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

[skydivingninja]

I can agree that the bass is kinda lacking on MYAH.  Still, the songs are so damn good I oddly find myself not caring about that ever.  Its probably my favorite Opeth album at this point.

[black_biff_stadler]

The bass in The Amen Corner's outro is pretty awesome, especially that little harmonic lick.

[Elite]

My Arms, Your Hearse is definitely and hands-down my second favourite Opeth album, after Blackwater Park. I love the heaviness of it and the way the songs are delivered. Great awesome music.

[Buddyhunter1]

To me, it's one of those albums that's consistently good throughout the whole thing, but doesn't really have any specifically amazing songs.

[Elite]

April Ethereal, When, Demon of the Fall and Karma disagree

[seasonsinthesky]

April Ethereal, When, Demon of the Fall and Karma disagree

THE AMEN CORNER was just mentioned and you left it out!

honestly, the only actual song that isn't so great is "Credence" (although they performed it live much better on the Deliverance tour).

[Elite]

Well, I can't name every song on the album right?
Besides, those are my personal favourites from the album..

[black_biff_stadler]

Can anyone think of a better transition in any Opeth song than 0:56-1:01 of Karma?

[Buddyhunter1]

The heavy to acoustic transition in Master's Apprentices is better. It's so damn seamless it's amazing.

[black_biff_stadler]

I'd be surprised to see anyone mention any sections from Heritage for this question considering how jarring most of those transitions were.

[Buddyhunter1]

I'd be surprised to see anyone mention any sections from Heritage for this question considering how jarring most of those transitions were.

The transition into the 2nd doomy riff in Famine is freaking awesome.

[black_biff_stadler]

Tullcore

[pain of occupation]

My Arms, Your Hearse is my second least favorite Opeth Album. I enjoyed parts of it and the concept but it feels its missing sonething,, might be the bass being written by Mikael and played by him so it doesn't have the feel of Martin or their other bassist.

ben_jamin has personified my (kinda) perceived opinion!

[Mladen]

Um... reread _floyd's post to you above?

I reread it and I still don't think I flamed the posters. I did critique the riff, though. And I think it's funny how I gave my best to clear my side, explain myself, acknowledged black_floyd's thoughtful response and dedicated quite some time to carefully replying to it, yet my post got almost ignored. I kinda expected to cause a wider discussion, but if you guys think there's nothing to discuss, that's fine.

Talking about awesome transitions, because I guess that's what we're talking about right now, my vote goes to the part in The Moor that starts at 7:21 and leads into the clean section.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

My Arms, Your Hearse, Still Life, and Blackwater Park represent the golden period of Opeth for me. Three consecutive masterpieces that just destroy my soul everytime.

[DebraKadabra]

Still Life

Blackwater Park

[Onno]

To me, Opeth's golden era started at My Arms, Your Hearse and is still going. I love Heritage and Watershed.

Also, MAYH > Still Life.

[Buddyhunter1]

To me, Opeth's golden era started at My Arms, Your Hearse and is still going. I love Heritage and Watershed.

That's 80% of their whole discography. You're right, though.

[Zantera]

I agree that MAYH was the first true kickass album, but Orchid and Morningrise are great as well.

[black_biff_stadler]

Orchid-BWP for me, cuz.

[TioJorge]

To me, Opeth's golden era started at My Arms, Your Hearse and is still going. I love Heritage and Watershed.

Also, MAYH > Still Life.

Yes, yes. Good man. MAYH is my favorite Opeth album and I agree wholeheartedly. I love the brutal stuff but the beautiful eeriness of Heritage fits them just as well. I'm definitely going to be spinning that album soon. It's so good for those cold, windy Fall nights with a demon by your side. Or a dead body. Or just a bowl of hot soup.


MADE FROM HUMAN BLOOD. 

[TheOutlawXanadu]

What do you guys think about Ghost Reveries? I know it's a fan favorite in many circles, but I've never enjoyed it that much personally.

[Buddyhunter1]

What do you guys think about Ghost Reveries? I know it's a fan favorite in many circles, but I've never enjoyed it that much personally.

It was my favorite before, but now it's my 2nd favorite.

[Zantera]

Tied with Deliverance for my favorite Opeth album.

[black_biff_stadler]

i've never held GR in high regard amongst their discog. I think it's a bunch of small factors that combined to work against it and had I heard it any sooner than some of their other albums I may like it better than I do.

1. First two tracks feel kinda samey. I think it had something to do with the fact that they're played in D and that was a rarity before GR (Demon of the Fall and BWP are the only two I can immediately think of) so it subconsciously feels like I'm listening to a different band or something weird like that.

