Opeth

Rothko

I don't really listen to that much metal but I've decided to give Opeth a go as I've liked what I've heard from them so far. Any recommendations as to which album to try out first?

Also, it'd be great if you could post a favourite song or two of theirs as well, thanks.

GLaDOS

Blackwater Park or Still Life are the fan favourites, I suppose go with one of them if you like what you have heard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu7UvZTPT4M

Somnus

I agree with ScienceNerd.

Can't go wrong with either of them.
Leper Affinity is a definite favourite of mine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPXWMORuloA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzXbsN0Mx9k

Grayditch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSSLXMzxxP8

Schism

It has to be Blackwater Park for me, it's such an epic song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9yRdllW6YA

Nea

My favourite Opeth song without a doubt is When, the change to clean singing gets me everytime

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3ZHajw3-3s

Also love Morningrise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdRmyAM8PAY

Looking forward to seeing them again in Nov,glad that they are back in Vicar St this time around

nyarlothothep

Nea wrote: »

My favourite Opeth song without a doubt is When, the change to clean singing gets me everytime

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3ZHajw3-3s

Also love Morningrise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdRmyAM8PAY

Looking forward to seeing them again in Nov,glad that they are back in Vicar St this time around

It's funny but imo those two songs sound a hell of a lot better live from the Roundhouse Tapes than the recorded versions. They're both among my favourite Opeth songs but the recorded versions lack something. I'd put down basically to limited money/recording equipment which is understandable as they were recorded in the early Opeth days, 1996/99 thereabouts.

evad_lhorg

I wouldnt be a big big death metal fan and definitely had never listened to anything growly before. It took me a while to get used to the growl but the music is amazing. Blackwater Park, damnation and deliverance, My arms your hearse and Ghost Reveries would be the better ones to start with. Still Life I would move onto after you get used to the growling and that. Not a fan of orchid or morningrise though.

MetalDog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0hRznmgLUo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrBrH5PZtcc

Few more for ya there. Enjoy!

Kieran81

i'd say check out the roundhouse tapes live cd , live albums dont get much better and whichever songs ya like might point in the direction of which albums to check out

Joe_Dull

Honestly, I think Ghost Reveries is best to start with. It's a flawless masterpiece in my book and has some of the best production I've heard on a metal record.

Wrongway1985

Joe_Dull wrote: »

Honestly, I think Ghost Reveries is best to start with. It's a flawless masterpiece in my book and has some of the best production I've heard on a metal record.

I can agree with this it was the first one I started with (well it was the latest one out at the time), made me want to check out the rest of their work would love to be you checking their stuff out for the first time all over again. Here's one of the most known tracks and one of my faves from said album. Video gamers who have played Saints Row 2 may be familiar with it :pac:...

Also I think the Deliverence album is worth it for the title track alone...

And while im at it heres a great track from Damnation.

blackwave

Love the description for this one just says "Music" cant find any full live versions of this song on youtube which is a pity as I know there are a few bootlegs going around containing a live recording of the song

Another brilliant Opeth song which I don't t think they play this live which sucks

IamMetaldave

A few more for you. I think the biggest thing you'll find with each album is the progression they make to a more progy sound. Especially over the last few albums, leading up to Heritage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G6PQLpNad8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeKUsdSD4fk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9seN-mJvII

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfmIDBfuGcU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E8FlGHvN1g

Nea

Start- Middle - End . Some difference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6itflSKl1Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmUKzDiabxU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JDaQP72PfI

weisses

Does anyone have an idea what kinda set they are playing atm ... been to couple of opeth gigs and personally don't like the slow sets ...


Last time vicar street was epic

Somnus

Set from their most recent show
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/opeth/2012/grona-lund-stockholm-sweden-53dd9f15.html

If you don't like Heritage you may not enjoy half the show :P

They've actually added a few more of the heavier tunes. The first big leg of the tour was basically all Heritage/Damnation stuff with only one or two heavy songs as the encore.

