Rejoice, fellow death metal fans, Opeth has brought back the harsh vocals! That’s right. Mikael Ackerfeldt and company figured now was the time, as their new album, The Last Will & Testament (Reigning Phoenix Music), has the perfect concept to complement it. The reading of a post-World War 1 patriarch’s last will and testament that spills out family secrets, track by track, section by section of the document (the first seven tracks are named simply after which paragraph is being recited). In terms of instrumentals, this album is my favorite mix of the melodic death metal era of Opeth and the more recent prog-rock era of the band.

“§1” starts with the sound of footsteps and the opening of a large door before an ominous bass line hits and leads in the rest of the band. Immediately, the guitar and drums are reminiscent of older death metal albums, and the switching between clean and harsh vocals. Conceptually, the first track is the reading of the first section of the deceased’s last will and testament that sets the stage for what is to come.

“§2” describes an orphan and polio-ridden girl who was taken under the care of the father, but she is, of course, not blood-related and left out of the will (we find out she is the daughter of the housemaid of whom the patriarch had an affair with later on in The Last Will & Testament). This track follows a similar feel to that of the first track, mixing the melodic death metal sections with cleaner/prog-rock sections. There are also two sections where the narrator/patriarch has spoken word sections (voiced by Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull), particularly in this track that has a call and answer with Joey Tempest of Europe.

“§4” releases further family secrets that the fraternal twins, birthed by the patriarch’s wife, but with a donor’s seed, are not of his own as he is infertile. Thus, they are left out of the will as well. Musically we get even more of this blend of Opeth eras that jive so well together. However, Ian Anderson returns, but this time with a flute solo in the middle section of the track which perfectly fits with the crescendoing guitar riff.

While I have been enjoying the last couple of prog-rock albums that Opeth has put out, having this return to an older form while also maintaining their current identity to tell such a dark story destroyed my expectations. Each track builds upon the story and is best listened to in order, with no skipping. As many of the tracks do play into each other, The Last Will & Testament is truly a journey that needs to be listened to from front to back… many times. I truly believe that this is Opeth’s best work since their Watershed (Roadrunner Records) release back in 2008. Even if this is the last time we get the death metal side of Opeth, it was well worth it.

Buy the album here:
https://opeth.rpm.link/lastwill

10 / 10
TIM LEDIN
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