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Originally released in 2014, Pale Communion would serve as the 11th full-length from Swedish progressive metal legends Opeth. Continuing in the same vein as 2011's Heritage, the album would see the band stray further away from their metallic origins in pursuit of 70s prog rock worship akin to the likes of King Crimson, Deep Purple and Rush. While these influences had always been prevalent across their expansive discography, the decision to entirely omit death growls or any harsh vocals and focus exclusively on prog melodicism would severely alienate much of their metal-centric fanbase. Produced by primary songwriter Mikael Akerfeldt, with mixing duties naturally handled by Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree, the resulting gamble's success primarily comes down to what each listener seeks to absorb from an Opeth record. If dour heaviness with oblique themes of gothic romanticism are your focal point, then their earlier material such as Blackwater Park and Deliverance remains the safest bet, but for those seeking some jazz fusion sprinkles and psychedelic Fender Rhodes organ-hammering, Pale Communion is the pinnacle of prog-dad Opeth.
Originally released in 2014, Pale Communion would serve as the 11th full-length from Swedish progressive metal legends Opeth. Continuing in the same vein as 2011's Heritage, the album would see the band stray further away from their metallic origins in pursuit of 70s prog rock worship akin to the likes of King Crimson, Deep Purple and Rush. While these influences had always been prevalent across their expansive discography, the decision to entirely omit death growls or any harsh vocals and focus exclusively on prog melodicism would severely alienate much of their metal-centric fanbase. Produced by primary songwriter Mikael Akerfeldt, with mixing duties naturally handled by Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree, the resulting gamble's success primarily comes down to what each listener seeks to absorb from an Opeth record. If dour heaviness with oblique themes of gothic romanticism are your focal point, then their earlier material such as Blackwater Park and Deliverance remains the safest bet, but for those seeking some jazz fusion sprinkles and psychedelic Fender Rhodes organ-hammering, Pale Communion is the pinnacle of prog-dad Opeth.