Nieve Ella, Jamie T, Rachel Chinouriri and Remi Wolf cover Dork's new issue - order now!•
Tate McRae has announced new single ‘Housewife’•
Slayyyter has announced companion album ‘Wor$t Man in America’ for December•
Welly are going to headline a very special Dork’s Night Out at The 100 Club•
Down With Boring returns tonight with The North, plus bags of new music•
Keo have announced their 2027 UK, European and North American headline tour•
Primavera Sound Barcelona has announced its 2027 anniversary line-up•
Madra Salach have released new single ‘Ribbon Factory’•
Bleech 9:3 have dropped new track 'Tourniquet' and announced their biggest headline tour yet•
Mollie Elizabeth has announced her new EP ‘People Pleaser’ and shared ‘Kiss The Ring’•
Baby Dave and The Works have kicked off a new collaboration with ‘Wings’•
RAYE, Olivia Dean, JADE and more are set to perform at the 2026 Mercury Prize ceremony•
Fontaines D.C. have released ‘Tongue’ and its New York-shot video•
LCD Soundsystem have announced 12 New York residency shows, including their 100th•
Saint Clair have shared new single ‘Dreams’ ahead of sold-out autumn headline tour•
Audrey Hobert has unveiled a new video for 'Sex and the City' as she begins her headline tour•
The Dork 2025 Readers' Poll nominations are in, featuring CMAT, Turnstile, Wolf Alice, Djo, Hayley Williams and loads more•
flowerovlove has released her first-ever first Christmas track, 'wishlist'•
Mighty Hoopla and Olly Alexander have announced Trans Mission, a concert for trans solidarity•
JADE has announced a deluxe edition of her debut album, 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE'•
Nieve Ella, Jamie T, Rachel Chinouriri and Remi Wolf cover Dork's new issue - order now!•
Tate McRae has announced new single ‘Housewife’•
Slayyyter has announced companion album ‘Wor$t Man in America’ for December•
Welly are going to headline a very special Dork’s Night Out at The 100 Club•
Down With Boring returns tonight with The North, plus bags of new music•
Keo have announced their 2027 UK, European and North American headline tour•
Primavera Sound Barcelona has announced its 2027 anniversary line-up•
Madra Salach have released new single ‘Ribbon Factory’•
Bleech 9:3 have dropped new track 'Tourniquet' and announced their biggest headline tour yet•
Mollie Elizabeth has announced her new EP ‘People Pleaser’ and shared ‘Kiss The Ring’•
Baby Dave and The Works have kicked off a new collaboration with ‘Wings’•
RAYE, Olivia Dean, JADE and more are set to perform at the 2026 Mercury Prize ceremony•
Fontaines D.C. have released ‘Tongue’ and its New York-shot video•
LCD Soundsystem have announced 12 New York residency shows, including their 100th•
Saint Clair have shared new single ‘Dreams’ ahead of sold-out autumn headline tour•
Audrey Hobert has unveiled a new video for 'Sex and the City' as she begins her headline tour•
The Dork 2025 Readers' Poll nominations are in, featuring CMAT, Turnstile, Wolf Alice, Djo, Hayley Williams and loads more•
flowerovlove has released her first-ever first Christmas track, 'wishlist'•
Mighty Hoopla and Olly Alexander have announced Trans Mission, a concert for trans solidarity•
JADE has announced a deluxe edition of her debut album, 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE'•
Dork
News
Features
Reviews
Magazine
  • Dork
  • Popzines
Shop
Listings
Directory
Festivals
Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST
Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD
The 19755SOSAlessi RoseArctic MonkeysArlo ParksBastillebeabadoobeeBillie EilishBleachersblink-182BlossomsBlur
Bring Me The HorizonCarly Rae JepsenCavetownChappell RoanCharli xcxCHVRCHESCMATConan GrayDeclan McKennaDjoFall Out BoyFoals
Fontaines D.C.Ghostgirl in redGlass AnimalsGorillazGracie AbramsHAIMHarry StylesHolly HumberstoneInhalerJames MarriottThe Japanese House
The Last Dinner PartyLewis CapaldiLinkin ParkLouis TomlinsonMaggie RogersMaisie PetersMUNAMy Chemical RomanceNiall HoranOasis Live '27Olivia DeanOlivia Rodrigo
Pale WavesParamorePhoebe BridgersPinkPantheressRemi WolfReneé RappSabrina CarpenterSam FenderShameSlipknotTate McRaeTaylor Swift
Twenty One PilotsWallowsWet LegWolf AliceYard ActYUNGBLUDZara Larsson
etc.
Film & TV
Gaming
Literature
Culture
Festival Guides-YOUR ESSENTIAL FESTIVAL COMPANION
Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST
Mixtape-DORK'S BEST NEW TRACKS
Play-DORK'S NEW MUSIC FRIDAY EDIT
Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD
Playlist Covers
Playlist Directory
Recommender
Before Doors-LIVE SESSIONS
After Gates-FESTIVAL SESSIONS
Music Video Directory
Down With Boring-THE DORK PODCAST
Chart Attack-UK NUMBER ONES, DISSECTED
Dork Live
Oasis Live ’27Tickets. Dates. What’s the story?Explore the tour
Dork Radio
Live
Live 24/7
Dork Radio
Dork
Down With Boring

