Opeth – Atonement

Section Analysis

Section

Time

Instrument

Function

Text Hint

1a

00:00

Drum/Bass

Intro


1b

00:12

Guitar



1c

00:33

Guitar/Keys

Variation


1d

00:53

Keys



2a

01:04

Drums/Keys



2b

01:24

Voice/Keys


„Clear the fog“

2c

01:44

Guitar/Voice



1b

01:55

Guitar



1c

02:15

Guitar/Keys

Variation


2a

02:36

Drums/Keys



2b

02:56

Voice/Keys


„Rising moon“

2c

03:16

Guitar/Voice



1b

03:27

Guitar



1c

03:47

Guitar/Keys

Variation


1e

04:08

Keys

Solo


1f

05:14

Outro



END

05:18




Statistics


Number

Repetitions

Average Length

Sections

2

0

2:29

Subsections

9

7

0:20

Observations

Section 2 has a three-part substructure „riff/lyrics/melody“, which is similar to the „riff/lyrics/solo“ or „riff/lyrics/duett“ substructure found in other songs.

Otherwise this song has a pretty simple structure that reflects it's softness in sound and topic. It's a clean A-B-A-B-A structure.

Simplified Overview

As if it needs any, but here it is:

1-2-1-2-1

Opinion

I love this song. It is soothing, relaxing, up-lifting and a welcome refresh after the onslaught of the first three songs of the record. The smooth melody in the guitar in 1b which is doubled with the keys in 1c – I love it. The latin/indian percussion slowly rising up in 2a – I love that, too. The slight dissonance of the melody in 2b creates some tension that is released when the more harmonic melody of 2c comes up – You guess it.