I seem to remember liking Black Rose Immortal but tbh I tended to listen to the Blackwater Park to Watershed era so it’s not like I listened to it a whole lot. I tried with the newer stuff and still own Heritage and Pale Communion but I just can’t get into it. It’s not the lack of growls for me as that was the part of Opeth’s sound that I took longest to appreciate, I’m not a fan of harsh vocals in general. I actually really liked Damnation although it wasn’t what I wanted them to do permanently. The thing I miss is the huge riffs and majestic melodies.
I’d probably rank Opeth second only to Ozzy-era Sabbath as the greatest metal band of all time. It’s that metal sound that I miss and it’s kind of ruined their albums for me now as I always feel kind of sad listening to them knowing that they don’t make that type of music anymore. I know it shouldn’t as those albums are still there and I don’t blame Akerfeldt for making the music he wants to make. It’s just that I don’t think the new stuff is very good and I loved what they used to do. That’s my problem though not his.
I should also say that I like lots of prog music, like Neal Morse, Steven Wilson, Marillion, not just metal. I just don’t think they are a particularly great prog band. I also like Damnation, as I mentioned, but that had this really folky melodic sound that was in their music anyway. The new stuff seems lacking in memorable melodies, more cold and atonal in sound.