What Opeth does best is give a blast of emotions and a versatile story atmosphere, created with their words and recognizable music. For anyone who appreciates Opeth, the main reason is likely that it’s easy to immerse oneself in the atmosphere created by each word and riff. We already know how good it sounds when Opeth blends death metal and progressive metal, how poetic their songwriting is, and most importantly, the rollercoaster of emotions delivered in every song. Well, The Last Will and Testament has it all. It may be the most mature record Opeth has ever offered us, with the final piece of the puzzle: Mikael‘s growling vocals. Five years after the latest In Cauda Venenum, we finally have the 14th official Opeth album.
The first step is that the album artwork already provides a wide-open entrance to what we can expect. A vintage group photo of all the family members hints at the complex story behind the long family tree. A desecrated tombstone with the picture of a little girl and withered flowers stands as a witness to a family tragedy and offers a clue to the difficult personal relationships at play. The next clue is in the song list, which features a paragraph symbol, reminiscent of court or attorney documents. We already know that the album will guide us through family issues—things that happen behind the walls of a house, hidden from public view but ultimately revealed through legal documentation. This time, we have (almost) a completely conceptual album. The stage is set, the openings are promising, and it’s time to embark on another journey with Opeth.
It is difficult to find the right words to describe the album. It is also hard to think about The Last Will and Testament without referencing or comparing it to Opeth‘s previous work. It is quite heavier than the previous, growls are back and fit perfectly through the story. Perhaps the simplest way to put it is that it’s exactly what every Opeth fan would expect. Needless to say, we get a mixture of a wide range of musical styles, from progressive rock to death metal, featuring various classical instruments as well as The London Session Orchestra.
The story unfolds as we move through the paragraphs, with the gloomy mood of the family issues mixing with anger and fury. It’s a perfect story told through Opeth‘s recognizable poetic approach, with frequent switches between growling and clean vocals (this time also including the spoken words of a narrator), and between fast and mellow rhythms—like I said, a rollercoaster of emotions. At the end, the only song outside the concept, A Story Never Told, a classic Opeth ballad, is the perfect way to calmly close the final chapter of the testament.
The Last Will and Testament track listing:
01. §1
02. §2
03. §3
04. §4
05. §5
06. §6
07. §7
08. A Story Never Told
The Last Will and Testament is out today via Reigning Phoenix Records.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.