Mikael Akerfeldt and co. return to the fold with another solid prog rock album brimming with instrumental variety and musical ingenuity, whilst slightly lacking in innovation.
It’s safe to say that Opeth have all but abandoned their former death metal sound; previous albums Heritage and Pale Communion are a testament to that, and The Sorceress is no exception. Packed full of intricate guitar work and solos, acoustic interludes and alternative instruments- such as the sitar, which is used in the track ‘The Seventh Sojourn’- it follows on logically from its predecessors.
After a simplistic, haunting acoustic opening piece entitled ‘Persephone’, the album breaks into the title track which is by a long way the heaviest song on the whole record. Along with ‘Chrysalis’ and ‘Strange Brew’, it is one of the stand out tracks on the album thanks to the deliciously doomy beat laid down by the drums, whilst the simple guitar riffs hark back to an earlier Opeth.
However, this initial heaviness is almost misleading, as the rest of the album is fairly mellow and thoughtful. Interestingly, the sequel track ‘Sorceress 2’ features Simon and Garfunkel-esque finger picking with hushed vocals and high-register harmonies that set a sombre yet mystical tone for the prog odyssey that ensues.
Technically speaking, each song on the album features music of the highest order. The Sorceress is a demonstration of Akerfeldts prowess as a composer and instrumentalist, and there is absolutely no question that it will provide lasting entertainment to fans who don’t mind this new growl-free Opeth. That said, it just lacks… something. While there are moments that really do excite, there are just as many moments that feel like a tribute to 70s prog rock, and dare it be said, to occasional collaboration buddy Steven Wilson. This is evident in the song ‘Will O The Wisp’, which could easily feature in any of the Porcupine Tree frontman’s solo work.
It’s therefore fair to conclude that this is an album that meets expectations, but pushes no boundaries.
Louis Juhasz