To call OPETH’s Heritage a departure from the band’s previous work would be a vast understatement. While it obviously builds on previous tendencies developing within the group over the past decade, its sonic attack – removing death growls, while showcasing complex polyrhythms, unexpected guest instrumentalists, and brain-shifting chord progressions – now includes elements of art rock, prog, space rock, and even jazz fusion, giving it a feel entirely different from anything that’s come before.

Listening to Heritage is way too enjoyable to be homework, and longtime fans and newcomers alike should feel free to dive right into its ’70s-flavored stew. But in case you want a crib sheet for some of the strange sounds that will be clanging around inside your skull, we’ve prepared a list of some albums we think are key to fully appreciating the latest opus from Mikael