Released: 16/07/21 (2025 reissue released: 29/08/25)
Opeth’s Blackwater Park (2001) is a landmark progressive metal album, blending crushing heaviness with melodic, atmospheric complexity. Seen as their masterpiece, it pushed metal’s boundaries with lengthy, intricate compositions that defied commercial norms yet earned wide acclaim. Combining death metal with progressive rock’s sophistication, it expanded Opeth’s audience beyond the metal underground and remains a defining influence in heavy music.