The official Opeth thread v. Bring on the new album!

[?]

We've been discussing Heritage and the upcoming album lately, so it's time for a blast from the past! I found an interview with Mikael from 1993:



I also have an issue of a Finnish rock magazine that featured an article on Progressive Nation 2009 and Mikael revealed what the first-ever Opeth show in '91 was like. However, I don't have any of my mags with me in my current apartment, so I can't do the translation until the weekend comes.

[aprilethereal]

“I am not a great singer" LIAR

thanks for posting btw

[ariich]

I don't see the problem since there has been plenty of albums I disliked at first but grew to really love. And on the other hand the albums that clicked the most on first listen tends to fade a lot. So I can totally see why someone would keep spinning an album like that.

Sure, if it's not really grabbing me, or something about it doesn't sit right with me, or something like that, then yeah of course I'll give it another chance. But 0/10 has to mean absolutely no redeeming features, so I don't know why anyone would bother, considering how much great music there is out there.

I can sort of understand adastra's point about it being one of his favourite artists, but even so. If it's that bad, then just enjoy the stuff you like.

[?]

“I am not a great singer" LIAR

He was right - just listen to The Apostle in Triumph

[aprilethereal]

Orchid and Heritage are two albums I prefer not to think about

Although IMSWS is phenomenal

[Mister Gold]

"New Opeth album: Heavier, sinister, expensive..."
Link to whole interview (in Swedish, unfortunately) is included.

Sounds good to me. Perhaps something more akin to doom metal rather than death metal?

[Mladen]

I was actually hoping they would continue exploring their prog rock side, but if the new album is another shift in the sound for the band, that would be interesting as well.

[black_biff_stadler]

I'm with adastra. I too despised it for a while and had to force myself into sitting through followup listenings of it. After 8 months of owning it and literally making sure I was drinking when doing so (in an effort to make myself more tolerant to something I already had a very low opinion of), I finally started to like it a little. 15 months after that? I've nearly lost all interest and don't much care for anything other than Haxprocess, Famine, and Folklore.

Some of you fans of the album seem to have this presumptuous mindset that we dissentors either haven't given it a fair shot or will eventually "get it." Not everyone likes the same things and that doesn't make us stubborn or intolerant.

[Onno]

That's true b_f, but I was curious how many times a person who rates it 0/10 had listened.

[black_biff_stadler]

Oh I wasn't specifically addressing your post but rather the prevailing "you're just set in your ways; Opeth can't just make the same death metal album 20 times in a row olol!"sentiment that this thread has been so polluted with.

[Onno]

I wasn't assuming you were specifically addressing me Anyway, my point of view that a band can pretty much whatever they want. However, extreme changes in styles may obviously alienate fanbases. They can also keep making the same music, it's their call. Personally I tend to listen more to bands who show variation/change in their music simply because it interests me more. And obviously not everyone likes a sudden change like Heritage.

[TioJorge]

Still absolutely adore Heritage, and I'm learning that Mikael has somehow Jedi-mind-tricked me into his train of thought as I'm, very sadly, starting to bore of their old sound. Don't get me wrong, I'm don't dislike it and I still have the utmost amount of respect for that type of genre and playing; but it's starting to wear on me and for some reason I don't have that...'goosebump-infused-listening-session' anymore where I'm just completely sucked into the music and loving every second. It's more akin to if I listen to old DT now; I understand I once loved it, I still can groove along, but the fire has certainly dimmed to a candle's flame.

That said, I am so excited to see what they come up with next, and ironically enough would be so completely happy if it was once again something completely different and out of left field. I'd also love a follow-up to Heritage with some Storm Corrosion infusion, but really at this point, anything that Mikael comes up with is going to be interesting to me even if its back to the old progressive-death-metal ways. Though I doubt that, this option would be the most exciting despite me becoming bored with the genre if he could somehow spruce it up with his new found psychedelic-70's-vibe.

Excited for the future of Opeth. I just hope it's not too long from now... I can only listen to Marrow Of The Earth so many times.

