Blackwater Park

Infobox Album
Name = Blackwater Park
Type = studio
Artist = Opeth


Released = February 27, 2001
Recorded = August-October, 2000, Fredman Studio, Göteborg, Sweden
Genre = Progressive death metal
Length = 67:13
75:59 (2 CD edition)
Label = Music for Nations
Producer = Opeth and Steven Wilson
Reviews =
* [http://soundofmetal.se/ Sound Of Metal] Rating-10|8 [http://soundofmetal.se/index.php?page=opethblackwaterparkreview link]
* Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:necibkj9aakm~T1 link]
* Sputnikmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=9756 link]
Last album = "Still Life"
(1999)
This album = "Blackwater Park"
(2001)
Next album = "Deliverance"
(2002)

"Blackwater Park" is the fifth full-length studio album from the Swedish progressive death metal band Opeth. It was originally released on February 27, 2001 under Music For Nations and Koch Records. The album is a further continuation of the styles explored on "Still Life", incorporating and further expanding on the band's signature sound, which features the merger of death metal, progressive metal and folk music elements. The album is named after the title track and also the German progressive rock band of the same name.

"Blackwater Park" was the first Opeth album to be produced by Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson, who also provided backing vocals in some of the album's songs. The album was a critical and commercial success for the band, introducing them to a new range of fans. Many Opeth fans and critics alike consider "Blackwater Park" to be Opeth's magnum opus. The album was ranked 18 on IGN list of the "top metal albums", issued in January 2007 [http://music.ign.com/articles/755/755929p3.html] .

A special edition was later issued in 2002 with a second disc consisting of two bonus tracks (which were also released separately on the limited edition "Still Day Beneath the Sun" vinyl record single) and a music video for the song "Harvest". The release was limited to only 2000 copies.

A radio edit of "The Drapery Falls" was also released as a single to promote the album.

Track listing

All songs written by Mikael Åkerfeldt except the first two heavy riffs in 5, written by Peter Lindgren.
# "The Leper Affinity" – 10:23
# "Bleak" – 9:16
# "Harvest" – 6:01
# "The Drapery Falls" – 10:54
# "Dirge for November" – 7:54
# "The Funeral Portrait" – 8:44
# "Patterns in the Ivy" – 1:53
# "Blackwater Park" – 12:08
* There is a special 2-CD edition of "Blackwater Park" which contains the regular album (as above) as well as an extra CD with two bonus tracks and a video clip of "Harvest".
# "Still Day Beneath the Sun" – 4:34
# "Patterns in the Ivy II" – 4:12
# "Harvest" (Video Clip) − A video clip of Opeth in the studio.

Credits

* Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitar
* Peter Lindgren – guitar
* Martin Mendez – bass
* Martin Lopez – drums
* Steven Wilson – clean vocals (on "Bleak" and "The Drapery Falls"), backing vocals, keyboard, guitar
* Travis Smith − album artwork

References