Either way, I'm looking forward to it!

flyswatter

I listened to a small bit of Opeth due to the connection they have with Steven Wilson and I really like when Mikael sings (I hate to say it) properly, he has a lovely voice.

However the generic metal "grrrr, raar" vocals in their songs is a real turn off for me, anyone else find this? I just find nothing unique about this singing style and dozens of other bands also employ it in the genre.

Sorry if it sounds ignorant or anything, it's just how I feel on the limited amount I've heard of them.

Deschain

flyswatter wrote: »

I listened to a small bit of Opeth due to the connection they have with Steven Wilson and I really like when Mikael sings (I hate to say it) properly, he has a lovely voice.

However the generic metal "grrrr, raar" vocals in their songs is a real turn off for me, anyone else find this? I just find nothing unique about this singing style and dozens of other bands also employ it in the genre.

Sorry if it sounds ignorant or anything, it's just how I feel on the limited amount I've heard of them.

I'm not a huge death metal fan myself and never was into the whole death growl vocals. However, when it comes to Opeth it works, its the light and shade that makes their music so great. Their ability to change within a song from growl to clean compliments each other.

weisses

flyswatter wrote: »

I listened to a small bit of Opeth due to the connection they have with Steven Wilson and I really like when Mikael sings (I hate to say it) properly, he has a lovely voice.

However the generic metal "grrrr, raar" vocals in their songs is a real turn off for me, anyone else find this? I just find nothing unique about this singing style and dozens of other bands also employ it in the genre.

Sorry if it sounds ignorant or anything, it's just how I feel on the limited amount I've heard of them.

What i find great about his voice that he is a fab grunter and a good singer ... those two combined in a song makes it epic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kenyBvpL0qQ

Perfect example imo .... still gives me goosebumps every time i hear this song

nyarlothothep

flyswatter wrote: »

I listened to a small bit of Opeth due to the connection they have with Steven Wilson and I really like when Mikael sings (I hate to say it) properly, he has a lovely voice.

However the generic metal "grrrr, raar" vocals in their songs is a real turn off for me, anyone else find this? I just find nothing unique about this singing style and dozens of other bands also employ it in the genre.

Sorry if it sounds ignorant or anything, it's just how I feel on the limited amount I've heard of them.

I pretty much agree. However what I've found is that singing death growls and listening back to them is fun in a self indulgent way. I think for this type of music, which involves showing off instrumental and compositional abilities it's not suprising that death growls were incorporated up till now, I find it plays into the hey look what I just did aspect of musicianship. That said I think death growls work in terms of contrast on some of the songs like the Funeral Portrait where most of the song contains death growls and then is lifted at the end by these elevated harmonies, it's like a storm clearing. Or say on Dirge for November, the growled vocals at the end add to the haunting baroque/gothic quality.

120_Minutes

From 9:37 onwards in Deliverance is possibly the finest use of one chord in the history of music. When i first heard it at a house party years ago I said "Who the **** is that?"

Nea

120_Minutes wrote: »

From 9:37 onwards in Deliverance is possibly the finest use of one chord in the history of music.

Best .outro .ever. Epic

I love the fact Mike uses both styles of vocals. The switch to clean singing in When.."To find my way back home....." is a hair raising moment for me. I know growl vocals would not have suited on Heritage but it didnt seem like a complete Opeth album without them. Hopefully they will be back for the next one

Deschain

Nea wrote: »

Best .outro .ever. Epic

I love the fact Mike uses both styles of vocals. The switch to clean singing in When.."To find my way back home....." is a hair raising moment for me. I know growl vocals would not have suited on Heritage but it didnt seem like a complete Opeth album without them. Hopefully they will be back for the next one

From what I have seen from interviews this will not be the case. Mikael has said that he is more or less done with that style of singing because there is not much more he can do with it. He also said that the future of Opeth will not be metal but more progressive rock like on Heritage.

Somnus

With the upcoming gig in November, I have to admit that I'm a little concerned that the first half of the show will be ruined by fans who dislike the new material shouting/talking etc during the Heritage songs.
Even on previous tours you would have stuff like that happening, even during the acoustic sections of some songs!

It's the one thing I dislike about a certain area of metal fans, and something that I can definitely see ruining the gig

Nea

I am looking forward to see how Heritage transpires live,cant wait for the gig actually.
If people dont want to hear stuff from Heitage they certainly wont like Anathema. The last Anathema gig really annoyed me with people talking quite loudly and shouting for older material.

I just feel the clean/death singing is part and parcel of Opeth and would hate to see it going completely. Tomi Joutsen from Amorphis nails that style too.

nyarlothothep

Heritage imo is very much an atmosphere piece. If you're feeling reflective and/or slightly melancholy and don't want loud aggressive music because of a lack of energy or just through feeling extra contemplative then it perfectly fits the mood. It's very elegant in terms of arrangements and conceptual ideas. It's not immediately amazing but it's an example of excellent craftsmanship in the abscence of inspirational ideas, and given Opeth already have inspiring songs, I'll give them plus points on keeping it going for so long.

PickledLime

flyswatter wrote: »

I listened to a small bit of Opeth due to the connection they have with Steven Wilson and I really like when Mikael sings (I hate to say it) properly, he has a lovely voice.

However the generic metal "grrrr, raar" vocals in their songs is a real turn off for me, anyone else find this? I just find nothing unique about this singing style and dozens of other bands also employ it in the genre.

Sorry if it sounds ignorant or anything, it's just how I feel on the limited amount I've heard of them.

Fair enough if that style of vocals are not your cup of tea (an aquired taste for sure, took me years to get into them!).

I'm a huge death metal fan, so i've listened to a my fair share of vocalists who use that style. I can safely say that Akerfeldt is one of the best to do it. He has a fantastic technique, you can really hear him bellowing from deep down in his chest and opening up his throat. Heck, you can even see it in his neck live. He's one of the few death metal vocalist that i've ever heard that can sustain notes in that kind of voice.

He's got a good range within that style; he can go from a harsh rasp to the aforementioned earth rattling bellow, with lots of shades in between. He's one of the few vocalists in this style that's instantly recognisable too.

xerces

Has anyone received their Vicar Street tickets yet?

RayCon

xerces wrote: »

Has anyone received their Vicar Street tickets yet?

Yip ... months ago

xerces

RayCon wrote: »

Yip ... months ago

Hmm, I'll have to get on to them about that.

120_Minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME7POqT0F64

Mike's a funny fúcker.

Mushy

Picked up my ticket today...should be a cracker.

Nea

3 weeks today!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at7nIxemKjc

flyswatter

I'm liking that song Harvest anyway, I'd even maybe go to the gig, good way to suss them out more I reckon.

PickledLime

flyswatter wrote: »

I'm liking that song Harvest anyway, I'd even maybe go to the gig, good way to suss them out more I reckon.

I dunno, they're both literally an figuratively a very different band from the one that recorded Blackwater Park (and the other classic records).

flyswatter

Never knew Anathema were supporting, only started listening to them there today (latest album)

Untouchable (Part 1 and 2) is absolutely unbelievable, got serious shivers up my back at one point during the second part.

Nea

WooHoo.. This Wed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMj4CkCIHfM

xerces

I'm gonna have to miss this due to other commitments :-(

Deschain

Last nights setlist for Opeth. The previous night was very similar to this so looks like it will be a good night!

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/opeth/2012/o2-abc-glasgow-scotland-3bda88e4.html

Somnus

Deschain wrote: »

Last nights setlist for Opeth. The previous night was very similar to this so looks like it will be a good night!

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/opeth/2012/o2-abc-glasgow-scotland-3bda88e4.html

Oh wow, very different setlist there. So much of the Heritaghe stuff replaced!

Deschain

Dr.Poca wrote: »

Oh wow, very different setlist there. So much of the Heritaghe stuff replaced!

It was ****ing awesome. My neck actually hurts now from head banging.

