I had been anxiously awaiting this concert from the very instant it was announced. Two of my favorite bands, Opeth and Nevermore, at the Bottleneck, one of my favorite venues. Unfortunately, Nevermore decided to cancel and we got Pelican… So I thought to myself "all right, this will be still awesome", I mean you can't go wrong with almighty Opeth.
Well, to start we arrived slightly late, so we missed Fireball Ministry, though from what I have heard it wasn't that big of a loss at all. We did however come in just as Pelican was coming on. I had never heard them before, so I was interested to listen at least for a little bit. I was greatly disappointed, I thought they were very boring. There were no vocals, which is one of the highlights of Heavy Metal for me, also I found their guitar parts to be very boring mostly because they more or less had two rhythm guitar players. What's Metal without a lead guitar, I mean come on, really. I stayed for about 3 songs, if that and then left. I did have a quite enjoyable time outside talking with a guy named Eric from a Power Metal band called Inflection. They surprisingly were from Kansas!!! I never thought I would ever meet someone in Kansas that has the love for Power Metal like me.
I went back inside after a very pleasant chat, bought a beer and tried to get a good spot for Opeth. As soon as they hit the stage it was like Heavy Metal magic. They opened with the keyboards oriented track "Baying Of The Hounds" from their latest release "Ghost Reveries". The keyboardist, Per, was flawless as was the rest of the band. The only reasons I mention Per in particular is that I think he adds so much to the band. Next up was the colossal "When". Mikael's growls were totally on point. It sounded as if somehow after so many years of growling that his vocal chords aren't damaged at all. To my ears delight next was one of the highlights from their breakthrough release "Blackwater Park" (2001), the track "Bleak", though I would have preferred to hear "The Drapery Fall", but one can't be choosy; it was still Opeth in all of their glory.
Mikael then encouraged everyone to sing along to the next song and actually he challenged us to see how good we could be. This track was "In My Time Of Need", once a very strong track off the "Damnation" (2003) album. I personally believe that they put the slower track before the next one to let everyone take a breath because the next song was "The Motherfucking Grand Conjuration"!!! This track happens to be the first single of the new album and this track totally slayed, everyone was head banging in unison or putting up horns, it was glorious. Just when I thought the set couldn't be any better thus far "The Moor" is played - god damnit. If this track isn't also a highlight from its album, "Still Life" (1999), not to mention one of my favorite Opeth tracks. The vocals on this song have such a good tone, not to say that all Opeth songs don't have good tone and sound, but I really like any song off "Still Life" for this reason. After they got done kicking our asses with that track, they decided to put us in shackles and handcuffs and put us in the dungeon because next up was "Deliverance". The guitar solo in said track was unbelievable and flawless.
At this point my neck muscles are killing me, I am pretty sure I have whiplash still chained to that wall and then Opeth decides why not bring out the whips and play "Blackwater Park". Once again, total domination. After this one Mikael announced that the next one would be the last track for the evening and even though he didn't say it, he was probably thinking "I think I am going keep them in the shackles and cuffs, continuing whipping them, but as a special twist put them on my Viking slave ship and make them row my mighty boat" because next they played "Demon Of The Fall"!!! This was once again one of those when the entire crowd was singing and headbanging in unison. In all actuality there was no reason to even write this review, because I could sum it up in one word: unbelievable. Fin.
Opeth Setlist:
01. Baying Of The Hounds
02. When
03. Bleak
04. In My Time of Need
05. The Grand Conjuration
06. The Moor
07. Deliverance
08. Blackwater Park
09. Demon Of The Fall
