Jump to content

Opeth


mcbeverage101

Recommended Posts

  • 4 months later...
  • 1 year later...

I am on an Opeth revisit at present. I put on "Deliverance" and "Ghost Reveries" the other day and have never looked back. After battering "Blackwater Park" in the car all week I was overjoyed to find "Still Life" on the cheap in town last weekend and it is danger of becoming my favourite album of theirs. I am looking to get my discog for them complete which is something I rarely bother to do with many bands. I got "Orchid" this weekend and need to fill in a few other gaps but I fell compelled to listen to them from start to finish somehow, to have a complete overview of them. The progressive dynamics in the time changes, the jazzy ludes and the well orchestrated mixture of clean vocals and growls stick in my head quite easily which rarely happens with most new music I listen to nowadays.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Opeth

I am on an Opeth revisit at present. I put on "Deliverance" and "Ghost Reveries" the other day and have never looked back. After battering "Blackwater Park" in the car all week I was overjoyed to find "Still Life" on the cheap in town last weekend and it is danger of becoming my favourite album of theirs. I am looking to get my discog for them complete which is something I rarely bother to do with many bands. I got "Orchid" this weekend and need to fill in a few other gaps but I fell compelled to listen to them from start to finish somehow' date=' to have a complete overview of them. The progressive dynamics in the time changes, the jazzy ludes and the well orchestrated mixture of clean vocals and growls stick in my head quite easily which rarely happens with most new music I listen to nowadays.[/quote'] I couldn't live without My Arms, Your Hearse in my collection. I love Opeth, and all of their albums are great to me (except Heritage, which I just like, not love), but that one is my favorite. Definitely make sure you grab that one. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been getting to grips with "Orchid" today (albeit in the car on my way to and from work and meetings etc). Given it is their first release I am astonished at how prominent and definite it is in its direction. The sit up and take notice aspect (the encouragement to listen) that I find so intriguing with Opeth is definitely there from the off. I like the expansive nature of the songwriting - you can hear the effort put in to each track. My only criticism is one that can be aimed generally at all their albums is that the tracks do meander sometimes but it is usually a well-orchestrated meander.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been getting to grips with "Orchid" today (albeit in the car on my way to and from work and meetings etc). Given it is their first release I am astonished at how prominent and definite it is in its direction. The sit up and take notice aspect (the encouragement to listen) that I find so intriguing with Opeth is definitely there from the off. I like the expansive nature of the songwriting - you can hear the effort put in to each track. My only criticism is one that can be aimed generally at all their albums is that the tracks do meander sometimes but it is usually a well-orchestrated meander.
They really cut down on the meandering and made a more concise album with My Arms, Your Hearse. I don't mind that sort of thing, but My Arms, Your Hearse does more in less time than most of their other albums. I also prefer that earlier, heavier sound of theirs, with many of their progressive elements still fresh and emerging on that album. Here is one of my favorite tracks from the album: U3ZHajw3-3s
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like that - it starts off all picked and then takes you straight off in a different altogether more heavy direction. I can see what you mean about getting more in to the time they have on that track, some great changes on there. So what about "Heritage" then, I know it is a different phase of Opeth if you like but I have seen it get some serious panning before now which has put me off? If we look at is as a straight up Prog record is it any good?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like that - it starts off all picked and then takes you straight off in a different altogether more heavy direction. I can see what you mean about getting more in to the time they have on that track' date=' some great changes on there. So what about "Heritage" then, I know it is a different phase of Opeth if you like but I have seen it get some serious panning before now which has put me off? If we look at is as a straight up Prog record is it any good?[/quote'] I do like it, but I can't say that I like it as much as any of Opeth's other albums. Even Opeth's other "clean" album Damnation is a great deal better IMO, but I've always really liked that album. You can still tell it's Opeth, but what I loved most about Opeth was the dichotomy, which is not present on the new album. Everything is pretty much one tone, and even though there are still transitions, it never goes from light to heavy or heavy to light. Maybe with more time I'll like it more, as the songs did sound better live, but I doubt it will ever be a favorite.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...
  • 5 months later...
On 07/07/2016 at 4:33 AM, Onskt said:

I really like the earlier stuff  like My Arms Your Hearse, Damnation, Blackwater Park. The new stuff is not bad but kinda flat (Don't know if thats the right word I'm looking for). The early stuff is much darker. It have more .... depth.

I know I'm getting old when people start calling 'Damnation' and 'Blackwater Park' their "earlier stuff". I can remember when 'Still Life' came out and it seemed like Opeth had been around for ages, albeit as this sort of little known secret. 

