In times of little to no artist development, labels often use hype as a way to push artists to the fore of public attention. It's an ephemeral term that disappears just as fast as the bands it's used to promote. Yet, for Sweden's Opeth, hype is a foreign concept. The strength of Opeth's music lies in its honesty and musicality. Ask any of the band's growing legion of fans to describe the band's music and you're likely to hear them stumble through a healthy list of adjectives and emotions. More importantly, these proponents have directly connected to the music in a way that's often too personal for them to openly discuss. It is rare to find a band that can inspire that kind of devoted admiration. However, that is just what Opeth has been doing since 1990.

When Opeth's line-up originally solidified in the backwoods of Stockholm, little did the rest of the world know that something special had formed. Guitarist/Vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt, guitarist Peter Lindgren, bassist Johan DeFarfalla and drummer Anders Nordin signed a metal pact that would forever change their lives. It only took a few, short years for these young but impressively talented musicians to land a label contract - Opeth signed to England's Candlelight Records on the strength of a rehearsal tape. The word was out. In 1995, the band's debut, "Orchid," stunned critics with its diversity, musicianship and epic songwriting. "Orchid," unlike many releases of the time, bridged the widening gap between death and black metal, simultaneously adding strange swatches of 70's progressive rock to fill out the dynamic. "Orchid" was so new, in fact, that the band's label struggled to categorize it.

A year later, Opeth penned enough material for its second release titled, "Morningrise." Produced again with the help of Dan Swano (Edge of Sanity), "Morningrise" signaled a new direction in songwriting: the songs became longer and the movements more advanced. Guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt's singing also started to take on new elements, blending cool resolve with drifting, bewitching vocal melodies. It was here, their second volume, that Opeth's tremendous tapestry of sound became seamless and vast. "Black Rose Immortal," for example, was hailed as the band's crowning achievement, clocking in at over 20 minutes. So who was this ambitious and ambiguous act? It didn't take long for the press to start asking questions.

Just as the band started to rise from the forested hills of their Stockholm suburb, tragedy struck when both bassist Johan DeFaralla and drummer Anders Nordin announced they were leaving the band. The news hit the band hard. Åkerfeldt's personal life had also deeply impacted him as well. Opeth, however, had come too far, traveled too many lengths to be strangled by internal strife. Guitarists Åkerfeldt and Lindgren moved on. It didn't take too long before the vacated drum position was filled - Amon Amarth skinsman Martin Lopez, a proclaimed Opeth fan, decided it was time to hone his otherwise thunderous skills. The band forged on as a trio and used the last two years of adversity to their advantage. With a new drummer and tremendous loss in one hand and Opeth's penchant for quality songsmithing in the other, "My Arms, Your Hearse" displayed Opeth in aggressive rage. Recorded at Studio Fredman in 1998, "My Arms, Your Hearse", the group's third volume, broke the progressive shackles of its predecessor with unbridled force, bringing its haunting ghost-story concept with it. "April Ethereal" and the ultra-brutal "Demon of the Fall" were uncharacteristic yet still very much Opeth. Yet behind every dissonant chord lies a sense of loss. The album's most evident track, "Credence," presented this for all to bear.

For the first time, Åkerfeldt and company unplugged their instruments and belted out one of the most heartfelt moments in heavy music. "My Arms, Your Hearse" continued to garner attention well into 1999, but by that time riff master Åkerfeldt had another album's worth of material under his wing. Opeth also regrouped as a quartet along the way when Lopez's friend, Martin Mendez, showed an interest in performing the overwhelming task of bass guitar.. The enthusiasm of a re-energized and newly signed Opeth is vibrant on volume number four, "Still Life." The trademark roar and musical storm intact, "Still Life" brought the band (and fans) back to their progressive, introspective roots. "The Moor" and the fantastic "Face of Melinda" expose Opeth to their 70's rock influences, often accomplished by Åkerfeldt's outspoken love for British legends Camel. Riding high with a new album and mass critical acclaim, Opeth rode into the new millennium with a few live performances, most notably their first North American live appearance at the mob-like Milwaukee Metalfest in July, 2000.

Their fifth volume, "Blackwater Park," is named after an obscure 70's psychedelic rock band. The album is yet another massive stride for heavy music - Opeth style. Produced by the band and contemporary progressive rock wizard Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Opeth's newest album is their most expressive and expansive work to date. Not only is the sound quality meticulous and massive, but "Blackwater Park" is also downright prodigal. Opening track "The Leper Affinity," "The Funeral Portrait " and the title track proficiently weave through effortless bouts of extremity and spaced-out guitar trickery without losing sight of texture and musical colour. It should be noted that Åkerfeldt's vocal performance, improves exponentially from one release to the next. "Blackwater Park" is inarguably his best accomplishment to date. The first vocal hook of "The Drapery Falls" mesmerizes with its beguiling melody. "Blackwater Park" is Opeth at the apex of their career - a creative juggernaut that has daringly become a voice of sincerity and profound expression. Their fans appreciate that.

Hype, you say? Nah, it's just one fan speaking to another.