 In 1999 , the ownership of Candlelight Records changed hands , with owner and friend of the band Lee Barrett leaving the company . Opeth signed with UK label Peaceville Records in Europe , which was distributed by Music for Nations . Opeth reserved time at Studio Fredman to begin work on its next album , but recording was postponed while the studio was relocated . Due to time constraints , the band was able to rehearse only twice before entering the studio . Delays with the album 's artwork pushed the release back an additional month and Still Life was released on October 18 , 1999 . Due to problems with the band 's new distribution network , the album was not released in the United States until February 2001 . Still Life was the first album recorded with Méndez , and also the first Opeth album to bear any kind of caption on the front cover upon its initial release , including the band 's logo . Allmusic called Still Life a " formidable splicing of harsh , often jagged guitar riffs with graceful melodies . " As explained by Åkerfeldt , Still Life is a concept album : " The main character is kind of banished from his hometown because he hasn 't got the same faith as the rest of the inhabitants there . The album pretty much starts off when he is returning after several years to hook up with his old ' babe . ' The big bosses of the town know that he 's back ... A lot of bad things start happening . " 
