Ranking Every Opeth Studio Album From Worst To Best

7. Watershed (2008)

The quintet’s ninth studio collection signifies the debuts of guitarist Fredrik Åkesson and drummer Martin Axenrot (who replaced Lindgren and López, respectively, due to the former’s growing disinterest and the latter’s growing mental health concerns).

Although it continues in the same vein as 2005’s Ghost Reveries – with Jens Bogren once again co-producing alongside Åkerfeldt – its lack of focus and proper pacing makes it the first Opeth release since Morningrise to come off as merely a set of songs instead of as a larger-than-life statement.

Nevertheless, it’s a superb ride, with a charming acoustic duet, Coil, opening the disc. It still stands as the only instance of Åkerfeldt sharing lead vocal duties (thanks to the sublime voice of Axenrot’s then-girlfriend, Nathalie Lorichs). Later, the similarly remorseful Burden and Porcelain Heart expertly juxtapose fury and fragility.

Elsewhere, the devilish The Lotus Eater offers a tremendously cool jazz fusion break halfway in, while Heir Apparent soars with peculiar changeups. Admittedly, the final duo – Hessian Peel and Hex Omega – aren’t quite as fetching, yet they still impress enough to cement Watershed as an excellent effort.

 
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Contributor

Hey there! Outside of WhatCulture, I'm a former editor at PopMatters and a contributor to Kerrang!, Consequence, PROG, Metal Injection, Loudwire, and more. I've written books about Jethro Tull, Opeth, and Dream Theater and I run a creative arts journal called The Bookends Review. Oh, and I live in Philadelphia and teach academic/creative writing courses at a few colleges/universities.