death metal itself. Opeth define their own genre here, and revel in it. The music soars with delight sometimes, and at others is simply depressing. They are masters of achieving emotion through music and lyrics. It's hard to know if you're going to like this album. I've noticed that most, if not all fans of Opeth avoid trends and popular bands. If you're that type of person and you enjoy acousic guitar, black/death metal, and have an open mind, I'd suggest trying this album out. It's the beginning of an incredible band, and at the same time a testament to their genius.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing CD, not-so-amazing bonus track, May 12, 2003

By 

Justin Gaines (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Orchid (Audio CD)

If you're reading this review, chances are you already know that Orchid is an amazing album. You probably even own a copy already, and just want to know if it is worth the extra money to have the one bonus track that is on this reissue. The answer, sadly, is no. The bonus track, Into the Frost of Winter, is a basically a poor quality demo recording of a song that was later incorporated into the Morningrise album. It really doesn't add anything to the album. In fact, it almost takes away from the brilliant work that is Orchid. If I were to review the regular edition of the album I would give it 5 stars easily. Because of the poor quality of the bonus track, and the high price of the reissue, I am rating this edition at 4 stars. I would recommend it only to those people (like me) who are completists and have to own every single Opeth song.