Progressive death metal/prog rock legends Opeth have pushed boundaries on how death metal can sound like since their debut Orchid almost thirty years ago. The band would take the band’s progressive death metal sound into full on prog rock with 2011’s Heritage. An album that divided fans, with the band officially going into a prog rock sound of acts like Yes and King Crimson, abandoning death metal elements and growls from that record onward. Creating a dividing line similar to how Metallica fans were upon the black album’s release. The band’s newest album, The Last Will and Testament, not only marks the return of death growl vocals, but also the return of the band doing a concept album since their fourth album Still Life. Did the band give the fans want they wanted and a return-to-form that made the band the legend that they are today?
The album opens with the lead single “§1”. Martin Mendez’ bass opens into a nice, progressive and jazz like drum pattern by new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen. Clean, atmospheric guitars turn dark and distorted with synths from Joakim Svalberg. The rising tension of the synths, drums, and the guitars of Mikael Åkerfeldt & Fredrik Åkesson flow beautifully into clean vocals. With a vocal narration appearance by Jethro Tull front man Ian Anderson, who is featured prominently on the album, in both narration and musically. Then YES, the long-awaited return of growl vocals that Opeth fans have been craving for years now show up. Åkerfeldt sounds deep and guttural just like he did on those early records, almost preserved from the early era of the band like a fine wine. The song turns prog rock around the halfway mark, into a pretty shred-heavy guitar solo. With wailing and rising synths amongst growling and clean vocal harmonies. With Åkerfeldt’s daughter Mirjam making a special narration appearance on the song. Segueing into a beautiful string arrangement that brings a melancholic and somber impression, while also creating an almost Victorian-era atmosphere to the proceedings. Adding an upscaled, cinematic quality to the close.
Another favorite track for me was “§3”. Opening with a very prog rock up-tempo synth with complex arrangements that would make any Rush fan happy. The addition of an orchestra over it is, as the kids would say, chef’s kiss. Bassist Martin Mendez creates such a nice gurgly groove, that adds weight to the main riff. The pace pick-up, with the orchestra behind it and the double bass, just shows the band’s talent of arrangement and instrumentation in the emotional depth of the music. The halfway section, with the orchestra behind it into the guitar solo gave me goosebumps. I’ve said it multiple times, metal and orchestras go so well together. And near the close, when it’s Åkerfeldt and the orchestra, that part was magical before the song intensifies as it builds to a dramatic conclusion.
The album closer “A Story Never Told” is a beautiful and magnificent closer for this album. With a somber, reflective sounding guitar play style & tone. The rest of the band comes in after, with Mendez’ bass peaking through the drums. Svalberg’s piano rings behind Åkerfeldt, creating a beautiful piece of music, with a dark and saddening undertone. Vocal harmonies ring through the piano, drumming and rising distorted guitars. The song goes next level into the theatrics before the halfway mark, really encapsulating a dream-like aesthetic that the vocal harmonies deliver. Dropping out to just piano and humming by Åkerfeldt. An emotional guitar solo, with backing orchestra behind it, just hits like a ton of bricks in the delivery and grandeur of the song’s final track.
Bottom Line: The Last Will and Testament is an album that takes the band’s trademark progressive metal/rock sound, and turns it to eleven and destroys the knob. With beautiful orchestration, the return of growl vocals and an emotional story that brings comparisons of Dream Theater’s
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory. This might go down as potentially one of Opeth’s best albums. The band delivered a diverse, complex and astoundingly great record. Adding the right amount of vocals, creating emotional weight with the addition of orchestra, and the band pleasing both progressive rock and metal fans with a beautiful marriage of the two. This will, and I mean WILL, end up on a lot of “Best of 2024” lists. For many fans, hopefully growl vocals are back and here to stay for future releases. Amazing album and a classic in the progressive metal genre.
