Ranking Every Opeth Studio Album From Worst To Best

Track by track, Blackwater Park may be the better accomplishment; however, there’s something truly special about the Shakespearean storyline, painstakingly sculpted arrangements, and catchily morose melodies that make Still Life the superior cumulative experience.

Its theologically critical plot centers on the intersection of ill-fated romance, religious persecution, and sacrificial revenge; as such, the group’s guitarwork, vocals, and lyricism ingeniously shift to reflect indignation and penitence. Plus, now that they finally get to play together, López and Méndez continuously innovate as a flawlessly aligned rhythmic duo.

There’s a tad less diversity here than on later recordings – or even on My Arms, Your Hearse – yet the predominant formula that most songs follow is so powerfully sophisticated and seductive that it’s hard to complain.

Indeed, The Moor, Godhead’s Lament, and especially White Cluster segue impeccably around their ferocious cores and tender asides. Along the way, Benighted excels as a noble ballad full of entrancing, Camel-esque tranquility; subsequently, Face of Melinda is a pristine instance of an unassuming cause leading to an explosive effect.

Perhaps more than any other Opeth record, Still Life is most rewarding when heard all at once; only then can its breathtaking gracefulness and gutturalness be wholly appreciated.