Warthur This is a convenient way of collecting Opeth's first three albums all in one fell swoop. Though Morningrise is far and away the best album here, the other two albums presented are nice bonuses on top of that star attraction; Orchid captures the band in the process of gradually finding their sound, whilst My Arms, Your Hearse has a bleak, almost black metal-inspired aesthetic which makes it perhaps Opeth's darkest and murkiest release. Each disc has a few bonus tracks, giving a full overview of the band's earliest era, making this a good purchase so long as you're happy with not getting the full artwork.

Conor Fynes 'The Candlelight Years' - Opeth (N/A)

'The Candlelight Years' certainly isn't essential for an Opeth fan to purchase, and there is absolutely no point to purchase it unless one has been looking for each of the three CDs enclosed. For me, finding the 'Candlelight Years' in an independent record shop was a real blessing. I got the three Opeth albums I hadn't been able to find, for a third of the price that all three bought separately would have cost.

Reviews for the music itself are in separate album reviews, but I can say that this compilation of albums isn't as great as the other Opeth boxset (which has 'Blackwater Park,' 'Damnation' and 'Deliverence.') It's not a boxset I would recommend to someone just starting out with Opeth (especially if they're not traditionally into metal) but there's great music here.

A real gripe I have with this boxset that I did not have with the other one is that there is not individual album artwork for each of the works. There is original 'Candlelight' boxset art (which is nice to have) but I would have preferred to have all of the artwork that buying the albums separately would have brought me. All that you get with this set are three small squares (front album art) that you have to squint to see properly. A bit of a letdown on that note, but for the price; it's pretty hard to complain.