Tracks Side 1:

1. The Lotus Eater (8:48)

2. Burden (7:41)

 Tracks Side 3:

Tracks Side 4:

1. Hex Omega (6:57)

2. Derelict Herds (6:29)

Listen At YouTube:

( )The lush acoustic guitars that steer opening track, "Coil" start the album off in a sparse and elegant way. Surprisingly, after swearing off female fronted Metal bands in older interviews, Åkerfeldt actually invites Swedish chanteuse, Nathalie Lorichs to co-sing the song with him. The results are haunting with a wicked string arrangement only adding to its overall luster. The pummeling riffs that lead off the following song, "The Lotus Eater," shift the proceedings into a different stylistic chamber all together. The song changes moods in such a schizophrenic manner, the best thing the listener can do is just let go of any pre-conceived notion they have about the band and get lost within the song's dizzying arrangement. In the span of almost 9 minutes, they take on everything from Neo-Classical Metal to organ-laced Funk Rock and even Pink Floyd and Hawkwind informed Space Rock. Exhausting? Yes, but Opeth actually manage to pull it off seamlessly.
Elsewhere on the album, "Porcelain Heart" finds the band exploring their doomier impulses but keep things from plodding along with whip smart instrumental choices like including a Folk passage midway through the song. Again, this kind of kitchen sink approach to their section arranging might kill lesser bands but then again, they don't have Åkerfeldt leading the charge. The honeyed melodies on "Burden" make you nostalgic for early era Scorpions with its Power-Ballad tendencies. Yes folks, you read that correctly! Opeth have almost earned their way onto IGN's next Power Ballad list! But fans of their earlier, harsher material shouldn't fret too much. I did say "almost."
The quintet does not suppress their heavier side completely. "Heir Apparent" wouldn't have sounded out of place on their earlier catalog entries. New guitarist, Fredrik Åkesson proves he's more than capable of filling fan favorite, Peter Lindgren's spot in the band. He bobs and weaves through the aforementioned track with the confidence and wild abandon of a seasoned veteran. Martin Axenrot's (great Metal name!) drumming is so flawlessly performed; it's easy to forget he's also new to the fold. With the frenzied structures of the songs, it was of utmost importance to have the right drummer anchoring the tempos. With his work on tracks like "Hex Omega" and the blistering, "Hessian Peel," Axenrot has cemented his reputation. With all the newer and utterly forgettable Prog leaning bands floating around today, it's refreshing to find one who has consistently put the importance of songwriting at the top of their musical agenda. There are a lot of hot-shot players who can throw together a whirlwind of frantic riffs into the span of a seven minute song, but it takes a unique breed of musician to make music as enthralling as the music on Watershed is. That kind of essence is rare. (Carlos Ramirez/ign.com)


Mikael Åkerfeldt - Guitar, Vocals
Fredrik Åkesson - Guitar
Martin Axenrot - Drums, Percussion
Martin Mendez - Bass
Per Wiberg - Keyboards
&
Natalie Lorichs - Vocals (Tracks 1)

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