Mikael Åkerfeldt, Per Wiberg’s old team-mate in Opeth for several years, has once said for his own self during a live show, starting to play the song ‘The Leper Affinity’ the following: “I am the Eros Ramazzotti of Sweden. Yes., and I am also a genious when it comes to music”. Well, of course, this is not an article about Opeth’s front man, or the Italian singer. But I can definitely share and echo on the term ‘genious’ on everything related and everything around Per Wiberg. A music (and not only music) mastermind, who knows extremely well, not only the technicalities around musical terms, genres and how to play any music instrument (the list is endless), but is so profoundly virtuous and proficient in producing fine pieces of music, capturing the very essence of what exactly he wants to present to the listener, and all that doing it so genuinely and with his trademark sound.
‘The Serpent’s here’ has come as no surprise. Wiberg’s second full length LP is a musical journey, a long jam session which travels the listener away. Drummer Tor Sjödén (Viagra Boys) and along with Kungens Män’s Mikael Tuominen constitute a fine and hard-working group who have created such a wonderful piece of musical art. First of all, ‘The Serpent is here’ is another convincing example of, not only Per playing an(y) instrument but his vocal performance is such noteworthy as well. This man can do anything – anywhere – anyhow and at the highest quality standards! The album has so many influences, elements, and references to different music genres. You get the feeling that any track could be a soundtrack of a movie, all tracks are so well crafted and meticulously placed. There are tracks, such as ‘He just disappeared’, where Per spells out a fantastic vocal performance as it could come from a film narrative, playing with moods, atmospheres, and different emotions, leading to a dramatic pathway. The keyboard work which is put all over the album is magnificent. ‘Follow the Unknown’ has incorporated beautiful guitar leads and serves as a fine moment within the album, climaxing the album and its dramatic substance. Simply brilliant! The outro of the album, as a bonus track, is the cover to Warrior Soul’s ‘The losers’, back from 1990, comes as not the track you were expecting Per to record and include on his album. However, it is beautifully done and epitomizes the overall palette of the album, stipulating as well the fact of how unique and convincing as an artist Per truly is.
♦ 8/10
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Despotz Records AB
