The official Opeth thread v. In Cauda Venenum

[Onno]

Alcest is really, really good. Haven't listened to them in a long time though. I can't wait for the Opeth show in Amsterdam in November! 

[Mladen]

Alc-what?

Got my ticket for the Vienna show. 

[PixelDream]

Not a single bad track on this album, and great flow too. Album opener and closer are among their best! Album has really come to life for me the last few weeks.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

I don't wanna get into a heated debate, but although I did enjoy this one more than Heritage I sure miss the old Opeth a fucking lot.

[black_biff_stadler]

I love u darklol.

[Kwyjibo]

I don't wanna get into a heated debate, but although I did enjoy this one much more than Heritage I sure miss the old Opeth a fucking lot.

FTFM

The more I listen to Pale Communion the better it gets, this album is really great, although I did have very low expectations. But to think that there will never be an album in the old Opeth style makes me kinda sad.

[Xanthul]

I've only listened to the album a couple of times so far and I really can't remember much from it for now. I have to say though that the main keyboard riff in Eternal Rains (the one that starts around 2:30) has been stuck in my head for the last couple of days.

[aurorablind]

I've only listened to the album a couple of times so far and I really can't remember much from it for now. I have to say though that the main keyboard riff in Eternal Rains (the one that starts around 2:30) has been stuck in my head for the last couple of days.

Yeah. That one's great!

[KevShmev]

A buddy and I listened to the 5.1 Blu-ray on his surround sound system last night.  Yeah, it "sounded" freaking awesome. 

I'm still gonna say it comes up a tad short of being a great album overall, but it's still very, very good.

[aurorablind]

Ok.. To be honest, I really didn´t like this album at all when I heard it, but now it finally clicked.
The "singles" are still my favorites, but I´ve come to appreciate the overall feeling of this album.
I can´t stand Heritage at all. I am a big 70´s prog guy, but still I just cant get into it. I feel like this album is more "Opethish", like a mix of the proggy parts of Watershed with a bit of Damnation thrown in.

Opeth (up to Watershed) is in my top 5 of favorite bands of all time. I really hope they continue to evolve, and realizes that they can´t continue to completely abandone their metal-roots. I would love for them to make a proggy metal-album without growling for the next album. Parts of Harlequin Forest and The Lotus Eater are perfectly good examples of how they could make such a thing.

Please forgive me.. this post was written after three glasses of red wine 

[snowdog]

A buddy and I listened to the 5.1 Blu-ray on his surround sound system last night.  Yeah, it "sounded" freaking awesome. 

I'm still gonna say it comes up a tad short of being a great album overall, but it's still very, very good.

Unless he's got a corrected version I'd say it can sound a lot better than you heard.  I was amazed at the difference of correcting the 5.1 files I ripped to my PC.

[adastra]

Here are some of my thoughts about the Pale Communion.
I have listened it for about 20 times now. There are some nice moments but most of the album just doesn't feel good .

Eternal Rains Will Come and Elysian Woes are great songs!  I love them both.

Moon Above, Sun Below and Faith In Others are both decent songs, but nothing remarkable.

Cusp Of Eternity, River and Voice of Treason are pretty bad... IMHO.  First 3 minutes of Voice Of Treason sounds so weak. I can't believe that they recorded something like this.

Goblin is a complete joke.

So, In conclusion,  I like couple of songs, but most of it just doesn't click for me.  I don't mind that there is now growls so no problem with that. I'm trying to say that IMO  the songwriting is just weak. And best example of that is the beginning of Voice Of Treason.
I remember the days when I thought that Åkerfeldt had propably the best clean vocals ever!  But somehow I don't the vocals on Pale Communion. Maybe someone else should sing in Opeth?

Propably won't be listening to Pale Communion very much anymore, I gave my copy of the cd to my friend.
 

[Zantera]

River bad? River is awesome!

[adastra]

Haha,  I think that beginning is kinda ok, BUT it doesn't sound like Opeth at all.  Well, who i am to say what Opeth sounds like, but for me it sounds like another nod to some Åkerfeldts favourite band.
The guitar solo is amazing. Best solo on the album , but after that when the song starts to gets all proggy It totally loses me.

[goo-goo]

Just got a shipping confirmation from Warner. Seems like it's the blu ray replacement disc. 

[425]

This isn't on the topic of Pale Communion, but does anyone have The Candlelight Years box set? I'm considering buying it because it would be much cheaper than buying Orchid, Morningrise and My Arms, Your Hearse separately (each of those is like $12 and the box set is $16 total on Amazon), but I'm one of those people who likes to have artwork, booklets, etc. I'm interested if anyone can describe what any packaging/booklets for that set are like as well as recommendations as to whether I should get it or buy each of those three albums separately.

[Onno]

I have it. It includes one booklet with lyrics & stuff. It's pretty good. No artwork for the independent albums I think. Also, the sound is really compressed, but if you're not an audiophile you probably won't mind.

[425]

Thanks for the description!

It might bother me some that the sound is compressed. How bad are we talking here?

[Onno]

Do you own Still Life on CD? It's compressed a bit like that one. Have a look on here: https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list/year?artist=opeth

[425]

I don't own Still Life, actually (I know, I know. It's the only one aside from the aforementioned three that I have yet to get, and I'm planning to get all four at once). Thanks for the link, though!

[Big Hath]

Do you own Still Life on CD? It's compressed a bit like that one. Have a look on here: https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list/year?artist=opeth

in fairness to the Candlelight set, it doesn't look like the original releases of those albums were exactly blazing the trail for dynamic sound.

