Cries from the Quiet World: Opeth "Deliverance (Reissue, Music For Nations)"

Deliverance is the sixth studio album by Swedish progressive metal band Opeth. It was released on 12 November 2002. It was recorded between 22 July and 4 September 2002, at the same time as Damnation, which was released five months after this album. The two albums contrast starkly with one another, purposely dividing the band's two most prevalent styles, as Deliverance is considered to be one of the band's heaviest albums, whereas Damnation experiments with a much mellower progressive rock-influenced sound.

The band originally intended for Deliverance and Damnation to be released as a double album, but the record company eventually decided against this and released them separately, approximately five months apart from one another in order to promote them properly. The recording sessions also became a writing session of two albums worth of material, causing the recordings to be long as there were no songs written prior to that point. Åkerfeldt wrote the songs in the night and recorded them with the band during the days.

The track "Master's Apprentices" was named after the Australian hard/progressive rock group The Masters Apprentices. "For Absent Friends" was named after a song on the album Nursery Cryme by progressive rock group Genesis.

At the end of "By the Pain I See in Others", the final note fades slowly and ends at 10:40. Silence follows until 12:00, followed by two backmasked (hidden tracks) verses from "Master's Apprentices" at 12:00 and 13:15.

The recording for Deliverance and Damnation was fraught with troubles. The band had originally started recording the album in Nacksving Studio, but the recording process was plagued, not just by a variety of technical issues ranging from equipment breaking down to drum mics changing positions or disappearing, but also internal band issues. Eventually, the band would return to Studio Fredman (upon which they would be joined by producer Steven Wilson) to finish off the record.

During the recording process, Mikael Åkerfeldt's grandmother was killed in a car accident. He would later dedicate both Deliverance and Damnation to her.

Deliverance peaked on Top Heatseekers at No. 16 and the Top Independent Albums chart at No. 19, making it the first Opeth release ever to chart. Opeth also won a Grammis Award for Best Hard Rock Performance after releasing the album.

The album appeared on several lists of the best albums of 2002, including that of Kerrang!, Metal Hammer and Terrorizer. In 2012, Loudwire ranked Deliverance as the third best album of 2002.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mikael Åkerfeldt.

"Wreath" 11:11
"Deliverance" 13:36
"A Fair Judgement" 10:21
"For Absent Friends" (instrumental) 2:17
"Master's Apprentices" 10:30
"By the Pain I See in Others" 13:50

This release has a white disc.

"Deliverance", the 6th observation by Opeth was recorded between the 22nd of July and the 4th of September 2002 at Nacksving studios and at Studio Fredman, Gothenburg, SWE.

Mixed at Backstage studios, Ripley, UK.

All songs published by Zomba Music Publishing Limited.

Distributed by Sony BMG Music Entertainment.

Made in the EU.

Recording information:

Recorded between July 22 and September 4, 2002, at Nacksving Studios and at Studio Fredman, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Co-Engineered by Opeth

Co-Produced by Opeth.

Mixed at Backstage Studios, Ripley, UK.