2. It was the first Opeth album to feature a song I actually disliked at first listen, Atonement. Isolation Years was also kinda ugh at first for me as well (though I like it now.)

3. I was already in love with BWP and MAYH at the time since I'd just discovered them in early '04 and got GR not long after it came out in mid-'05. I suppose I got a little set in my ways about what aspects of those albums tickled my fanny (this word doesn't mean that in America, you British perverts!) and since GR was venturing into different territory and felt VERY different from a typical Opeth album after track 3, it was a weird feeling. I say this because after Beneath the Mire, 3 of the last 5 tracks are bereft of any heaviness whatsoever and, of the two that are heavy, TGC was about as simplistic a heavy song as they'd ever made coupled with the fact that the intro lick sounded like a half-hearted rehash of the riff in the middle of Demon of the Fall to me at first.

[DebraKadabra]

What do you guys think about Ghost Reveries? I know it's a fan favorite in many circles, but I've never enjoyed it that much personally.

It's in my Top 3 Opeth albums, most often at the #3 spot (sorry Drew).

[Big Hath]

Stats and Observations on the Ghost Reveries rankings:

Song                       Avg Rank
Reverie/Harlequin Forest   2.41
Ghost of Perdition         2.53
The Baying of the Hounds   3.88
Beneath the Mire           4.88
Isolation Years            4.88
The Grand Conjuration      5.35
Hours of Wealth            5.65
Atonement                  6.41




- Five of the eight tracks received at least one 1st place vote, and six of the eight received at least one last place vote.
- Although the average rank was close, Reverie/Harlequin Forest was the clear top choice with 7 first place votes.  Ghost of Perdition only received 2 first place votes, but also had 13 second or third place votes.
- The Baying of the Hounds also had a strong showing with 5 first place votes, but it also had 10 votes ranging from 4th place to last place whereas R/HF and GoP only had 6 such votes combined.
- The Grand Conjuration had two 1st place votes and one 2nd place, but had 11 votes for 6th, 7th, and last place.
- Another fairly close race for last as Hours had 5 for last place and Atonement had 6.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I would put Ghost of Perdition at number one, followed by Harlequin Forest. After that, I don't have any strong preferences. I would comfortably put The Grand Conjuration last, though.

[Buddyhunter1]

That's...
Pretty much exactly right.
 

[bmc]

I would put Ghost of Perdition at number one, followed by Harlequin Forest. After that, I don't have any strong preferences. I would comfortably put The Grand Conjuration last, though.

I really don't understand peoples hate for that song.  It is easily my favorite on GR.  I love the build up.

[pogoowner]

I would put Ghost of Perdition at number one, followed by Harlequin Forest. After that, I don't have any strong preferences. I would comfortably put The Grand Conjuration last, though.

I really don't understand peoples hate for that song.  It is easily my favorite on GR.  I love the build up.

It's one of the most boring songs they've ever recorded.

[?]

What do you guys think about Ghost Reveries? I know it's a fan favorite in many circles, but I've never enjoyed it that much personally.

GR is in my top 3 Opeth albums easily, I've always found it better than BWP.

Song                       Avg Rank
Reverie/Harlequin Forest   2.41
Ghost of Perdition         2.53
The Baying of the Hounds   3.88
Beneath the Mire           4.88
Isolation Years            4.88
The Grand Conjuration      5.35
Hours of Wealth            5.65
Atonement                  6.41

I mostly agree with this ranking, but Hours of Wealth is WAY too low

I would put Ghost of Perdition at number one, followed by Harlequin Forest. After that, I don't have any strong preferences. I would comfortably put The Grand Conjuration last, though.

I really don't understand peoples hate for that song.  It is easily my favorite on GR.  I love the build up.

It's one of the most boring songs they've ever recorded.

I wouldn't say it that extremely, but yeah, it relies way too much on the same riff/melody line - the only vocal melody in the song is based on it and the last few minutes are basically repeating the same riff and it gets old so fast. This is one of the rare occasions where I prefer the edited version.

[DebraKadabra]

I mostly agree with this ranking, but Hours of Wealth is WAY too low

WORD.

[Mladen]

Expected results for Ghost reveries. It's a shame The Grand conjuration and Isolated years are in the bottom half, they're my two absolute favorites on the record.

[KevShmev]

I wouldn't call The Grand Conjuration boring, but it doesn't do a whole lot for me.  For my money, easily the least best song on the record.  And I consider Ghost Reveries a top 3 Opeth record.  Top 2 on certain days.