Review of Opeth - Lamentations: Live at the Shepherds Bush Empire 2003 (DVD)

Opeth is a band that needs no introduction, and it seems that they’ve realized it and done as bands that need no introduction tend to do; release a DVD. And for a band with a track record as spotless as Opeth's, it comes as no surprise that their DVD is as top notch as it is. From their awe-inspiring performance to the exceptionally professional camera work and sound quality, this is a great package. Although, the true gem on Lamentations: Live at the Shepherds Bush Empire 2003 is not the live footage but the hour-long documentary capturing the creation of the Deliverance and Damnation albums and providing insight into the nature of the band members.

The most important aspect of a live DVD for many potential buyers is the performance. If you’ve ever been to an Opeth show, you probably already know that they’re never anything short of breathtaking and that wonderful presence is captured fabulously here. Even better, the view is great, you don’t have to get all pissed off when some tall asshole stands right in front of you. Between seeing Opeth live again and watching the DVD, I’d certainly go for the live show, but Lamentations is easily the next best thing. It’s wonderful either for reliving past live experiences or to get a nice taste of just how wonderful Opeth is in a live setting. The sound is flawless; it’s good enough to have been a live album (or, rather, a live double album, they play for over 120 minutes). My only qualm is not something that can be blamed on the band but on record label politics. All of the songs are from Deliverance, Damnation, or Blackwater Park. Of course, all three are wonderful albums, but the band has done wonderful things during all phases of their career and it’s unfortunate that due to different labels owning the rights to songs that these are all that can be played. It probably would have been worth it to jack the price up a few dollars and pay out royalties to the previous labels; I certainly wouldn’t have minded paying a bit more to hear some of the wonderful brutality of say, "My Arms", "Your Hearse". But the selection of songs is great nonetheless, with highlights including “Closure,” “Harvest,” “Deliverance,” and “The Leper Affinity.”

My favorite portion of the DVD is the documentary. I’ve been what some might call an Opeth fanboy for as long as I can remember. The moment I heard the song “Nectar” on a sampler when I was but a mere 13 years old was the moment I knew I’d found my new favorite band. For all of you other Opeth fanboys out there, the documentary will be a great chance to catch a glimpse of just how cool, down to earth and genuinely nice the guys who make such great music are. When they mention that in the entire history of the band there’s only been one occasion when any of the members got into any sort of sizeable argument, it’s evident that they’re on an entirely different level from so many drama-queen musicians these days (*cough*Stratovarius*cough*). In addition, watching them create their music is extremely fascinating, not to mention slightly daunting for a B-rate musician like myself.

Lamentations is a fine DVD, all aspects of it are wonderfully done and truly not worthy of a single complaint. This is just further proof that Opeth constantly delivers. It’s a worthy addition to the collection of any fan. Whether you’re a huge fanboy or just a casual listener, I say go out and buy it now.

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Opeth

Lamentations: Live at the Shepherds Bush Empire 2003 (DVD)

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