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Thread: Opeth - The Clean Vox Albums

  1. #76
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    Thanks, the Rush analogy is interesting. I grew up listening to Fly By Night and 2112, so their early stuff works for me. But bands like Dream Theater just don’t (though I have tried). Beyond that one experience from many years ago, I’m simply unfamiliar with Opeth, but Heritage has really impressed me. Upgraded the bass towers on my main speakers, so music with a strong rhythm and drumming sounds really good. Will see how I do with the four, then perhaps I’ll venture into Watershed. Not sure it’s necessarily about having an open mind, I just like what I like. Back in college my roommate and I were both into Alan Parsons Project. I liked the proggier more melodic stuff, he liked the harder edged stuff … ne’er the twain shall meet.

  2. #77
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    Quote Originally Posted by ca1ore View Post
    Not sure it’s necessarily about having an open mind, I just like what I like.
    For now, you've got four more great albums to digest so it's a non-issue, but if and when the time comes that you do want to explore them further, bear in mind that there are numerous non-metal tracks scattered throughout the remaining albums too. Most of their albums are not death metal from beginning to end. Although these tracks are often gentle acoustic pieces, here's a good example of one that gets a bit heavier in their typical riffy style, but maintains clean vocals throughout. From the 1999 album Still Life:

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    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    For now, you've got four more great albums to digest so it's a non-issue, but if and when the time comes that you do want to explore them further, bear in mind that there are numerous non-metal tracks scattered throughout the remaining albums too.
    My experience has also been that if you're ever going to develop a taste, or at least a tolerance, for abrasive metal vocals, the classic Opeth (esp. Blackwater Park and Still Life) is the best way to do it. I know a lot of people, myself included, who started with Opeth suffering through the growly bits and eventually clicked with them and became more interested in extreme metal generally because of them.

  4. #79
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    Quote Originally Posted by EBES View Post
    My experience has also been that if you're ever going to develop a taste, or at least a tolerance, for abrasive metal vocals, the classic Opeth (esp. Blackwater Park and Still Life) is the best way to do it. I know a lot of people, myself included, who started with Opeth suffering through the growly bits and eventually clicked with them and became more interested in extreme metal generally because of them.
    Bringo!

  5. #80
    Opeth is certainly a popular "gateway" band into those particular aspects of the music. "Blackwater Park" being an album that's pretty heavily namechecked for sure.

    Word of warning regarding "Watershed." While it does indeed have quite a bit more of the "late/clean" Opeth material, it starts off with Lotus Eaters which is, amusingly enough, the first time they did a song that featured ONLY growling vocals. Every other song includes a mix.
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    Quote Originally Posted by battema View Post
    Opeth is certainly a popular "gateway" band into those particular aspects of the music. "Blackwater Park" being an album that's pretty heavily namechecked for sure.

    Word of warning regarding "Watershed." While it does indeed have quite a bit more of the "late/clean" Opeth material, it starts off with Lotus Eaters which is, amusingly enough, the first time they did a song that featured ONLY growling vocals. Every other song includes a mix.
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  7. #82
    Quote Originally Posted by chalkpie View Post
    Heir Apparent?
    Deeeeeerrrrp....yeah, that one (faceplam)

    sorry
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    Quote Originally Posted by battema View Post
    Deeeeeerrrrp....yeah, that one (faceplam)
    facepalm?


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    Curious if the 5.1 surround versions are worth hunting down?

    Sorceress arrived yesterday. Good also, though my initial impression is that I like Heritage better.

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    Quote Originally Posted by EBES View Post
    My experience has also been that if you're ever going to develop a taste, or at least a tolerance, for abrasive metal vocals, the classic Opeth (esp. Blackwater Park and Still Life) is the best way to do it. I know a lot of people, myself included, who started with Opeth suffering through the growly bits and eventually clicked with them and became more interested in extreme metal generally because of them.
    Exactly. Then you'll reach a point where Extreme Metal with clean vox sounds funny!
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  11. #86
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    Quote Originally Posted by ca1ore View Post
    Curious if the 5.1 surround versions are worth hunting down?

    Sorceress arrived yesterday. Good also, though my initial impression is that I like Heritage better.
    No idea on the 5.1 stuff, don't do it. Probably cool though.

    Give Sorceress some time, its pretty effing great. It's Pete Pardo's fav Opeth album (Sea of Tranquility), and he's a longtime hardcore fan.

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    Quote Originally Posted by chalkpie View Post
    No idea on the 5.1 stuff, don't do it. Probably cool though.

    Give Sorceress some time, its pretty effing great. It's Pete Pardo's fav Opeth album (Sea of Tranquility), and he's a longtime hardcore fan.
    Was able to find Pale in 5.1, so will see. Fully agree about 'give it time'. Common refrain in prog for me is that albums that were just meh upon initial impression became long-term favorites. Others that impressed immediately waned. Glass Hammer Inconsolable Secret I found kind of boring and derivative initially; now a top 10 for me.

