Still Life

Having taken their oppressive symphonies to their furious zenith with their third effort, , Sweden's began deconstructing their sound on 1999's brilliant . A logical next step in their evolution, the album finds the band re-examining their unlikely fusion of and to highlight the former while staying in touch with the latter. The result is a formidable splicing of harsh, often jagged guitar riffs with graceful melodies, and the increasing use of 's "clean" vocals (alternated with his ever-present death growl). This tactic only serves to spotlight the quality of 's lyrics (a rarity in extreme circles) and, in the tradition of prior efforts, is a full-fledged concept album, which, without going into unnecessary details, centers around a tale of unrequited love for a character called (a discreet reference to 's early-'80s classic , perhaps?). Also new to the mix are a wealth of more dynamic, almost groove-oriented riffs (see ) which break away from the Wall of Sound overtures of the past. On the other hand, outstanding, multifaceted epics like carry on in the proud tradition. The all-acoustic is the album's only one-dimensional track (and a beauty it is, too), while the awesome represents a new career high with its quietly building atmosphere and powerful finale. Ultimately, this is another star turn for the group, and the fact that they somehow managed to outdo themselves with their next work, , is a testament to 's greatness. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia