Damnation (album)

Damnation
Studio album by Opeth
Released 22 April 2003
Recorded

22 July–4 September 2002
Maestro Musik, Studio Fredman[1]

No Mans Land, UK (vocals)[2]
Genre Progressive rock
Length 43:19
Label Koch
Producer Opeth & Steven Wilson
Opeth chronology
Deliverance
(2002)		 Damnation
(2003)		 Ghost Reveries
(2005)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [3]
Sputnikmusic [4]

Damnation is the seventh full-length studio album by Opeth. It was released five months after Deliverance which was recorded at the same time. The album was a radical departure from their typical death metal sound and into the much softer, 1970s inspired progressive rock genre and features no heavy riffs, extendedly fast tempos or growled vocals. The album was critically acclaimed and boosted their popularity, leading to the release of Lamentations on DVD in 2004.

It was Opeth's first album to chart in any country in which so to reach the Billboard 200, with a peak at #192. It also charted #14 on the Top Independent Albums chart. "Windowpane" was the album's single and has a music video for it, which is edited down from its original length. Recorded simultaneously with Deliverance, Damnation was entirely devoid of the musical elements of death metal and instead showcased a 1970s progressive rock vibe, with clean vocals and guitar sounds and prominent mellotron. The album was also produced by Steven Wilson, who contributed backing vocals and keyboards, and co-wrote one song, "Death Whispered a Lullaby". Mikael Åkerfeldt dedicated Deliverance and Damnation to his grandmother, who died in a car accident during the recording.[5]

Contents

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Mikael Åkerfeldt, except where noted[6]. 

No. Title Length
1. "Windowpane"   7:45
2. "In My Time of Need"   5:50
3. "Death Whispered a Lullaby" (lyrics: Steven Wilson) 5:50
4. "Closure"   5:16
5. "Hope Leaves"   4:30
6. "To Rid the Disease" (Note 1) 6:21
7. "Ending Credits" (instrumental) 3:39
8. "Weakness"   4:09

Notes

  1. ^ The vocal melody in the chorus of "To Rid the Disease" is borrowed from a track recorded by Mikael Åkerfeldt's sideproject Sörskogen, "Mordet i Grottan".[7]

Personnel

Opeth

Additional personnel

Charts

Chart (2003) Peak
Position
Heatseekers 10
The Billboard 200[8] 192
Top Independent Albums[8] 14

References

  1. ^ http://www.opeth.com/index.php/discography/show/tpl/damnation
  2. ^ http://opeth.com/index.php/discography/show/tpl/deliverance-session-diary-5
  3. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r634404
  4. ^ http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=1832
  5. ^ According to the liner notes to both Deliverance and Damnation.
  6. ^ "Opeth official website discography". Opeth.com. http://www.opeth.com/home/discography/item/12-damnation-2003. Retrieved December 26, 2011. 
  7. ^ Interview With Mikael Åkerfeldt. HailMetal.com. Accessed 28 August 2006.
  8. ^ a b Opeth > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at Allmusic

External links

Opeth
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilations
Related articles
Book:Opeth · Category:Opeth  · Portal:Heavy metal · Commons:Opeth