In the ultimate Jeckyll And Hyde scenario, Damnation is the alter-ego of Opeth's last record, Deliverance. The early plan was to attach Damnation as the bonus disc of original yet mellower Opeth moments to said opus (recorded at the same time at Nacksving Studios and Fredman in Gothenbourg, Sweden). But label marketing minds knew better than to just freely hand over such moving melodies to the fans. What we have is a full-blown acoustic/electric record, sparse on Mikael Akerfeldt's death growls and other aggressive attributes that make Opeth the genius entity they are. Not that Damnation is a stripped-down, bare bones, campfire-friendly sing-along. It's a dark psychedelic spectacle without the vicious intent. 'Death Whispered A Lullaby' is a haunting expose that is reminiscent of early Staley/Cantrell (Alice In Chains) collaborations. 'Windowpane' and 'Closure' are pieces that could easily fit into a 12-minute plus Opeth epic, but they've been "edited" down to fit this format. 'In My Time Of Need' and 'Hope Leaves' are destitute pleas, the former complete with a tasteful background of '70s grand piano and mellotron (courtesy of producer/Porcupine Tree-man Steven Wilson) placing the track about 30 years in the past. It puts Opeth in a precarious position. You encounter older fans that have a distaste for growly vocals that are ever-present in this day and age. But this entire record is palatable and focuses on a certain dimension of the band which should easily appease fans new and old without offending either. Aside from leading the prog metal giants, Damnation transforms Akerfeldt into the realm of the classic rock singer-songwriter a la Young, McCartney and Townshend.