Morningrise  by Opeth

Morningrise from 1996 is the second studio album by the Swedish band Opeth and is considered one of the most iconic records in progressive death metal, marking the early, more "dark" period of the band. The recordings of Morningrise took place during March and April 1996 at Unisound Studios in Örebro, Sweden.

The album is characterized by a unique blend of progressive rock, folk, black, and death metal. The compositions are epic and complex, with intense shifts between wild vocals (growls) and melodic clean parts. A special feature is the use of counterpoint melodies on the guitars and the intense, almost jazz-like playing on the bass by Johan De Farfalla. It is the only Opeth album where each song exceeds ten minutes. The album cover depicts a black-and-white photograph of a Palladian bridge located in the Prior Park Landscape Garden in Bath, England. The photograph was chosen from a card sent by the head of Candlelight Records to Mikael Åkerfeldt.

Although it did not achieve immediate commercial success in the charts (which the band conquered later, from Ghost Reveries onward), it quickly gained cult status in the underground scene. Many fans consider it their peak moment, although Mikael Åkerfeldt himself has later stated that he finds some parts "difficult to listen to" due to their complexity.