Opeth - Suddenly it clicked and now I can't stop listening to them

[Sunhillow]

I know them for years, but so far none of their albums have clicked with me. Or, I just haven't invested the right time for it, and I wasn't in the right state of mind for this band. The key-album for me so far is "Ghosts Reveries" and especially a track like this:



Love the 2 minute mark, where the growls come in. You gotta love that organ underneath!

[Progatron]

Love them. Every album, really, although the debut Orchid is perhaps a bit weaker. Ghost Reveries is indeed a great album all the way through. I saw them twice, the first time ten years ago opening for Porcupine Tree, and it was the first time they ever played their Damnation album. They were quite nervous to be playing their first ever gig with NO death metal of any kind. Pretty amazing show... they did a killer rendition of Deep Purple's "Soldier Of Fortune" as well. I saw them a couple of years later doing a regular gig and that was great too.

Favourites are probably Blackwater Park, Watershed and Ghost Reveries, but I really love it all. When in the mood for their 'sound', nothing else will do! I'm also a big fan of their Morningrise album, which gets overlooked a bit these days, but used to be a fan favourite. The band back then was almost completely different, save for Mikael who is clearly the bandleader.

[100423]

Welcome to the club!

[old school]

Saw them in 01 at the Key Club they were on the undercard for Nevermore. Love all there albums except the latest Heritage it has not clicked with me yet drastic change in there musical direction. That night Nevermore were on there game and had a better performance.

[Just Eric]

Love their early material, Orchid, Your Arms.... and consider declining returns from there, but still good. Akerfeldt is a powerful growler who I consider among the best for Death Metal.

[Wisdomview]

Yeah, over the last 13 years they have become a favorite of mine.

[AncientChord]

The album that clicked for me was 2003's "Damnation" which got me because of its intense prog element. Good writing, no silly metal growls, and lots of mellotron. Same for 2011's "Heritage." Both IMO are excellent examples of quality prog-metal. I hear they are working on a new album. I'll be sure to check it out. Oh, if you like Opeth now, try Sweden's Katatonia. They have been around for many years, but I recently discovered their latest album, "Dead End Kings," which is similar in style and power to Opeth. They are worth a listen.

[Progatron]

The album that clicked for me was 2003's "Damnation" which got me because of its intense prog element. Good writing, no silly metal growls, and lots of mellotron. Same for 2011's "Heritage." Both IMO are excellent examples of quality prog-metal. I hear they are working on a new album. I'll be sure to check it out. Oh, if you like Opeth now, try Sweden's Katatonia. They have been around for many years, but I recently discovered their latest album, "Dead End Kings," which is similar in style and power to Opeth. They are worth a listen.

Yes, according to Mikael the new album will have an epic track called "Goblin", which musically is a nod to the band Goblin. Four other tracks are written and the remaining three are roughly sketched out. It's looking to be a Spring 2014 release, with 'more sinister riffs' and overall a heavier sound than Heritage.

As for Katatonia, next week sees the release of their new album Dethroned And Uncrowned, a proggier reworking of last year's Dead End Kings. Supposed to be quite the album from what I'm told.

[Duncan Glenday]

Opeth is THE gateway drug - er, band - to some of the heavier, most progressively intriguing music available today.

[Duncan Glenday]

BTW :

http://www.seaoftranquility.org/article.php?sid=159



Picture of a famous dude. (I think that's Ackerfeldt with him )

[LighthouseKeeper]

Opeth is THE gateway drug - er, band - to some of the heavier, most progressively intriguing music available today.

Yup, worked for me!

(Yeah horns)

[Hobo Chang Ba]

Orchid, Deliverance, and Still Life are my favorites.

[Jerjo]

Oh-oh, I feel an Opeth kick coming. My wife is gonna hate this...

[Sunhillow]

Well, I've ordered The Candelight Years (which has the first three albums), Deliverance and Damnation. For those cheering me that I (as a dedicated un-paid (it isn't illegal in the Netherlands) downloader) finally buys an original product > it was on ebay.

Tomorrow morning I will hunt down Still Life + 5.1, and then I'm complete as for studio-releases!

Any live-CDs I need? I'm not thrilled on DVDs (because you need to watch them, and I rather watch women )

[Progatron]

Well, I've ordered The Candelight Years (which has the first three albums), Deliverance and Damnation. For those cheering me that I (as a dedicated un-paid (it isn't illegal in the Netherlands) downloader) finally buys an original product > it was on ebay.

Tomorrow morning I will hunt down Still Life + 5.1, and then I'm complete as for studio-releases!

Any live-CDs I need? I'm not thrilled on DVDs (because you need to watch them, and I rather watch women )

Let us know what you think of those studio albums you're getting! Some fantastic stuff there coming your way. As for their live albums, I have all three of the DVDs: Lamentations, The Roundhouse Tapes, Live At The Royal Albert Hall... all three are fantastic with killer setlists. Who says you have to watch them? Just listen to them as you would CDs... they also have bonus material like documentaries, interviews, etc that you may find interesting.

