Lamentations (Live at Shepherds Bush Empire 2003) is the first live album and video by Swedish progressive metal band Opeth, released under the Music For Nations label in 2003. It was recorded at the Shepherd's Bush Empire on 25 September 2003.

Lamentations features Opeth playing the album Damnation in its entirety (with the song "Harvest" from Blackwater Park put in the running order before the last song), followed by some of the band's songs from Blackwater Park and Deliverance. The only song that was played from albums prior to Blackwater Park was "Demon of the Fall" (from the album My Arms, Your Hearse) as an encore song, but the song was not filmed for the DVD. Licensing issues with previous record labels prevented this from happening at the time of the disc's release.

The DVD also includes a documentary on the making of both Damnation and Deliverance because both albums were recorded at the same time.

This was the first Opeth release with Per Wiberg, although he did not become a permanent band member until Ghost Reveries.

A 2-disc CD version of the live recording was released in 2006 in a collector's edition slipcase.

A 3-disc vinyl version with new cover artwork was released in July, 2016.

DVD

CD track listing

Reception

The recording is generally regarded as having exceptionally clear and beautiful sound and visual quality, although Allmusic reviewer John Serba complained of the ubiquity of shots from what he termed the "Åkerfeldt Orifice Cam", showing close-ups of the singer's mouth and nose in excruciating detail.

Personnel Opeth Mikael Åkerfeldt – lead vocals, lead guitar; songwriting (1–3, 5–14), music (4) Peter Lindgren – rhythm guitar Martín Méndez – bass guitar Martin Lopez – drums

With Per Wiberg – keyboards and backing vocals

DVD & Album Production Paul McLoone – production Benje Noble – 5.1 & Dts audio post production Louise Cassidy – production assisting Andy Sneap – recording and mixing Fredrik Odefjärd – editing, filming and production on Documentary

Imaging Rigel Lastrella – DVD package design US artwork Travis Smith – photography and artwork

Show Production Matt West – live sound engineering Steve Taylor – vision engineering Benny Trickett – vision mixing Ben Gill – broadcast assisting Joe Dyer – director Liam Donoghue – project co-ordination

Technicians Drum technicians Damon Dougherty Mole

Guitar technician Coty Alinson

Various Steven Wilson – lyrics on "Death Whispered a Lullaby"

Running Jane Costello Jonathan Nicholas

Gripping Neil Grey

Op Cable Rigging Nigel Clarke Zoran Trajkovic

Lights Mick Thornton – lighting design Tellson James – lighting operation

Camera Crew Assistants Mark Cowley Tony Lewis

Operators Andy Pellet Ben Grewin Curtis Dunn John Clarke Martin Mathews Samantha Dewhurst

Management Guy Moore – contract management Gavin Bot – floor management Steve Waite – tour management

Agents Tim Borror Tobbe Lorentz

References