1. Coil

2. Heir Apparent

3. The Lotus Eater

4. Burden

5. Porcelain Heart

6. Hessian Peel

7. Hex Omega

Nine albums into their thirteen year career where many other bands would have already quit or would be floundering under half hearted pseudo-electronic experiments, Swedes Opeth have only got more popular and more impressive. They effortlessly draw fans from the widest of musical spectrums due to their own uniquely diverse take on what is essentially extreme metal. However, don’t let that fool you; Opeth are constantly writhing away from musical categorisation and when I

say extreme metal, I use it in the loosest of forms for Opeth are a product of far more promiscuous music taste than we are used to these days.

Watershed is, as anticipated, a step away from the ‘classic’ Opeth sound of albums such as Still Life and Blackwater Park. Taking up where 2005s Ghost Reveries left off, Watershed is a schizophrenic, strange and utterly challenging listen. This isn’t a bad thing however as Opeth fans already know. Opener ‘Coil’ paints a mellow, acoustic atmosphere complete with female vocals and is a thoroughly brilliant exercise in the folky style songwriting that front man Mikael Akerfeldt has dabbled in since the beginnings of Opeth with characteristic twists. Some typically unexpected yet still surprising moments come in ‘The Lotus Eater’ when, over a blastbeat from new drummer Martin Axenrot, Akerfeldt sings sunny vocal harmonies. In the same song we are treated to a bizarre Genesis-style breakdown which will leave many people with a ‘what the fuck?’ look on their faces. ‘Burden’ is another odd addition to the album with it’s 70s power ballad feel and raging bluesy organ solos.

At the end of it we can hear a guitar slowly being downtuned until the strings ring slack on the neck. Just another day in the bizarre musical world of Opeth. With Watershed it indeed seems that Opeth have truly broken the mould of any genre and defied any predictions about them. Whilst tracks like ‘Heir Apparent’ and ‘Porcelain Heart’ are typically ‘Opeth’, the rest show a clear evolution in style and experimentation; from King Crimson inspired mellotrons to Genesis whimsy to brutal death metal to complex guitar riffs and fret-mellting solos from new guitarist Fredrick Akesson.

Watershed will be a challenge for any listener whether you like Opeth or not but it will certainly be worthwhile to persevere with it as it holds just as much depth, beauty and greatness as its predecessors. Opeth’s honesty with their music is clear on Watershed and respect is therefore due. Opeth are one of the few bands doing anything truly exciting in the alternative scene today and Watershed is evidence of this. It’s certainly a step forward but that’s in no way a bad thing and after all, isn’t that why we love Opeth?

Review by Liam McLaughlin

Watershed is out now on Roadrunner Records