[Garden Dreamer]

My faves are Deliverance and Blackwater Park. I'm okay with them changing their sound but Heritage was unfocused, found my attention wandering too often.

[Valen]

As a fan who has all their albums and dvds, I would suggest using your money to purchase the other studio albums rather than the live ones.

The Roundhouse Tapes is a good live representation of the band during the Ghost Reveries tour, but the songs don't really alter that much from their studio counterparts. Still, you get to hear a killer rendition of Under The Weeping Moon - it's on the debut Orchid album, but the version by the GR lineup is much beefier, especially Ax's drumming.

The Albert Hall XX dvd is actually well worth watching - a really good summing up of the past 20 years, including a couple of interesting technical screw-ups on the last song which would derail most bands, but Akerfeldt and co take it in their stride and carry on as the true pros. I love the way he slips effortlessly from a knackered guitar to a new one, still singing, and sliding back into a complicated riff without missing a beat. If you want cds of this show, I'm afraid you have to buy the whole package.

The Lamentations dvd is also worth a spin just to see the whole Damnation album played live.

You're in for a treat with the revised Still Life - they fixed some dodgy sounds from the original mix, and the 5.1 is a nice bonus, sympathetically done. I never bothered with the reissue of Blackwater Park as I gather there were problems with the cd and dvd.

[battema]

I probably get the most mileage from the Ghost Reveries material (and the Roundhouse Tapes), although there are bits on all the albums from Still Live -> Watershed that are really great.

Didn't like Heritage when it came out, still don't enjoy it at all. I enjoy the death metal vocals, but they aren't essential either; at the core I thought the writing on Heritage was subpar and lacking in teeth. But, it's Michael's band and he should do what he wants.

[100423]

I probably get the most mileage from the Ghost Reveries material (and the Roundhouse Tapes), although there are bits on all the albums from Still Live -> Watershed that are really great.

Didn't like Heritage when it came out, still don't enjoy it at all. I enjoy the death metal vocals, but they aren't essential either; at the core I thought the writing on Heritage was subpar and lacking in teeth. But, it's Michael's band and he should do what he wants.

Yeah, Heritage isn't one of my favorites, but I give it a listen from time to time. I like the contrasts of the heavy/lighter sections of songs and the contrast between the growls/clean vocals.

[100423]

Well, I've ordered The Candelight Years (which has the first three albums), Deliverance and Damnation. For those cheering me that I (as a dedicated un-paid (it isn't illegal in the Netherlands) downloader) finally buys an original product > it was on ebay.

Tomorrow morning I will hunt down Still Life + 5.1, and then I'm complete as for studio-releases!

Any live-CDs I need? I'm not thrilled on DVDs (because you need to watch them, and I rather watch women )

Markwin, do you already have Watershed and Blackwater Park as well as as the aforementioned Ghost Reveries?

[Sunhillow]

Markwin, do you already have Watershed and Blackwater Park as well as as the aforementioned Ghost Reveries?

Yes I have. Right now I just adore Watershed. Although it's a tad below Ghosts Reveries, it's still hugely attractive music. Blackwater Park is running up to be the third favorite. I'm actually very curious about Deliverence, one I hear seldom mentioned. It's presented as the heavy one next to Damnation (which I also know pretty well), but from what I've heard so far it isn't much different from Still Life, Blackwater Park, Ghost Reveries or Watershed.

I like Damnation a lot, but this one is so a-typical Opeth, that I don't consider it part of the heritage. Speaking of Heritage, that one I don't think is very good, and should've been followed up a lot quicker with something more inspired. Although I respect Michaels love for Seventies Prog, he should stick to what he's good at, and leave the experimentations to a side-project. Why not put Opeth on hold for a few years, just like Steven has done with the Tree.

[Wisdomview]

It's not a popular opinion, but I absolutely love Heritage. Nice crunchy guitars and rocking riffs.

I also love the run from Blackwater Park thru Watershed.

[Duncan Glenday]

I'll be the voice of dissent here:

AFAIC, Opeth's best work ended with the Damnation / Deliverance duo. And their best ever was Still Life.

Their newer work has yet to grab me by the throat the way the older stuff did.

[Duncan Glenday]

BTW - let us know when you're ready to take tentative steps into other bands that emulate Opeth.

I would NOT recommend that you go into the really heavy stuff just yet (Car Bomb et al). That can come later.

There's plenty of high quality stuff that will keep your interest for a long time before you go that route...

[Wisdomview]

I'll be the voice of dissent here:

AFAIC, Opeth's best work ended with the Damnation / Deliverance duo. And their best ever was Still Life.

Their newer work has yet to grab me by the throat the way the older stuff did.

I guess if I had to pick only 1 Opeth album, it would be Deliverance. Although, Damnation ain't too shabby either............................