Grid.

Top gig......shame Anathema didn't play for longer though! Enjoyed laughing at Akerfeldt between songs, he's a funny guy!

GLaDOS

Fantastic gig. Some of the crowd chatting during the quieter songs (particularly the start of famine) was incredibly rude though.

Here Come The Pretzels

Thought it was a brilliant gig. I hadnt looked at previous setlists from this tour (to remain "spoiler free" as it were) and was expecting mostly Heritage songs and a few of the mellower songs off previous albums.
I got a nice surprise when they played Ghost of Perdition and it carried on from there.
Mikes growl was on surprisingly good. Overall it was a good balance of heavy and mellow songs...like Opeth in general really!
Harlequin Forest! :cool:

Somnus

It was a great gig. Band sounded great. I always forget how class Axe is. Love his drumming.

I'm glad it wasn't a Heritage heavy gig, because it would actually have been **** due to the crowd. During the start of Famine people were shouting at them and talking over it all etc. No wonder they cracked under pressure and made a heavier set. You'd get sick of that every night.
I did love the set though! Great collection of songs

Here Come The Pretzels wrote: »

Harlequin Forest! :cool:

Damn right! Love that song so much and had never seen them play it live

Mushy

Fantastic gig, loved from the start to the end, and only then Opeth came on stage. Axe looked like he didnt break a sweat at all.

nyarlothothep

Good gig, I thought the sound mix was fairly bad though, the other guy's guitar was quite down in the mix and sounded tinny/overly distorted. The bass was a bit muddy/indistinct, this mix also applied to Anathema. Maybe it was due to where I was standing at the side. Akerfeldt's jokes were strangely funny, must have been the magic of the gig. The drummer is a powerhouse, some great blast beats combined with jazz stuff.

Wrongway1985

Very Good show it has to be said I also didn't check the recent setlists and I got surprised it was a good mix of maybe fair to say the lesser known tracks on the albums on which they appear (Reverie-H. Forest,Hessian Peel,White Cluster) with the heavies (Blackwater Park/Ghost.../Deliverance) and the 2 heritage tracks. White Cluster or H. Forest my standouts but the whole thing was enjoyable as per usual they leave ya begging for more.

Dr.Poca wrote: »

During the start of Famine people were shouting at them and talking over it all etc.

That was shocking alright very disrespectful when people were shouting for others to quite down was also very embarrassing.

nyarlothothep wrote: »

Good gig, I thought the sound mix was fairly bad though, the other guy's guitar was quite down in the mix and sounded tinny/overly distorted. The bass was a bit muddy/indistinct, this mix also applied to Anathema. Maybe it was due to where I was standing at the side. Akerfeldt's jokes were strangely funny, must have been the magic of the gig. The drummer is a powerhouse, some great blast beats combined with jazz stuff.

I moved around to different spots, ya the sides due to the ceiling being lower there I'd say wasn't great, feel sorry for the people sitting on the ground floor those seats seemed ridiculous.

Somnus

Wrongway1985 wrote: »

That was shocking alright very disrespectful when people were shouting for others to quite down was also very embarrassing.

Agreed, it was embarrassing.

nyarlothothep wrote: »

I thought the sound mix was fairly bad though, the other guy's guitar was quite down in the mix and sounded tinny/overly distorted. The bass was a bit muddy/indistinct, this mix also applied to Anathema. Maybe it was due to where I was standing at the side. Akerfeldt's jokes were strangely funny, must have been the magic of the gig. The drummer is a powerhouse, some great blast beats combined with jazz stuff.

This is definitely a thing I notice in Vicar Street a lot. They seem to always have a stereo setup with the guitars, so if you're on the right you miss a lot of the volume on Fredrik's side. I was only a little on centre right and could notice it

Nea

Great Gig.Absolutely fantastic musicians

I thought Famine was savage,it sounded devilishly evil.I noticed that they have dropped it from their set,probably for reasons mentioned above. They have also dropped Burden so I am glad we got both of those songs in the set.