People went mad for Opeth, and I never really got the bug. I first heard them when I had a Century Media compilation with 'When' on it from 'My Arms Your Hearse' and it was so different and strange to what was happening in music at the time that I just didn't get it. The same compilation had Katatonia's 'Deadhouse' which again I thought was weird and not even metal. Show's what I know, hey, as they would soon become my favourite band once 'Tonight's Decision' dropped in 1999. But I digress...

I own about 8 Opeth albums on CD, and I really love 'Morningrise', 'My Arms Your Hearse' and 'Still Life', and I really like most of the other albums. But I never really got into them to the extent of a lot of people that I know. There were heaps of those 'O' tattoos going around about ten years ago - a couple on the backs of my friends.

There's no denying what they've done for metal though. The musical landscape really changed once they hit the big time with 'Still Life' and the bigger time with 'Blackwater Park'. Suddenly there were progressive metal bands all over the damn place. 

I have no idea what their last few albums sound like because I'm done with Opeth. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not into their new incarnation, but they've been one of my favorite bands for nearly twenty years. I bought "Morningrise" on a whim, and after a few listens, it clicked in a really big way. I've been following them since then. A couple albums took a while to grow on me, but as I've said elsewhere, I consider everything from "Orchid" to "Ghost Reveries" to be indispensable. Hard to overstate the impact they've had on my songwriting and general outlook on music.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 23/12/2016 at 11:48 PM, FatherAlabaster said:

I'm not into their new incarnation, but they've been one of my favorite bands for nearly twenty years. I bought "Morningrise" on a whim, and after a few listens, it clicked in a really big way. I've been following them since then. A couple albums took a while to grow on me, but as I've said elsewhere, I consider everything from "Orchid" to "Ghost Reveries" to be indispensable. Hard to overstate the impact they've had on my songwriting and general outlook on music.

I think this is a fair call. If you were to take those albums ('Orchid' through to 'Ghost Reveries') to a hut in the mountains you'd have a pretty good collection. This has given me an idea. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I put "Still Life" on after reading this thread the other night.  I forget how good that record is and personally can play "Face of Melinda" to death and never get tired of it.  I read an interview with Akerfeldt recently where he intimidated that he doesn't like to hear himself on the records (he likened it to not liking to hear yourself on your answer machine message).  He says when listening back to albums he's made he prefers to listen to the mixes minus the vocals. 

Get a grip son, you're a vocalist in a heavy rock band.  There's no place for anxiety or nerves.  You're supposed to stand outside in the rain and listen to Slayer!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, MacabreEternal said:

I put "Still Life" on after reading this thread the other night.  I forget how good that record is and personally can play "Face of Melinda" to death and never get tired of it.  I read an interview with Akerfeldt recently where he intimidated that he doesn't like to hear himself on the records (he likened it to not liking to hear yourself on your answer machine message).  He says when listening back to albums he's made he prefers to listen to the mixes minus the vocals. 

Get a grip son, you're a vocalist in a heavy rock band.  There's no place for anxiety or nerves.  You're supposed to stand outside in the rain and listen to Slayer!

Understandable though, because there's always something funny about your own voice. People don't like seeing their true selves hahaha. 

Like bloody Jonas Renkse from Katatonia singing with his hair over his face the entire night. It's just ridiculous. It's like Uncle Fester with a microphone. He's a gun, put the hair out of your eyes and be the rockstar you want to be. But no, 90 minutes of a dude with his hair literally straight over his face. Lame. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My love of Opeth started to diminish after Damnation. I'm a huge fan of everything up to that point but that's where it went off the rails for me. I can appreciate artistic growth and Mikael and company can do whatever they like but the prog output has been lost on me. Not that I dislike prog but I'd probably just rather listen to King Crimson

Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, Beor said:

My love of Opeth started to diminish after Damnation. I'm a huge fan of everything up to that point but that's where it went off the rails for me. I can appreciate artistic growth and Mikael and company can do whatever they like but the prog output has been lost on me. Not that I dislike prog but I'd probably just rather listen to King Crimson

King Crimson is amazing. When I go on a Crimson binge, I usually have trouble listening to other bands afterwards - it's kind of a letdown. I felt the same way as you about Damnation and onwards for years (and I rarely play Damnation), until Ghost Reveries finally clicked for me. Their last enjoyable album for my taste. I've learned never to say never, but I don't see myself warming up to anything else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, FatherAlabaster said:

King Crimson is amazing. When I go on a Crimson binge, I usually have trouble listening to other bands afterwards - it's kind of a letdown. I felt the same way as you about Damnation and onwards for years (and I rarely play Damnation), until Ghost Reveries finally clicked for me. Their last enjoyable album for my taste. I've learned never to say never, but I don't see myself warming up to anything else.

In regards to Opeth, this is pretty much how I feel. I remember being really excited about the idea of 'Damnation' as well, because it promised to be a 'Benighted' style softer album that would display their musicianship and be truly mesmerising with acoustic guitar etc. When I heard it I thought it was really flat and kind of unexciting - a sentiment I still hold today. 

