Opeth are.....

Repli

not very good? Well after recommendations on this forum I downloaded the first 4 songs from damnation then stopped. Maybe theyre just not my style but simple acoustic beats, no solos, dreary singing just dont cut it for me. If anyone can recommend some of their better stuff please do.

Töpher

Damnation was an experiment album, nothing heavy on it, was a one off, and meant to be like that.

Try some material from Still Life/My Arms Your Hearse/Blackwater Park for something a little more, Opeth!

Repli

Will do - dont wanna dismiss them just yet in case i miss out :P

Dathai

I recommend "To Bid You Farewell" and "Blackwater Park" kick ass stuff really.

evad_lhorg

is that doggy???????


anyway. blackwater park the lbum is the best! so unflawed! definitely get it.

Mystic Fibrosis

Even if Damnation was a one-off, I still enjoyed it a lot. It's great chillout music. To me, it shows what Opeth can do outside of their usual structure. I really think songs like Ending Credits show off the musicianship and compositional skills of a band that are stepping outside of their shells for a bit.

Lainey

blackwater park is the only album i listened to.. some good tracks on it.. fav ones being harvest and the drapery falls..

barney_clergy

yeah man blackwater park definately i think if you hear that you will gain a new found respect for damnation

Karl Hungus

Repli wrote:

no solos

I just read that and thought to myself "This man has never listened to Opeth".

Now while I'd agree with what the others have said about Damnation not being the best introduction for you, and that Blackwater Park is a supremely better album... But, if you honestly say there's no solos, then you've seriously not payed a single second of attention whatsoever! I'd nearly say that the solo from Windowpayne (First track on deliverance) has to be one of the best solos I've heard in recent years. Go check out Blackwater Park, and give it some time to settle in. When I bought that album, I left it for months on my shelf with barely a listen, and it's now probably my most played album altogether.

As for Damnation being a chillout album, once-off, or an experiment, I really have to disagree. It's pure Opeth, and there's no stepping outside any boundaries, or structure. Seriously, listen to the track Death Whispered A Lullabye, and imagine the notes being played through distortion. Pure Opeth! So perhaps then it's an experiment more of how you hear things, more than changing style at all.

It is a fantastic album, but maybe you'd need to hear it in context?

Töpher

Opeth themselves said it was a once-off, would never be done again. I was never trying to say it was an experiment as in the style, I meant it in terms of it difference to other albums, and also Opeth used the term experiment themselves I do believe! It is pure Opeth, and nothing you hear is out of sorts from what you'd ever hear by Opeth. I definately wouldn't say its chillout! I get really into it.

Repli

got blackwater park.. have to say im impressed.. but i think ill need to listen to it another 3 or 4 times before i can really say.. bleak is quite a good song

LightofDarkness

I have My Arms Your Hearse and I think it's utter tripe. If that's as exciting as this band gets god help them.

cournioni

LoD that is an awful close minded view of the band altogether. Seriously get out of the idea that everything has to be double bass and blast beats. I love death metal myself but you really are taking the piss.

Mystic Fibrosis

Karl Hungus wrote:

As for Damnation being a chillout album, once-off, or an experiment, I really have to disagree. It's pure Opeth, and there's no stepping outside any boundaries, or structure.

Maybe I didn't make my point the way I wanted to, I was just trying to get across the difference between albums. It sure is Opeth, it's just not in the same area as the other albums.

John

I don't think I can add anything that hasn't been already said. I loved Damnation, it showed more of the prog influence on Opeth than their other albums allowed. My joint favourite albums are Blackwater Park (no trend breaking here ) and My Arms Your Hearse.

LightofDarkness

It's not closed minded. And no, I wasn't thinking of blast beats and Double Bass. I listen to a hell of alot more than death and black metal. Don't make assumptions like that. I'm talking about their "poetic lyrics" and their music in general. It all just screams "a band that tries too hard to be artistic." I think they end up falling flate on their faces because its so contrived.

Tommy Vercetti

LightofDarkness wrote:

I'm talking about their "poetic lyrics" and their music in general. It all just screams "a band that tries too hard to be artistic." I think they end up falling flate on their faces because its so contrived.

Well, I hear a group of supremely talented musicians and songwriters, perhaps you are confusing them with Busted?

cournioni

LightofDarkness wrote:

It's not closed minded. And no, I wasn't thinking of blast beats and Double Bass. I listen to a hell of alot more than death and black metal. Don't make assumptions like that. I'm talking about their "poetic lyrics" and their music in general. It all just screams "a band that tries too hard to be artistic." I think they end up falling flate on their faces because its so contrived.

Maybe I am making assumptions, but I just get the feeling that you have something against them because they try to be different. Most death metal and alot of black metal is cliched in my opinion, which is why I made that comment.

