OPETH, CYNIC, THE OCEAN

Progressive, aggressive and strange

11.12.2008 Berlin (GER)

It was a little bit untypical concert in due of my more extreme kinds of tastes. But who said, that the true fan of metal sounds should only to live by the extreme? There’s no rule in this business, so breaking up all of barriers, I visited a one of December days a venue, which had to entertain not only two of metal bands, walking by the other path of heavy and dark art, but all of their admirers too, that came those evening in so high number, that choice of place renting for this kind of event was like a well-aimed shot.

OPETH and CYNIC – two bands announced as the main points of program had practically a guarantee of good reception on start, but as the opener of event, all of fans got the support in any shape of THE OCEAN. I didn’t know this band earlier, so practically I had no kinds of awaiting regarding of him. Anyway, the music proposal of this group wasn’t my cup of tea to such of degree, that watching the show only during first of 10 minutes, I have retreated myself, walking into the bar. Maybe I am not so matured yet, but the most important is, that the music of the guys could to satisfy everybody, who watched them. In front of the stage I found myself however later, but that’s only reasons of band, that I have yet in my memory now, especially in due of his performance during this year edition of Wacken festival. Who’s that? Ladies and gentlemen – the masters of unconventional metal are again with us. They returned, they plays the shows and they are again happy doing it. Especially the leader of this group, very talented musician and composer, doubtless a true of oasis of calm. Paul Masvidal, a small boy by body, but surely a great man by soul tried to do everything on the new CYNIC album for admiring all those fans, who were fallen in love before many, many years with the debut album of this band named “Focus”. Has he done it? Of course! The new work of guys from Miami sounds the same mysterious, the same original and the same fine like a classical debut and maybe even more better. “Traced In Air”, cause that’s the name of the present album of CYNIC stays surely one from the most important metal works of this year. Why? Firstly, that’s the album of a one reunited band, which comes back after very long absence, secondly – a magic of this music is so noticeable, that neglecting or ignoring this album would be at least tactless. In due of recency this material, Paul, Sean and their two new comrades – Robin Zielhorst (bass) and Tymon Kruidenier (guitar) – presented partially a new stuff, but everyone, who before years loved the hymns of debut record like “Veil Of Maya”, “Celestial Voyage”, “Textures” or “How Could I”, surely found something for his taste too. CYNIC played a grand concert, so even in this place I should to stop, cause writing at length about is simply unnecessary. Observing the impressions of people can to admit, that reaction for the show of CYNIC was very positive, although it is beyond all question, that the crowd counted in my opinion for about 1000 heads awaited mainly for a headliner of those evening.

OPETH is the band having in Germany a solid base of fans, what confirms not only the number of people gathered those day in the walls of Postbahnhof, but a fact of high number of spectators during the big festivals like for example mentioned here already earlier Wacken. The tour of OPETH was organized in due of promoting a new album “Watershed”, having of course and like always a big esteem among the fans of this Swedish group. I say to all of you without a shade of hypocrisy – that’s not my music, believe me, that I am spending my time better with the more extreme arts of metal noise, but it doesn’t change my respect for Swedes, playing something difficult to describe, a little bit similarly like CYNIC. That’s surely very interesting music, a curious mix of many influences – death metal, progressive rock, sometimes a romantic atmosphere of ballads… So many elements… I can’t to admit, that I was boring during the watching those almost 90 minutes of show, but I must to ascertain, that OPETH and the creativity of this band is a little bit a hard nut to crack, when we have nothing to do with this kind of art. But the one is sure – that’s nothing for narrow minded people. Probably much of you would ask me now: are you calling yourself with these words? No. Absolutely no. But I know that learning to spread our music horizons is the best way for awaking in us the soul of something unknown. But everyone of us must to answer itself what’s that…

And here I would like to add a few of details from me: “Heir Apparent”, “Grand Conjuration”, “Godhead Lament”, “Lotus Eater”, “Hope Leaves”, “Deliverance”, “Demon Of The Fall”, “Drapery Falls”.