BANGALORE: Entwined with the rhythmic progression of existence, sounds have the ability to captivate all senses. In fact our entire universe thrives on the melodic interaction of matter and energy. Our fascination with tunes stems from our obsession with cosmic harmony. So it comes as no surprise that mankind resonates with music more dearly than ever. Over the years, this particular art form has taken many twists and turns in terms of genres. We have seen artistes who aspired to create inspiring pieces; and then there were those who redefined the structure of melodies.
Transcending all barriers, Swedish progressive gurus — Opeth too have time and again sought divinity in their music. After all, experimenting with diverse styles has always been their mantra. On Sunday, as thousands of head bangers gathered to witness the ultimate metal mayhem of all times, the Gods explored new dimensions with deep melodies and dense rhythms at the second edition of Summer Storm Festival 2012 by Kingisher Premium and Overture. An extraordinary line-up of bands including SuidArka from Germany, Nothnegal from Maldives, Theorized and Eccentric Pendulum from Bangalore set the vibe for the evening.
Dark psychedelic grooves characterised Opeth’s performance as the band — Mikael Akerfeldt, Martin Mendez, Martin ‘Axe’ Axenrot, Fredrik Akesson and Joakim Svalberg — left no stone unturned in demonstrating their love for sweet harmonies and warped rhythms. As frontman Mikael Akerfeldt crooned God is Dead in The Devil’s Orchard (Heritage), ‘soaring spirits’ welcomed the progressive melodic tunes with joy. Rejecting metal growls for clean vocals in their latest album, they have succeeded in entering a new era in music by dabbling with the sounds of mysticism and spirituality.
Known for their raspy textures and dynamic shifts, Opeth unleashed their dark side upon thousands of innocent souls with Slither. “This song was written after Ronnie James Dio’s death. It was a tragic day for hard rock and heavy metal music. I couldn’t understand that he wasn’t there anymore,” said Mikael. Besides generating a labyrinth of melancholic emotions, almost all the songs were pervaded with rugged contours and warm undertones. For instance, not only was Folklore a timeless blend of shimmering tunes, but it also had some sweeping guitar solos.
Running through a gamut of styles, Opeth produced a brilliant evening by churning out some breezy melodies with songs like I Feel the Dark, Face of Melinda, Through Pain to Heaven (Popol Vuh cover), Credence, To Rid the Disease, Heir Apparent, The Drapery Falls and Deliverance. And, of course all hell broke loose with The Baying of the Hounds when Mikael confessed, “There’s more than one side to the band, I think. And, we are going to demonstrate today how Opeth sounds when we play the slightly heavier stuff.”
Surrendering to the will of the mighty metal giants, we soon bid our farewell to all cognitive abilities. While the ‘language of the spirit’ spread harmony amidst wandering souls, echoes of desire reverberated through all entities. And, yet again music reigned supreme as lyrical integrity merged with soulful melodies.