Join thousands of music lovers getting the best new tracks, exclusive interviews, and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox every week.

In print now

October 2026

Latest issue variants

View archive
Dork, October 2026 (Cara Delevingne cover)

Cara Delevingne

Dork, October 2026 (Keo cover)

Keo

Dork, October 2026 (Lizzy McAlpine cover)

Lizzy McAlpine

Dork, October 2026 (Tove Lo cover)

Tove Lo

Advertise|Support|About Dork|Editorial standards & corrections|Privacy Policy|Genres|Years|Sitemap|RSS|Cookie settings
© 2026 The Bunker Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.
Powered by PlaywireAdvertise on this site.
  1. Tracks
  2. Opeth
  3. Blackwater Park
  4. Bleak

TRACK

Opeth

Bleak

Release date: 27th February 2001

From Blackwater Park
Spotify More on Opeth

About This Track

A study in emotional dissolution, 'Bleak' traces the collapse of intimacy through Mikael Åkerfeldt's fractured vocals and Steven Wilson's layered harmonies. The song builds from sparse, aching verses into a chorus that circles obsessively around betrayal and physical decay, each image of coldness and drainage reinforcing the same slow unravelling. The interplay between Åkerfeldt and Wilson creates a dialogue between witness and subject, neither able to break free. What distinguishes the track is its refusal of catharsis. The bridge offers a moment of possible escape, a chance to "help me leave you", but the chorus simply repeats, trapping both voices in the same cycle of loss. By the outro, the song has become almost a ritual, tradition and resignation folded into one another. The instrumental passages allow the guitars and bass to resonate in ways that amplify the emotional weight without needing words, a restraint that makes the return to Åkerfeldt's voice feel like a reluctant confession.

"Bleak" is a track by Opeth, from the album Blackwater Park, released 27th February 2001. Full lyrics are available below.

About the Artist

Opeth

Opeth

Lyrics

Bleak

[Verse 1: Mikael Åkerfeldt]

Beating

Heart still beating for the cause

Feeding

Soul still feeding from the loss

Aching

Limbs are aching from the rush

Fading

You are fading from my sight

Break of morning, coldness lingers on

Shroud me into nightmares of the sun

[Verse 2: Mikael Åkerfeldt]

Moving

I am moving closer to your side

Luring

You are luring me into the night

Crying

Who is crying for you here

Dying

I am dying fast inside your tears

Plunging towards bereavement faster yet

Clearing thoughts, my mind is set

[Chorus: Steven Wilson, Steven Wilson & Mikael Åkerfeldt]

Devious movements in your eyes

Moved me from relief

Breath comes out white clouds with your lies

And filters through me

You're close to the final word

You're staring right past me in dismay

A liquid seeps from your chest

And drains me away

Mist ripples round your thin white neck

And draws me a line

Cold fingers mark this dying wreck

This moment is mine

[Instrumental Break]

[Bridge: Mikael Åkerfeldt]

Help me cure you

Atone for all you've done

Help me leave you

As all the days are gone

[Guitar Solo]