Keep in mind that the versions of the albums in the set have bonus tracks that are dragging the overall DR down for each one.

[The King in Crimson]

Do you own Still Life on CD? It's compressed a bit like that one. Have a look on here: https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list/year?artist=opeth

in fairness to the Candlelight set, it doesn't look like the original releases of those albums were exactly blazing the trail for dynamic sound.

Keep in mind that the versions of the albums in the set have bonus tracks that are dragging the overall DR down for each one.

Indeed. Into The Frost Of Winter, the bonus track on Orchid, for example sounds much, much worse than the rest of the album. Honestly, it's practically unlistenable. The rest of the album sounds fine, a bit primitive, but better than a lot of present day recordings. I wouldn't get too hung up on the sound and compression, it's really not that bad.

[Onno]

That's true, I see your point. I have to say that Orchid and Morningrise don't really sound very compressed, the production just isn't that fantastic. MAYH does though, though the production/mix on that one is a quite rough too.

[Evermind]

The album has finally arrived, and after first listen I'm not sure, I think Heritage is better. But Heritage had its time to grow on me, so I guess I'll keep listening.

I love the bonus live cover of Var Kommer Barnen In so much though.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

I love u darklol.

Let's engage in angry foreplay to the rhythm of Deliverance.

 

[krands85]

PC has definitely grown on me a fair bit now. Sure, I prefer their older style with the blend of heavy and mellow parts, but I'm enjoying this for what it is. Looking forward to seeing them live again in a couple of weeks now

[black_biff_stadler]

I love u darklol.

Let's engage in angry foreplay to the rhythm of Deliverance.

 

Can your lithe frame withstand that sixteenth note nine tuplet during the outro section?










































Of course it can.

[krands85]

Only four nights away from the start of the European Tour with Alcest and the band is getting all geared up to hit the road again. Wondering what they'll play? Here's from Mike:

”So. we’re gearing up to go out on our first tour in support of ”Pale Communion”. As always, there’s mixed feelings. Parts of me wants to stay home, and the other part wants to go out and rip it up on stages all over the world. That’s always been the case. We’re all very happy with the new record, and the new songs (were rehearsing 5 of them) are sounding good when we play them. If I may say so myself. Overall there seem to be a little bit more focus on older heavier material this time around. We sat down, drank wine and discussed songs we wanted to play, and ended up with a list of 30 or so songs. We’re rehearsing a song from 1996 and it’s probably the funniest one to play. I don’t know why. Maybe because it brings back memories. Some older songs are difficult to get right but nothing compared to the new stuff. We can now choose songs from the 90’s AND the 2000’s. We’re getting old! Anyways, come and see us, whydontcha?
Might be worth it. Metalheads, progheads, music lovers, old and young, male or female. You’re all very welcome!
Cheers!"

Sounds good to me 

[Mladen]

Ooh, a ''funny'' song from 1996? Sounds like Nectar to me. They've done Advent and TNATSW a few years ago if I'm not mistaken, Black rose immortal is way too long to be resurrected and To bid you farewell isn't ''older heavier material''.

It's gonna be a good show. 

[Zantera]

This sounds spectacular.

[?]

Ooh, a ''funny'' song from 1996? Sounds like Nectar to me. They've done Advent and TNATSW a few years ago if I'm not mistaken, Black rose immortal is way too long to be resurrected and To bid you farewell isn't ''older heavier material''.

It's gonna be a good show. 

Yeah, it's gotta be Nectar. As for the 5 new songs, my guesses are:

Eternal Rains (the opener)
Cusp (the single)
Voice of Treason (a video with some visuals was released on Opeth's official YT channel recently)
Moon Above... (same as VOT, plus it's the epic of the album)
Faith in Others (a lot of people have named this their favorite song from the album and it would work well as the set closer before the encore)

[black_biff_stadler]

Man, if they do Nectar I'm gonna be forced to go to a show I'd planned on sitting out.

[Buddyhunter1]

Older heavier material, eh? I might actually go to this one.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Only four nights away from the start of the European Tour with Alcest and the band is getting all geared up to hit the road again. Wondering what they'll play? Here's from Mike:

”So. we’re gearing up to go out on our first tour in support of ”Pale Communion”. As always, there’s mixed feelings. Parts of me wants to stay home, and the other part wants to go out and rip it up on stages all over the world. That’s always been the case. We’re all very happy with the new record, and the new songs (were rehearsing 5 of them) are sounding good when we play them. If I may say so myself. Overall there seem to be a little bit more focus on older heavier material this time around. We sat down, drank wine and discussed songs we wanted to play, and ended up with a list of 30 or so songs. We’re rehearsing a song from 1996 and it’s probably the funniest one to play. I don’t know why. Maybe because it brings back memories. Some older songs are difficult to get right but nothing compared to the new stuff. We can now choose songs from the 90’s AND the 2000’s. We’re getting old! Anyways, come and see us, whydontcha?
Might be worth it. Metalheads, progheads, music lovers, old and young, male or female. You’re all very welcome!
Cheers!"

Sounds good to me 

Such a classy spokesman.

I really hope they get the heavy material right, and realize that fans miss their heavy shit.

[Zantera]

I'm more curious how Mikael's growls will sound. Because on some recent shows, the growls are almost laughably bad. Way off from the superb form he had 7-8 years ago. I love it that they include heavier songs, and I know most fans (myself included) wants to hear them, but if Mikael's voice continues to fade away and the growls continue to get worse, they're not gonna do anyone any favors by butchering old classics.