'Ghost Reveries' is indeed a very good album. Dare I say it has lots of great gothic moments? It has a great, dark, atmosphere. Very haunting in a sense. I might put it on now actually. 

Edit: Got it on now, and I remember two things that I really like about it in particular: 

1. Steven Wilson isn't producing.

2. It's the last album of theirs with the four original members? (plus a keyboard player).

Edited by Requiem
Listening to it now.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I am not fan of not clean vocals and such a thing but I like Blackwater Park and Still Life. And beside that I like Damnation. I don´t quite enjoy themes like they have in their songs nor atmosphere because of my personality but one thing is sure-they are fantastic band and unique. They are like death metal Pink Floyd, their progressive is not Symphony X progressive or Dream Theater or Tool progressive, so they are not that much complex in music composition. All in all, excellent band.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Join Metal Forum

    joinus-home.jpg

  • Our picks

    • Whichever tier of thrash metal you consigned Sacred Reich back in the 80's/90's they still had their moments.  "Ignorance" & "Surf Nicaragura" did a great job of establishing the band, whereas "The American Way" just got a little to comfortable and accessible (the title track grates nowadays) for my ears.  A couple more records better left forgotten about and then nothing for twenty three years.  2019 alone has now seen three releases from Phil Rind and co.  A live EP, a split EP with Iron Reagan and now a full length.

      Notable addition to the ranks for the current throng of releases is former Machine Head sticksman, Dave McClean.  Love or hate Machine Head, McClean is a more than capable drummer and his presence here is felt from the off with the opening and title track kicking things off with some real gusto.  'Divide & Conquer' and 'Salvation' muddle along nicely, never quite reaching any quality that would make my balls tingle but comfortable enough.  The looming build to 'Manifest Reality' delivers a real punch when the song starts proper.  Frenzied riffs and drums with shots of lead work to hold the interest.


      There's a problem already though (I know, I am such a fucking mood hoover).  I don't like Phil's vocals.  I never had if I am being honest.  The aggression to them seems a little forced even when they are at their best on tracks like 'Manifest Reality'.  When he tries to sing it just feels weak though ('Salvation') and tracks lose real punch.  Give him a riffy number such as 'Killing Machine' and he is fine with the Reich engine (probably a poor choice of phrase) up in sixth gear.  For every thrashy riff there's a fair share of rock edged, local bar act rhythm aplenty too.

      Let's not poo-poo proceedings though, because overall I actually enjoy "Awakening".  It is stacked full of catchy riffs that are sticky on the old ears.  Whilst not as raw as perhaps the - brilliant - artwork suggests with its black and white, tattoo flash sheet style design it is enjoyable enough.  Yes, 'Death Valley' & 'Something to Believe' have no place here, saved only by Arnett and Radziwill's lead work but 'Revolution' is a fucking 80's thrash heyday throwback to the extent that if you turn the TV on during it you might catch a new episode of Cheers!

      3/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 10 replies
    • I
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/52-vltimas-something-wicked-marches-in/
      • Reputation Points

      • 3 replies

    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/48-candlemass-the-door-to-doom/
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • Full length number 19 from overkill certainly makes a splash in the energy stakes, I mean there's some modern thrash bands that are a good two decades younger than Overkill who can only hope to achieve the levels of spunk that New Jersey's finest produce here.  That in itself is an achievement, for a band of Overkill's stature and reputation to be able to still sound relevant four decades into their career is no mean feat.  Even in the albums weaker moments it never gets redundant and the energy levels remain high.  There's a real sense of a band in a state of some renewed vigour, helped in no small part by the addition of Jason Bittner on drums.  The former Flotsam & Jetsam skinsman is nothing short of superb throughout "The Wings of War" and seems to have squeezed a little extra out of the rest of his peers.

      The album kicks of with a great build to opening track "Last Man Standing" and for the first 4 tracks of the album the Overkill crew stomp, bash and groove their way to a solid level of consistency.  The lead work is of particular note and Blitz sounds as sneery and scathing as ever.  The album is well produced and mixed too with all parts of the thrash machine audible as the five piece hammer away at your skull with the usual blend of chugging riffs and infectious anthems.  


      There are weak moments as mentioned but they are more a victim of how good the strong tracks are.  In it's own right "Distortion" is a solid enough - if not slightly varied a journey from the last offering - but it just doesn't stand up well against a "Bat Shit Crazy" or a "Head of a Pin".  As the album draws to a close you get the increasing impression that the last few tracks are rescued really by some great solos and stomping skin work which is a shame because trimming of a couple of tracks may have made this less obvious. 

      4/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 4 replies
×
×
  • Create New...