The Mega 2017 Opeth Survivor - Band Lineup Round 1

[Scar]

Ok, so we begin this Mega Opeth Survivor in which I ask for you to vote for your least favorite band line up. I only included the line up from true Opeth (Orchid-Sorceress), which does not include Isberg and the others.

I was not sure whether to give Damnation a separate option with Steven Wilson because his mellotron role was pretty dominant there.

So, let's get it started.

For me, it's the "My Arms" era.

[Serah Farron]

Orchid - Morningrise (Akerfeldt, Lindgren, Nordin, De Farfalla)

De Farfalla is hella talented, I mean seriously, but I like Akerfeldt and Lindgren much better from My Arms and onward and Nordin for me, is the weakest of the three drummers right now.

[?]

Voting for the MAYH line-up, although the album is one of my faves - it's just incomplete without Mendez.

[Scar]

Voting for the MAYH line-up, although the album is one of my faves - it's just incomplete without Mendez.

Honestly, I don't think Mendez is a big deciding factor because while he is alright, there is nothing really special about him.

[aprilethereal]

Voting for the MAYH line-up, although the album is one of my faves - it's just incomplete without Mendez.

[Serah Farron]

Voting for the MAYH line-up, although the album is one of my faves - it's just incomplete without Mendez.

Honestly, I can't get into MAYH. What's so good about the album? It just seems so unfilling compared to their other albums, though it contains one of my favorite songs, "Epilogue" with that beautiful organ and the beginning of April Ethereal is pretty strong too.

[?]

Voting for the MAYH line-up, although the album is one of my faves - it's just incomplete without Mendez.

Honestly, I can't get into MAYH. What's so good about the album? It just seems so unfilling compared to their other albums, though it contains one of my favorite songs, "Epilogue" with that beautiful organ and the beginning of April Ethereal is pretty strong too.

I love the flow of the album and the songwriting is really consistent: there may not be that many individual immortal classics, but there aren't any filler tracks (a la Moonlapse, Dirge for November and BTPISIO) either. It's also the most straightforward metal album in the Opeth catalog, which makes it unique, and it's an interesting 180-degree turn from the drawn-out songs of Orchid and Morningrise before they brought prog back to the front again with Still Life. I feel the heaviness sounds a lot more natural than on Deliverance, and songs like DOTF and Karma include some of Opeth's most badass metal moments ever.

Voting for the MAYH line-up, although the album is one of my faves - it's just incomplete without Mendez.

Honestly, I don't think Mendez is a big deciding factor because while he is alright, there is nothing really special about him.

I find Mendez really underrated, as he does some cool stuff on bass that's often buried in the mix on songs like Bleak. While Mikael's playing on MAYH is fine, you can tell he's not a real bassist, and he plays with a pick instead of his fingers, which is not really the same.

[Serah Farron]

Voting for the MAYH line-up, although the album is one of my faves - it's just incomplete without Mendez.

Honestly, I can't get into MAYH. What's so good about the album? It just seems so unfilling compared to their other albums, though it contains one of my favorite songs, "Epilogue" with that beautiful organ and the beginning of April Ethereal is pretty strong too.

I love the flow of the album and the songwriting is really consistent: there may not be that many individual immortal classics, but there aren't any filler tracks (a la Moonlapse, Dirge for November and BTPISIO) either. It's also the most straightforward metal album in the Opeth catalog, which makes it unique, and it's an interesting 180-degree turn from the drawn-out songs of Orchid and Morningrise before they brought prog back to the front again with Still Life. I feel the heaviness sounds a lot more natural than on Deliverance, and songs like DOTF and Karma include some of Opeth's most badass metal moments ever.

I see your point, really.

Especially about the fillers. Now that you say it, would you find it weird if I find For Absent Friends much more pleasing to listen to than: BTPISIO, Wreath, and Master's Apprentice's?

Same goes for BWP. I find Patterns in the Ivy to be much better than Dirge, The Funeral Portrait, and BWP for some reason.

I see your point now.

[?]

Glad to be of help!

[Prog Snob]

Pale Communion

[Mladen]

MAYH line up gets my vote.

[Elite]

Tough call between the Watershed or Pale Communion line-up. I went with the former, because of how that band functioned in a live setting, but I could have gone with either.

Note that I didn't even look at album quality or favourite tracks, my three favourite Opeth records have all been written way before this line-up existed. I think that shouldn't detract from the musician's quality, since I think Opeth has had the best line-up in recent years. Obviously Åkerfeldt has always been the principal song-writer, but it's the musician he plays with that give the band their sound.

The Watershed line-up it is!

---

EDIT:

I'm an idiot, I just explained why that is my favourite and I voted for that line-up as well. Damn.
Honestly, my least favourite would be the MAYH as well, so if you could change my vote accoprdingly, that would be great 

[Scar]

Tough call between the Watershed or Pale Communion line-up. I went with the former, because of how that band functioned in a live setting, but I could have gone with either.

Note that I didn't even look at album quality or favourite tracks, my three favourite Opeth records have all been written way before this line-up existed. I think that shouldn't detract from the musician's quality, since I think Opeth has had the best line-up in recent years. Obviously Åkerfeldt has always been the principal song-writer, but it's the musician he plays with that give the band their sound.

The Watershed line-up it is!

---

EDIT:

I'm an idiot, I just explained why that is my favourite and I voted for that line-up as well. Damn.
Honestly, my least favourite would be the MAYH as well, so if you could change my vote accoprdingly, that would be great 

Really thorough and detailed explanation.
Don't worry, I got you.

-1 Watershed, +1 My Arms

[ChuckSteak]

Pale Communion - Sorceress