Opeth – Sorceress (2016)

The legendary Opeth returns with another exploration further down the rabbit hole or Progressive/Psychedelic rock with “Sorceress”. Constantly evolving and experimenting with their sound, the band offers 11 brilliant tracks that feature tons of unique ideas and excellent craftsmanship. If you have been a fan of the band’s last three releases, this album will certainly be one of the ‘must have’ releases of 2016.

Opening with the solemn acoustic guitars of “Persephone”, the band quickly ups the ante with the trippy and Proggy “Sorceress”. This track instantly showcases the album’s very fuzzy and warm sound, particularly on the guitars, giving it a certain vintage vibe that perfectly fits songs like “The Wilde Flowers”. The band nicely showcases their diverse musical repertoire in more direct songs like “Will O The Wisp” and its lush progressions.

With impressive musical maturity, the band brilliantly goes from the heavier “Chrysalis” to the super mellow and dreamy “Sorceress 2”, and then to the Middle Eastern influenced “The Seventh Sojourn”. This showcases the band’s unique abilities to change tempos creatively and seamlessly bring the listener along for the ride. One of our personal favorite tracks is the very engaging “A Fleeting Glance” and its unexpected twists and turns.

Before closing the release, the band unleashes the explosive “Era”, filled with playful riffs and very ethereal vocal arrangements. The keyboards in this release brilliantly standout thanks to their very authentic Psychedelic vibe. As a whole, “Sorceress” is another brilliant release from Opeth that feels considerably more accessible than a few of their previous ones. The band excels in crafting engaging songs surrounded by the right vibe and brilliant musicianship. If you like the band’s most recent stuff, this album will make you feel right at home.

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

Release: September 30th, 2016

Genre: Progressive/Psychedelic Metal

Country: Sweden