[Chorus: Steven Wilson, Steven Wilson & Mikael Åkerfeldt]

Devious movements in your eyes

Moved me from relief

Breath comes out white clouds with your lies

And filters through me

You're close to the final word

You're staring right past me in dismay

A liquid seeps from your chest

And drains me away

Mist ripples round your thin white neck

And draws me a line

Cold fingers mark this dying wreck

This moment is mine

[Outro: Mikael Åkerfeldt]

Night falls again

Taking what’s left of me

Slight twist, shivering corpse

Ornated with water, fills the cracks

Clasped in my limbs by tradition

This is all you need

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From Blackwater Park

2001
Listen
Album
Blackwater Park
Blackwater Park
Opeth
Release year
2001
  1. —
Watch the music video

Opeth — Bleak

Opeth — Bleak
9:16

 

Bleak

More from Opeth

Albums & EPs

Garden Of The Titans (Opeth Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
2018
Book Of Opeth
2016
Sonisphere
2012
Farewell To Providence
2009

Explore

More tracks by Opeth

  1. §1 (radio edit)
  2. §3
  3. Cirkelns riktning
  4. Svekets prins
  5. Width of a Circle
  6. §1
  7. §2
  8. §4
  9. §5
  10. §6

Showing 10 of 50

If you like Opeth

Katatonia

Porcupine Tree

Porcupine Tree

Gojira

Gojira

Dream Theater

Dream Theater

Edge of Sanity

Soen

Soen

The Drapery Falls
  • —The Leper Affinity
  • —Bleak
  • —Harvest
  • —Patterns in the Ivy
  • —The Funeral Portrait
  • —Blackwater Park
    • Ghost Reveries
    Ghost Reveries
    Heritage
    Heritage
    Forest of octaber
  • Pöbeln
  • The Mob
  • Freedom & Tyranny
  • Frihet & Tyranni
  • Width of a Circle
  • Gropeth
  • Cirkelns riktning
  • Continuum
  • Charlatan
  • Ingen sanning är allas
  • Universal Truth
  • Kontinuerlig drift
  • All Things Will Pass
  • Banemannen
  • Allting tar slut
  • Charlatan (Swedish)
  • Garden of Earthly Delights
  • De närmast sörjande
  • The Garroter
  • Next of Kin
  • Lovelorn Crime
  • Livet's trädgård
  • Minnets yta
  • Dignity
  • Heart in Hand
  • Hjärtat vet vad handen gör
  • Svekets prins
  • Ghost of Perdition (live)
  • SorceressGarden Of The Titans (Opeth Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
  • Ghost Of PerditionGarden Of The Titans (Opeth Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
  • Demon Of The FallGarden Of The Titans (Opeth Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
  • The Wilde FlowersGarden Of The Titans (Opeth Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
  • In My Time Of NeedGarden Of The Titans (Opeth Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
  • The Devil’s OrchardGarden Of The Titans (Opeth Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
  • Cusp Of EternityGarden Of The Titans (Opeth Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
  • EraGarden Of The Titans (Opeth Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
  • DeliveranceGarden Of The Titans (Opeth Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
  • Heir ApparentGarden Of The Titans (Opeth Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
  • Sorceress 2
  • Strange Brew

    • View all tracks by Opeth →

    Credits

    Production & Engineering

    Writer
    Mikael Åkerfeldt
    Lyricist
    Mikael Åkerfeldt
    Composer
    Mikael Åkerfeldt
    Producer
    Opeth, Steven Wilson
    Drums
    Martin Lopez
    Guitar
    Mikael Åkerfeldt, Peter Lindgren
    Vocals
    Mikael Åkerfeldt
    Additional Guitar
    Steven Wilson
    Additional Vocals
    Steven Wilson
    Bass Guitar
    Martin Mendez
    Mastering Engineer
    Göran Finnberg
    Mixing Engineer
    Fredrik Nordström, Steven Wilson
    Piano
    Steven Wilson
    Recording Engineer
    Fredrik Nordström, Opeth, Steven Wilson
    Shaker
    Markus Lindberg
    READ MORE ABOUT OPETHREAD MORE ABOUT OPETH
    READ MORE ABOUT OPETHREAD MORE ABOUT OPETH

    No coverage available for Opeth yet.