Ghost Reveries

Infobox Album
Name = Ghost Reveries
Type = studio
Artist = Opeth


Released = flagicon|Europe August 29, 2005 flagicon|USA August 30, 2005
Recorded = March 15−June 1, 2005
Genre = Progressive death metal Progressive rock
Length = 66:46
Label = Roadrunner
Producer = Jens Bogren
Reviews = * Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:p28ibk59dakn link]
* "Alternative Press" rating|5|5 [http://altpress.com/reviews/93.htm link]
* "The Aquarian" (A+) [http://www.theaquarian.com/reviews-cds.php?id=117 link]
* "Chronicles of Chaos" rating-10|9 [http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/reviews/albums/2-3908_opeth_ghost_reveries.aspx link]
* "Decibel" rating-10|9 [http://www.decibelmagazine.com/reviews/sep2005/opeth.aspx link]
* "Drowned in Sound" rating-10|10 [http://www.drownedinsound.com/release/view/4220 link]
* "Kerrang!" Rating|5|5 [http://www.opeth.com/index.php/discography/show/tpl/ghost-reviews# link]
* "The Metal Observer" rating-10|10 [http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=1&id=9392 link]
* "PiercingMetal" Rating-10|8.5 [http://www.piercingmetal.com/cd_opeth_ghostreveries.htm link]
* "Pitchfork Media" (8.4/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/40119/Opeth_Ghost_Reveries_Special_Edition link]
* "PopMatters" rating-10|9 [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/o/opeth-ghostreveries.shtml link]
* "Rock Something" Rating|5|5 [http://www.rocksomething.com/reviews/reviewOpeth.html link]
* "Rock Sound" rating-10|9 [http://www.opeth.com/index.php/discography/show/tpl/ghost-reviews# link]
* "Stylus Magazine" (B) [http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/opeth/ghost-reveries.htm link]
* "Terrorizer" rating-10|9.5 [http://www.opeth.com/index.php/discography/show/tpl/ghost-reviews# link]
Last album = "Damnation" (2003)
This album = "Ghost Reveries" (2005)
Next album = "Opeth Box Set" (2006)

"Ghost Reveries" is the eighth full-length studio album release of progressive death metal band Opeth. It is their first album with their new record label, Roadrunner Records.

It is also the first album by Opeth to include Per Wiberg as a "permanent" member, although Wiberg contributed keyboard work to Opeth's live performances starting around the time of "Deliverance". As well, this is the last album by the band featuring long-time guitarist Peter Lindgren and drummer Martin Lopez.

"Ghost Reveries" was recorded at Fascination Street Studios, which are located in Örebro, Sweden. The album's artwork is by Travis Smith, who has contributed artwork to Opeth's previous releases. "Ghost Reveries" was released in Europe on August 29, 2005 and in North America on August 30, 2005 and peaked on the Billboard 200 at #64. The album was also ranked number 54 on the October 2006 issue of "Guitar World" magazine's list of the greatest 100 guitar albums of all time. [http://chud.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93854]

The album's single is "The Grand Conjuration". A music video of the song has been released, though about half the song was edited from the video due to the length of the song.

This album also sees the return of death growling, and shred-like cadenzas, absent from their previous album "Damnation".

A special edition of the album was released by Roadrunner Records on October 31, 2006. It is packaged in a large digipak and contains a CD and DVD, along with new cover art and an extended booklet featuring extra album artwork and a letter from Mikael Åkerfeldt. The CD contains the original tracks from the album as well as a bonus cover of "Soldier of Fortune" by Deep Purple, which was recorded as a live take with the band's new drummer, Martin Axenrot. The DVD contains a Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound mix (though does not include the bonus track), and 40 minute documentary, and the video for "The Grand Conjuration". This documentary details the making of "Ghost Reveries", offering a behind-the-scenes look at the band's day-to-day life while recording and touring.

Concept

"Ghost Reveries" was initially intended to be a concept album, with numerous tracks linking together a story of a man's turmoil after killing his own mother. However, Mikael Åkerfeldt claims he wanted the track "Isolation Years" on the album despite its irrelevance to the plot. Thus, the album only partly portrays a concept, not fully arranged in the poetic manner as previous releases such as "Still Life" and "My Arms, Your Hearse".

Track listing

All songs written by Mikael Åkerfeldt except tracks 3 and 7, cowritten by Per Wiberg.
# "Ghost of Perdition" – 10:29
# "The Baying of the Hounds" – 10:41
# "Beneath the Mire" – 7:57
# "Atonement" – 6:28
# "Reverie/Harlequin Forest" – 11:39
# "Hours of Wealth" – 5:20
# "The Grand Conjuration" – 10:21
# "Isolation Years" – 3:51
# "Soldier of Fortune" (Bonus Track) (Deep Purple cover; special edition only; recorded June 21, 2006) – 3:15 (the first Opeth recording to feature Martin Axenrot on drums, which was also a live "in-studio" recording)

Notes

* In the track "Reverie/Harlequin Forest", "Reverie" is a pregap to track five "Harlequin Forest" - hence the name "Reverie/Harlequin Forest". In all modern CD players, the pregap to any track (besides the first track) will be played following the end of the previous track (in this case, track four), which has led some people to believe that "Reverie" was actually a "hidden track" of sorts to track four, "Atonement". If you "rewind" from the beginning of track five (should start playing at about 5:23 minutes into Atonement or -1:05 before Harlequin Forest) on a modern CD player, you should see a negative time display, which is the "Reverie" pregap. This song has never been performed live by the band.
*"The Baying of the Hounds" is partially inspired by lyrics from the song "Diana" from Comus's album First Utterance.
*"Ghost of Perdition" is being included in the soundtrack for the video game Saint's Row 2 on the radio station Krunch 106.66.

Credits

* Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitar, additional mellotron
* Peter Lindgren – guitar
* Martin Mendez – bass
* Martin Lopez – drums, percussion
* Per Wiberg – mellotron, organ, grand piano, electric piano
* Martin "Axe" Axenrot − drums on "Soldier of Fortune" (special edition only)

External links

* [http://www.opeth.com/ Official Opeth website]