There are those who believe that genres help them find music easily at record stores, and there are those who (secretly) believe that it’ll help them gain acceptance in the ever-defiant, not-like-you underground society of rebels.

If there is attempt to classify Opeth under any genre for the benefit of the above two kinds, then I’d rather listen to Damnation one more time than wait for a certain fitting classification to come my way.

But without waving the Opeth flag too high, it has to be said that this album is fantastic. Fantastic to listen to, and fantastic because it sidesteps all inertial judgement one might possibly have (about Opeth or the term ‘xxx-metal’). One can sense a familiar blend of melody and melancholy in all the songs, and I’ve heard that this is indicative of a new step that the band has taken.

From the very first track Windowpane, Opeth makes it clear that they have stacked away their distortion pedals and taken long walks down lonely snowfilled mountain paths to raise the album to a certain state of pensiveness. However, this has also resulted in the music having a certain mood-equalizer with unadjustable knobs built into it. The music is beautiful, but it halts one step behind being oustanding.

You would definitley want to listen to the songs over and over again. Chiefly to see where you can find a secret door that lets you escape into your own private thoughts. You won’t find one however, because Mikael Akerfeldt (vox) makes sure that your ears are locked to the band’s offering.

Alas, somewhere down the Damnation experience, you, like me, will notice that the only variety the band potrays is in expressing the often-walked path of sullenness differently. Quite a few bands attempt that mood (many only end up throwing you into a state of sulky stupor)and it is melody that makes Opeth stand apart.

This also means that after one too many listens, either you’ll tell yourself “I need to get out this Damnation mood”, or “gee, I haven’t heard anything else in two weeks, or “time to get back to some Morbid Angel (or Madonna)”.

Eitherways, when you get past the magnicficant Windowpane, you’ll realise that songs like Hope Leaves and Death Whispered A Lullaby are so humane that they are emotionally close to Roger Waters and musically close to Porcupine Tree. I should add (from what li’l I’ve heard) - unlike the monstrously complex tracks that Opeth belts out in earlier albums.

Ending Credits is an instrumental that befits its name. The last track however is Weakness and it’s subtle, soft sounds make sure that you have enough time to shake yourself and press the play button once more.