[Buddyhunter1]

I really loved the dark-ambient elements of Heritage (Haxprocess, Famine), so I hope that they experiment with that style more. But really, they could go absolutely anywhere for their next album, so I'll just wait and see.

[Onno]

I'm also really looking forward to what they'll be doing on their next album! I'm not at all tired of their old sound though, but I just love Heritage.
Album ranking time then?

1. Blackwater Park
2. Watershed
3. Heritage
4. Ghost Reveries
5. My Arms, Your Hearse
6. Still Life
7. Damnation
8. Deliverance

9. Morningrise
10. Orchid

I haven't listened to Opeth in some time so I'll probably listen again soon and my ranking might change.

[?]

1. Damnation
2. Ghost Reveries
3. Watershed
4. MAYH
5. Heritage
6. Orchid
7. Still Life
8. Morningrise
9. Blackwater Park
10. Deliverance

This is how I ranked them a couple of months ago. I've barely listened to Opeth lately, so the ranking could look different if I went through the discography now, but I know the bottom 2 albums will always be the same.

[black_biff_stadler]

Neither Orchid nor Morningrise are in your bottom two so that's good enough for me.

[Onno]

1. Damnation
2. Ghost Reveries
3. Watershed
4. MAYH
5. Heritage
6. Orchid
7. Still Life
8. Morningrise
9. Blackwater Park
10. Deliverance

This is how I ranked them a couple of months ago. I've barely listened to Opeth lately, so the ranking could look different if I went through the discography now, but I know the bottom 2 albums will always be the same.

I missed that ranking, wasn't back yet from fieldwork then. BWP in the bottom... ouch. Cool to see Damnation on #1 though.

[Zantera]

1. Still Life
2. Ghost Reveries
3. Blackwater Park
4. Deliverance
5. My Arms, Your Hearse
6. Orchid
7. Morningrise
8. Watershed
9. Heritage
10. Damnation

[Mosh]

Is it ranking time again? 

1: Ghost Reveries
2: Watershed
3: Blackwater Park
4: Still Life
5: Damnation
6: My Arms, Your Hearse
7: Heritage
8: Orchid
9: Morningrise
10: Deliverance

[pogoowner]

Still absolutely adore Heritage, and I'm learning that Mikael has somehow Jedi-mind-tricked me into his train of thought as I'm, very sadly, starting to bore of their old sound. Don't get me wrong, I'm don't dislike it and I still have the utmost amount of respect for that type of genre and playing; but it's starting to wear on me and for some reason I don't have that...'goosebump-infused-listening-session' anymore where I'm just completely sucked into the music and loving every second. It's more akin to if I listen to old DT now; I understand I once loved it, I still can groove along, but the fire has certainly dimmed to a candle's flame.

That said, I am so excited to see what they come up with next, and ironically enough would be so completely happy if it was once again something completely different and out of left field. I'd also love a follow-up to Heritage with some Storm Corrosion infusion, but really at this point, anything that Mikael comes up with is going to be interesting to me even if its back to the old progressive-death-metal ways. Though I doubt that, this option would be the most exciting despite me becoming bored with the genre if he could somehow spruce it up with his new found psychedelic-70's-vibe.

Excited for the future of Opeth. I just hope it's not too long from now... I can only listen to Marrow Of The Earth so many times.

I agree with pretty much everything you just said... can't wait for the next release!

[adastra]

Woohoo! RANKING TIEM!

1: Ghost Reveries
2: Blackwater Park
3: Watershed
4: My Arms, Your Hearse
5: Morningrise
6: Still Life
7: Damnation
8: Deliverance
9: Orchid
10: Heritage

[Outcrier]

1 - Ghost Reveries
2 - Morningrise
3 - Heritage
4 - Blackwater Park (didn't clicked with me yet)
5 - Still Life (didn't clicked with me yet˛)

Pretty f*cked up ranking 
(I have not heard the other 5 albums yet)

[Orthogonal]

Pretty f*cked up ranking 
(I have not heard the other 5 albums yet)

   

1. Blackwater Park
2. Ghost Reveries
3. Still Life
4. Watershed
5. My Arms Your Hearse
6. Deliverance
7. Morningrise
8. Damnation
9. Orchid
10. Heritage

[adastra]

I remember the first time I listened to Opeth.. It was summer of 2006.  I was working at my local post delivering packages.
My friend suggested that I should try this album called Ghost Reveries. So I did.  And holy shit what a ride it was!
I had never heard music like that! It was haunting, beautiful and I remember that the singer was absolutely great!