I think it is good that Opeth are trying to be different. So what if they "try too hard" at least they are trying. It really is better than sitting at home listening to Cannibal Corpse blasting out the same stuff they were 15 years ago.

LightofDarkness

I won't argue that death metal in general has become horribly stagnant. Black too. Black metal is trying though. Borknagar are a truly excellent band and are really pushing the limits of black metal. Cynic and Spiral Architects are two other prog death bands who I really respect.I only have one Canibal Corpse album, I don't listen to them much.I don't listen to very much straight death or black metal, really.

Pugsley

What would you call 'straight black or death metal', just out of curiosity, but you really seem to have some personal hatred for opeth though. Then again, Progressive metal isnt to the taste of some people at all (and why you keep comparing them to death metal is beyond me).

Karl Hungus

LightofDarkness wrote:

I won't argue that death metal in general has become horribly stagnant. Black too. Black metal is trying though. Borknagar are a truly excellent band and are really pushing the limits of black metal. Cynic and Spiral Architects are two other prog death bands who I really respect.I only have one Canibal Corpse album, I don't listen to them much.I don't listen to very much straight death or black metal, really.

Borknagar were a good band, but their recent releases have seriously faltered, hardly pushing any limits at all anymore, I'd say. The likes of Arcturus, Enslaved, Sigh are far superior bands, and far more experimental altogether.

Spiral Architect are certainly a great band, but I'd never for a second call them prog-death. First of all, they're anything BUT Death, and secondly, the constant use of polyrythmic timings and such hardly make them prog either. They're definetly a good band mind you, and A Sceptic's Universe is one hell of an album. I'd say they bridge the gap between bands who use odd timings for the sake of saying "Hey, look what I can do! I'm a great musician!" and bands who can actually write a decent song. Good mix of fret-**** oddness, and good songwriting... But definetly not Prog, and definetly no comparison to Opeth.

LightofDarkness

God knows why that is Pugsley because Opeth are what is commonly referred to as "progressive death metal." So deal with it. Straight black metal: Immortal, Mayhem, Burzum etc. Straight death: Deicide, Morbid Angel, (earlier) Death, Malevolent Kreation etc. As a matter of fact I like progressive, usually. These guys are sorely lacking in the progressive part, I might add. What's their progress? Being Tool's heavy equivalent?

To Karl: yes, I was being hasty. they're free-form jazzy metal more than anything else. Cynic are certainly prog death though. As are Opeth, anyone will tell you that Opeth are prog death. Unless they're just being trendy and listen to them and hail them as gods to be "in."

cournioni

Opeth were formed before Tool did afaik.

Silverfish

****e!! ****e ****e ****e. ****e?? ****e!!!





(****e)

cournioni

Silverfish wrote:

****e!! ****e ****e ****e. ****e?? ****e!!!





(****e)

Thanks for the CD again! :P

evad_lhorg

PORNAPSTER wrote:

Opeth were formed before Tool did afaik.

correct. opeth were in 1990 and tool 1991

Deadwing

LightofDarkness wrote:

God knows why that is Pugsley because Opeth are what is commonly referred to as "progressive death metal." So deal with it. Straight black metal: Immortal, Mayhem, Burzum etc.

wouldnt go so far as to call burzum 'straight' black metal, i think theyre a tad more experimental, and now varg vikernes has renounced the guitar and oinly uses keyboards...not exactly black metal imo.
Anywho, i got a few opets songs off th recommended albums here..tbh i thought they were shite. Sounded like a moany version of iron maiden. For some reason i thought theyd be a bit more like anathema, who are, in my eyes, a far superior band.

triv88

Deadwing wrote:

.
Anywho, i got a few opets songs off th recommended albums here..tbh i thought they were shite. Sounded like a moany version of iron maiden. For some reason i thought theyd be a bit more like anathema, who are, in my eyes, a far superior band.

sounds like you didnt give them much of a chance...you need to buy one of their albums and give it numerous spins,opeth dont make sugury pop/rock songs that are instantly going to be liked,they have a bit more substance then that! they are a different band then 99% of the **** out there and require an open mind

John

triv88 wrote:

sounds like you didnt give them much of a chance...

Or maybe he just doesn't like them? Granted I think he's mad but if he doesn't like them, he doesn't like them.

Deadwing

triv88 wrote:

sounds like you didnt give them much of a chance...you need to buy one of their albums and give it numerous spins,opeth dont make sugury pop/rock songs that are instantly going to be liked,they have a bit more substance then that! they are a different band then 99% of the **** out there and require an open mind

Im not into sugary pop songs, otherwise i wouldnt be posting in the rock/metal forum Just didnt do it for me at all..hated the singers growling, and just thought they sounded like iron maiden only worse. Sorry!