Opeth have stirred plenty of debate in recent years, including but certainly not limited to their latest album _Ghost Reveries_. Sidestepping all that noise for a moment, one thing should be perfectly clear from the start if you even consider picking up _The Roundhouse Tapes_: either the idea of a nicely packaged, finely recorded, expertly played Opeth live album appeals to you, or it doesn't. That's how you decide whether to buy _The Roundhouse Tapes_, because quite frankly I don't see any Opeth fans not liking this double-disc, or any detractors being swayed by it.

Speaking of _The Roundhouse Tapes_ being a double-disc album, it is actually a curiously distributed one at that: the first disc contains six tracks (including the longest ones), and the second only three. This could have been a bit of a misstep, but the second disc is very unlikely to fall into oblivion, as in addition to "Windowpane" from _Damnation_ it features "Blackwater Park" and set closer "Demon of the Fall" from _My Arms, Your Hearse_ -- more than sufficient reason for frequent spins.

The first and main disc of this set opens strongly with "When" from _My Arms, Your Hearse_, continuing well with "Ghost of Perdition" (the only track off their latest album). Time jumps back over a decade for the classic "Under the Weeping Moon" from their debut _Orchid_, followed by "Bleak" from _Blackwater Park_ and "Face of Melinda" from _Still Life_. The disc closes with a breathtaking rendition of "The Night and the Silent Water" from _Morningrise_.

There is always the odd missing track you would have liked them to include, but very little can be faulted here, as _The Roundhouse Tapes_ is an impeccable live album throughout. Like Opeth? Then go buy this.