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    Damnation came yesterday (I really like it), Pale Communion CD/BluRay due tomorrow so plenty to absorb (competing with the NFL). I did end up ordering Watershed, so will see. Most recent one I had a hard time finding so not due to arrive until end-Jan.

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    I was able to find Pale Communion in 5.1; sounds really good. Kind of bummed I missed them when that were realeased some years ago. I was in the habit of buying all of SW surround mixes (found Caravan that way) but somehow missed these. Now quite hard to find. Oh well.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ca1ore View Post
    I was able to find Pale Communion in 5.1; sounds really good. Kind of bummed I missed them when that were realeased some years ago. I was in the habit of buying all of SW surround mixes (found Caravan that way) but somehow missed these. Now quite hard to find. Oh well.
    You've got some great albums there now. How are they stacking up to one another thus far?
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    There’s a kind of jazzy swing to Heritage that I really like. Sorceress seems like it’s got a bit of acquired taste to be had still for me. Damnation and Pale both very interesting. Still in the process of fully absorbing the five Wobbler albums, so lots of new music (to me) to play around with at the moment. Also spinning the IQ archive set that arrived just yesterday. Although I’m loath to call it a ‘silver lining’, spending so much more time at home over the last couple of years has enabled me to fund a bunch of new stuff to enjoy. Phew, I’m exhausted …..

  17. #92
    There really isn’t a bad album in the Opeth back catalog.

  18. #93
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    Quote Originally Posted by ca1ore View Post
    I was able to find Pale Communion in 5.1; sounds really good. Kind of bummed I missed them when that were realeased some years ago. I was in the habit of buying all of SW surround mixes (found Caravan that way) but somehow missed these. Now quite hard to find. Oh well.
    This scared me and made go and order the few later CDs I hadn't bothered to purchase and was leeching off of Spotify! I had no trouble finding inexpensive 2CD versions on Discogs, though one or two of the three (Pale Communion, Sorcerress, and In Cauda...) had bonus disks without 5.1 mixes. But I don't even have a 5.1 speaker setup, so the other bonus material was actually preferable, or at least I won't miss a 5.1 mix.

    I feel much better now that I've ordered those... It took me a while to warm up to these albums, but Chalkpie has helped. A lot!

  19. #94
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    Weren't there some gripes about one or maybe both of the last two albums in regards to the production? I never got either of those but now I'm reconsidering it.

    NP: Pale Communion
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerjo View Post
    Weren't there some gripes about one or maybe both of the last two albums in regards to the production? I never got either of those but now I'm reconsidering it.

    NP: Pale Communion
    There were and are gripes. However musically both are wonderful, and they may not even bother you. I've actually gotten so used to both that I don't really even think about the production much anymore...I mean yes I do...but less Definitely give those a spin...

  21. #96
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    Thanks. I'll stream them off Amazon and see how the drums and guitars sound on my office system.
    I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart

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    I’d love to hear Opeth or maybe just Akerfeldt do a whole album in the style of Will O the Wisp. The dark Tull sound was great.


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    Quote Originally Posted by Boceephus View Post
    I’d love to hear Opeth or maybe just Akerfeldt do a whole album in the style of Will O the Wisp. The dark Tull sound was great.


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    I agree! It seems like each of the prog albums gets a smidge more lush and ornate and while I do like that I'd also be interested in seeing another big departure from them. Either a sustained album of folky stuff like Will o' the Wisp or something more murky and abstract like Storm Corrosion (really just a second Storm Corrosion album would be great I suppose).

  24. #99
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boceephus View Post
    I’d love to hear Opeth or maybe just Akerfeldt do a whole album in the style of Will O the Wisp. The dark Tull sound was great.
    Quote Originally Posted by EBES View Post
    I agree! It seems like each of the prog albums gets a smidge more lush and ornate and while I do like that I'd also be interested in seeing another big departure from them. Either a sustained album of folky stuff like Will o' the Wisp or something more murky and abstract like Storm Corrosion (really just a second Storm Corrosion album would be great I suppose).
    Mikael is writing the music for a Netflix Swedish crime drama....I'm really looking forward to what he comes up with. The soundtrack angle is new for him, and I'm sure it will be cool.

  25. #100
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    Today I got Sorceress and Garden of the Titans (2CD/BD/DVD) in the mail. So while I've listened to parts of Sorceress before, I'm right now in the middle of my first proper spin of the album with actual CD-quality sound (because...it's a CD!). It sounds great, and is a very cool album. Looking forward to watching the Red Rocks show! It had always bothered me that I hadn't really devoted any time to Opeth beyond Heritage, and in fact I haven't even listened to Heritage that much, but I did buy it when it came out. So it's good to be back on the Opeth bus!

    (Pale Communion and In Cauda Venenum are in the mail.)

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