I actually had to stop working while I listened to Ghost of Perdition. It had so huge impact to me! 

Sry for this post xD  Never before had music made me feel like that.  I got so emotional by the whole atmosphere of the album.

[aprilethereal]

It's just wrong to have GR anywhere above the bottom three.

/thisopinionisafact

[Xanthul]

This thread inspired me to listen to Heritage and it has some awesome drumming (disclaimer: i don't know the first thing about drumming so I don't know if it's good, technical or whatever, I just dig it).

[adace]

Based on that recent interview with Mikael, it sounds like the band is heading back in the right direction. Not that there was anything wrong with Heritage (I actually think it's a great album), but I definitely don't want Opeth to make another album like it. As long as there's some actual metal on the next record I will be satisfied. Also, the part about the string arrangements has me really intrigued.

[eviljust]

This thread inspired me to listen to Heritage and it has some awesome drumming (disclaimer: i don't know the first thing about drumming so I don't know if it's good, technical or whatever, I just dig it).

Well, I have enjoyed it as well, as a drummer. I didn't think Axe could write that good, I was kinda amazed when I've listened to it the first time.

It's just wrong to have GR anywhere above the bottom three.

/thisopinionisafact

Totally agree 

Based on that recent interview with Mikael, it sounds like the band is heading back in the right direction. Not that there was anything wrong with Heritage (I actually think it's a great album), but I definitely don't want Opeth to make another album like it. As long as there's some actual metal on the next record I will be satisfied. Also, the part about the string arrangements has really intrigued.

Same here. I definitely miss their metal.

[Onno]

Axe's drumming on Heritage was so amazing. I probably like his drumming more than Lopez's.

[Elite]

Yay, ranking time!

1. Blackwater Park
2. My Arms, Your Hearse
3. Still Life
4. Ghost Reveries
5. Morningrise
6. Deliverance
7. Watershed
8. Orchid
9. Heritage
10. Damnation

[aprilethereal]

I don't expect the next album to be "metal", but I really hope Mikael writes something unique again, instead of totally ripping off 70's prog. That was my biggest problem with Heritage, apart from the pretty weak songwriting for Opeth standards. Opeth always had some unique element, but that was completely gone on Heritage.

[Mladen]

I've been listening to Opeth for only a year, so my ranking changes from time to time, but right now it probably looks something like this:

1. Still life
2. Deliverance
3. Damnation
4. Heritage
5. Blackwater park
6. Morningrise
7. Watershed
8. Ghost reveries
9. My arms, your hearse
10. Orchid

[Outcrier]

Pretty f*cked up ranking 
(I have not heard the other 5 albums yet)

   

Keep in mind it was an enjoyment ranking, not a quality one.
I don't think Heritage is better than BWP, Still Life or Morningrise (duh)... I just enjoy it more (if it makes sense ).

[eviljust]

Pretty f*cked up ranking 
(I have not heard the other 5 albums yet)

   

Keep in mind it was an enjoyment ranking, not a quality one.
I don't think Heritage is better than BWP, Still Life or Morningrise (duh)... I just enjoy it more (if it makes sense ).

It doesn't to me
I mean, how could you enjoy it more without saying is not better than the others? Maybe you mean, technically?

[Orthogonal]

Keep in mind it was an enjoyment ranking, not a quality one.
I don't think Heritage is better than BWP, Still Life or Morningrise (duh)... I just enjoy it more (if it makes sense ).

It's all good, like whatever you want to like